Offer expected to Flores
Dolphins have chosen Patriots defensive assistant to replace fired Gase as head coach
The Miami Dolphins have identified New England Patriots defensive coach Brian Flores as the team’s top choice to become the franchise’s next head coach.
Owner Steve Ross and General Manager Chris Grier finished the final round of interviews on Friday, talking to Dolphins special teams coach Darren Rizzi and offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains about he vacancy created by Adam Gase’s dismissal.
At the conclusion of those conversations, a league source says, Miami contacted Flores’ camp to let them know the team plans to make a formal offer.
However, no agreement has been reached yet. The Dolphins are in a holding pattern because the Patriots, the team Flores has worked for the past 15 seasons, are
competing in the postseason.
Flores can’t formally be hired until the Patriots, who host the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, are eliminated.
Flores, a two-year starter at linebacker at Boston College, began his career with the Patriots in 2004 as a scouting assistant and was assigned pro scouting duties prior to the 2006 season.
Flores was elevated to the Patriots coaching staff in 2008 as a special teams assistant, and eventually worked his way up Bill Belichick’s staff to become the safeties coach in 2012. He became the linebackers coach in 2016 and replaced Matt Patricia as the defensive play-caller when Patricia became the head coach of the Detroit Lions last year.
This season, Flores’ defense finished seventh in the NFL in points allowed (325), and 21st in yards allowed per game (359.1).
Flores, 37, has been part of three Patriots Super Bowlwinning teams.
When and if a deal with Miami gets done, he’ll become the only black man to become a head coach this cycle, which featured eight openings. He’ll also become the second defensive coach hired this cycle, joining Vic Fangio, who was hired by the Denver Broncos.
Flores will also become the second black coach the Dolphins have had in the franchise’s history. Todd Bowles held the position on an interim basis for three games in 2011.
The Dolphins have had 12 coaches, though three of them were on an interim basis.
The Dolphins interviewed Flores, Dallas Cowboys secondary coach Kris Richard, Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, Rizzi and Loggains to determine who would replace Gase, who produced a 23-25 record in his three seasons.
Miami expressed interest in interviewing Fangio, the former Bears defensive coordinator, but he was named the Broncos coach this week. And Steelers offensive line coach Mike Munchak also took his name out of the running for the Dolphins job, preferring to remain in Pittsburgh.
Flores, who is the son of Honduran immigrants, grew up in Brooklyn N.Y. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in administrative studies from Boston College, where he was a member of the 2003 Big East All-Academic Team.
Flores and his wife, Jennifer, were married in 2009 and have two sons, Miles and Maxwell, and a daughter, Liliana.
During his early days with the Patriots, Flores served as a gofer for Scott Pioli, who was then New England’s vice president of player personnel. It was Pioli, who eventually became the Kansas City Chiefs General Manager before becoming the Assistant General Manager of the Atlanta Falcons, whom he credits for teaching him how to evaluate football players.
Flores would become the ninth Belichick assistant to become a head coach in the NFL, joining Romeo Crennel (Browns and Chiefs), Al Groh (Jets), Josh McDaniels (Broncos), Eric Mangini (Jets and Browns), Nick Saban (Dolphins), Jim Schwartz (Lions), Bill O’Brien (Texans) and Patricia.
Flores will be responsible for rebuilding a Dolphins defense which set a franchise record for most yards allowed in 2018.
The Dolphins also finished 31st on offense last season, and that was the lowest ranking in franchise history. Miami ranked 26th in scoring and had the 29th-ranked defense.
With Ross publicly proclaiming an organizational reset with a long-term view, it’s possible that Miami could make major changes to the roster in the coming weeks, and it will be Grier and Flores who ultimately steer this franchise’s course for the next couple of seasons.
Ross, who has been the Dolphins’ owner for a decade, has given every coach he’s hired at least three seasons to put his imprint on the franchise.