Associated Press contributed to reporting on the development, which indicates the case will advance toward trial unless further legal changes occur.

The decision fits into a broader Supreme Court trend of expanding the ability of parties to enforce arbitration agreements in various contexts.

Flores alleged he was asked to participate in sham interviews with the Giants and Broncos to meet the Rooney Rule’s hiring requirements.

Flores began his coaching career with the New England Patriots in 2004 and spent 15 seasons there, earning four Super Bowl rings as part of the staff.

The ruling keeps open the possibility for Flores and other plaintiffs to seek relief and potential reforms in league hiring practices through the federal court system.

The suit, filed in 2022, argues systemic racism in the NFL’s hiring practices and names Flores as a Black coach who has moved on to the Minnesota Vikings as defensive coordinator.

Related coverage notes other Dolphins-related topics, including Flores’s drug-free and contract discussions, though not central to the main dispute.

Photos accompanying the story depict Flores and other NFL figures across different seasons and roles.

NFL penalties tied to the broader investigation included fines and suspensions for Dolphins owner Stephen Ross and Bruce Beal, plus loss of draft picks over tampering incidents involving Tom Brady and Sean Payton.

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Brian Flores’s discrimination lawsuit against the NFL, allowing the case to proceed toward a trial in federal court rather than being sent to arbitration.

The ruling preserves the lower court pathway, with no final trial date announced in the immediate aftermath.

The case involves multiple parties, including the NFL, the Giants, Broncos, Texans, and other coaches who joined as plaintiffs, with ongoing questions about arbitration versus court litigation.