Judge shortens road to decide NFL racial discrimination suit

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell speaks to the media after the close of the NFL owners' meeting on March 29, 2022, at The Breakers resort in Palm Beach, Fla. A judge on Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022, quickened the time it will take to rule whether Goodell gets to decide the merits of racial discrimination claims made by Black coaches against the league and its teams, saying that it appears an effort to gather more evidence is a try at “an impermissible fishing expedition.” (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File)

A judge on Thursday made it likely she’ll rule in weeks rather than months whether NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell gets to decide the merits of racial discrimination claims made by Black coaches against the league and its teams, saying an effort to gather more evidence seems like “an impermissible fishing expedition.”

U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni said in a written ruling that lawyers for coaches Brian Flores, Steve Wilks and Ray Horton cannot gather additional evidence from defendants to support their arguments that the lawsuit in Manhattan federal court should remain in court rather than be sent to arbitration.

Her ruling makes it likely that a decision on whether to move the case to arbitration or let it remain in Manhattan federal court will be decided in weeks rather than months.