In a jaw-dropping move that has ignited a national firestorm, the NFL has reportedly suspended Brian Flores — the outspoken coach and social justice advocate — for the entirety of the upcoming season after he publicly supported players kneeling during the national anthem.

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Flores, currently a key member of the Minnesota Vikings coaching staff and formerly the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, is no stranger to controversy. But this latest decision has stunned even his harshest critics.

The suspension, which insiders describe as “unprecedented in modern NFL history,” comes after Flores was filmed vocally encouraging players who chose to kneel during the national anthem in a preseason practice.

According to league sources, the NFL deemed Flores’s conduct as a “violation of team unity protocols” — a phrase that has already drawn intense backlash across social media and from civil rights groups.

“This is not about football anymore — this is about silencing voices,” said a spokesperson for the Coalition for Athlete Rights. “Brian Flores stood by his players, and now he’s paying the price.”

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Flores, known for filing a landmark discrimination lawsuit against the NFL in 2022, has remained unapologetically vocal on issues of racial justice and systemic inequality in sports. His latest show of solidarity has now cost him a full season on the sidelines — and perhaps, some say, his career.

In a brief statement released through his legal team, Flores said:
“I stand by my values. I will never apologize for supporting my players’ right to peaceful protest. If standing for what’s right means being benched, so be it.”

The NFL has yet to issue a formal public statement on the matter, but league officials are reportedly bracing for a media storm as calls for Flores’s reinstatement intensify. Several current and former players, including Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid, have already voiced their support.

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Kaepernick tweeted:
“Brian Flores joins a long line of Black men punished for telling the truth. They fear us when we kneel. They fear us when we speak.”

With the 2025 season just weeks away, the question remains: is this the NFL’s attempt to “keep politics out of the game” — or a blatant crackdown on freedom of expression?