(CNN)Former Miami Dolphins head coach and current Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores' lawsuit against the NFL and three teams -- the Denver Broncos, the New York Giants and the Houston Texans -- can proceed instead of going to arbitration, a federal judge said on Wednesday.
Judge Valerie Caproni issued the decision, allowing Flores to pursue his case against the three teams and the NFL through a court, though his suit against the Miami Dolphins and both Steve Wilks' and Ray Horton's cases will go through arbitration.
"This case shines an unflattering spotlight on the employment practices of National Football League ("NFL") teams. Although the clear majority of professional football players are Black, only a tiny percentage of coaches are Black," Caproni wrote in her decision.
Flores' attorney Doug Wigdor said in a statement: "We are pleased that Coach Flores' class claims of systematic discrimination against the NFL and several teams will proceed in court and ultimately before a jury of his peers."
Last year, Flores, who had recently been fired by the Miami Dolphins after three seasons as head coach, filed a federal civil lawsuit, alleging racial discrimination in the hiring practices for head coaching jobs.