What we know about the Dolphins’ reported plans to hire Brian Flores
"Whenever the Patriots are done, I am told they do intend to make him their next head coach."
Could the Patriots lose their top defensive play-caller two years in a row?
It certainly seems like it.
According to multiple reports Friday afternoon, the Miami Dolphins are planning to try to hire Brian Flores, the former Boston College linebacker and Patriots defensive assistant, to replace Adam Gase as head coach.
The Dolphins fired Gase, who went 23-26 over three years, on New Year’s Eve following the team’s 7-9 season.
The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport first reported Friday afternoon that the team had “narrowed the focus of their search” for a new coach to Flores. According to Rapoport, the 37-year-old linebackers coach, who took over the defensive play-calling duties following Matt Patricia’s departure last offseason (though the Patriots technically went without a defensive coordinator), has been the rebuilding Dolphins’ “favorite all along.”
Sources: The #Dolphins have narrowed the focus of their search to #Patriots defensive play-caller Brian Flores as their new head coach. No deal yet, nothing official. But that’s their target.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 11, 2019
From Up to the Minute Live: The #Dolphins are focused on hiring #Patriots defensive play-caller Brian Flores as their new head coach… and they targeted him all along. pic.twitter.com/tvYrifDaVz
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 11, 2019
Flores was one of the first candidates to interview for the Dolphins job following Gase’s firing. According to Yahoo’s Charles Robinson, Flores “blew away” the team’s general manager, Chris Grier.
Since the Patriots are still in the playoffs, their AFC East rivals are currently prohibited from making a deal under NFL rules. They would have to wait until New England’s playoff run is over. But subsequent reports Friday evening make it sound as though the deal is all but official.
Source: The Dolphins are expected to hire Patriots LBs coach Brian Flores as head coach after New England’s season ends. @RapSheet first on it.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 11, 2019
Rules say an agreement can’t be announced or even negotiated until after a prospective coach is done coaching his current team. Hence, the semantics. But Flores will become Dolphins head coach without ever holding coordinator title. https://t.co/0RJZm4Rudc
— Tom E. Curran (@tomecurran) January 11, 2019
“Whenever the Patriots are done, I am told [the Dolphins] do intend to make [Flores] their next head coach,” Rapoport said Friday on NFL Network. “Though, of course, again, nothing official.”
The Miami Herald‘s Almando Salguero also quickly corroborated Rapoport’s report, citing a league source who said the Dolphins will try to hire Flores “as soon as the New England Patriots lose in the playoffs.” But if that effort somehow fails, their second choice is Dallas Cowboys defensive assistant Kris Richard.
Given the recent history of other attempts to poach Patriots assistants, it may be good to have a back-up plan.
