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New York Giants head coach Joe Judge, defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores are all friends. Very close friends, in fact.
Earlier this week, both Judge and Flores spoke about their personal relationships.
“Pat and I are good friends,” Flores said, via the Miami Herald. “We shared an office together. We’ve had our spats. Our wives are best friends. Our kids hang out. So, Pat is a great friend of mine.
“Our wives are friends,” Flores added of Judge. “My son and his daughter were in the same pre-K class, so we’re talking about people I have great relationships with.”
The trio became close friends as members of the New England Patriots staff under Bill Belichick. They spent years together.
“I think some of the tightest relationships you have in this business are the relationships you have when you’re broke, grinding with somebody,” Judge said this week.
“Brian came into this league the same as I did in kind of a bottom of the totem pole type of position. We were given the opportunity to work and had the opportunity to work our way up. He certainly did that and I had the opportunity as well to do that. I think it’s when you’re kind of grinding through those long hours and stressful times and going through adversity together is when you really form strong bonds with people. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Flo. I really, really do.”
With Flores and Judge already on the record, it was Graham’s turn to speak on Thursday. And speak he did.
“I think Flo said it in the media this week – we’re like brothers and just respected my decision and allowed me to come (to New York),” Graham said.
Someone jokingly asked Graham if he’s closer with Judge or Flores, which opened the flood gates. Graham dismissed the joke and did a deep-dive into his relationship with Flores, at times appearing to choke back tears.
Patrick Graham speaks GLOWINGLY of Dolphins HC Brian Flores pic.twitter.com/4rUPXfSDJi
— Talkin’ Giants (@TalkinGiants) December 2, 2021
“I spent a lot of time with Flo in the office. Flo, we’re very, very close. Very, very close. I’m not going to differentiate. That’s not funny to me,” Graham said of the Judge-Flores question. “Flo is my man. I learned so much from Brian Flores. He’s one of the smartest human beings I’ve ever been around in football, non-football. He challenges you to get better every day. I wouldn’t be in this position if it wasn’t for Flo. Learned a ton about football, learned a ton about life. There’s nobody, in my opinion — I mean, he’s one of the best coaches in this league in terms of whether it’s leadership, in terms of strategy.
“I know these other people get mentioned all the time, but the guy was defensive coordinator when they won the Super Bowl, holding that team to that many points. The leadership he has displayed down there in Miami, the leadership he has displayed whether we were QCs, whether we were position coaches. I’m just telling you, that is my man. I love him to death and I would not be here if it weren’t for him in terms of how he challenges you to get better every day. He does a great job of that.”
It’s clear that the relationships between Judge, Graham and Flores extend well beyond the NFL’s coaching brotherhood. They are more than friends — they’re family.
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