Tag: Brian Flores fired

Brian Flores: ‘I think race played a role in my firing’

He may have a case, but it might not be the easiest thing to prove.

When Brian Flores was fired from his job as head coach of the Miami Dolphins on the Monday following the final week of the regular season, many people were shocked by the news.

There were a lot of things said by the team and put out into the media to portray, right or wrong, that Flores was difficult to get along with and wasn’t collaborating the way that ownership and the front office wanted him to.

On Monday, a new episode of the “I AM ATHLETE” podcast was released with Flores joining Omar Kelly, Brandon Marshall, and Chad Johnson to discuss a number of things, including his firing. When Kelly asked Flores if he believed those were the reasons he was fired, Flores responded with allegations.

“I think race played a role in my firing,” Flores said. “What I mean by that is there were things that I was asked to do, there were conversations that were had, I was made out to be a difficult person to work with, and I think my white counterparts wouldn’t have been asked to do the things that I was asked to do. Look, I’m a strong personality. I know that played a role. You need to be that as a coach in the National Football League.”

Flores had two winning seasons before being fired and recently joined the Pittsburgh Steelers coaching staff as a senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach.

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Dolphins request to interview Rams assistant HC/RB coach Thomas Brown

He has just two years of NFL coaching experience.

Since then Miami Dolphins decided to move on from Brian Flores on Monday, they’ve been putting together a list of candidates that they would like to interview to fill the void.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Dolphins have added another name to that list on Friday, as they’ve requested to interview Los Angeles Rams assistant head coach and running backs coach Thomas Brown.

Brown has been with the Rams for just two seasons, assuming the assistant head coach role this year. Those are his only two years of NFL coaching, as he spent nine years in the collegiate game before making the jump.

Those in the Miami area might remember Brown as Miami Hurricanes offensive coordinator and running backs coach from 2016-2018.

The 35-year-old joins Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, and Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as coaches the Dolphins have put in requests to interview.

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Report: Texans targeting Brian Flores as their top head coach candidate

The former Dolphins head coach has at least two teams interested in him.

The Miami Dolphins have fired Brian Flores and moved on to looking for the next head coach of their franchise, but Flores has started looking for other jobs as well.

According to Houston Texans and NFL reporter Aaron Wilson, the Texans are targeting Flores as their top candidate for their open head coaching position after firing David Culley Thursday afternoon.

In his report, Wilson cited Flores’ relationship with Houston’s general manager Nick Caserio as a potential reason to bring the coach in. They spent 11 seasons together in New England, so they should be familiar with the way each other would like to build a team.

This also could be a move to try and get Deshaun Watson to play for the Texans again. Through all of the rumors of a potential trade to Miami, we were always told that Watson was interested in playing for Flores. It’s probably a long shot, but maybe hiring Flores could mend some fences between the quarterback and the organization.

Flores is reportedly scheduled to interview with the Chicago Bears on Friday for their head coach position.

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Dolphins request to interview Bills DC Leslie Frazier

After Wednesday, the Dolphins are up to six interview requests.

The Dolphins are continuing to add to their list of potential head coaching candidates that they wish to interview since firing Brian Flores on Monday.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Miami has put in a request with the Buffalo Bills to interview assistant head coach and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier. The Dolphins have now requested both coordinators from Buffalo, as Brian Daboll was the first request they put in.

Frazier has been with Buffalo since 2017 in his current roles. During his tenure, the Bills defense has had two seasons where they allowed the fewest points per game (2021 – 17) and second-fewest points per game (2019 – 16.5).

In 2010, Frazier was with the Minnesota Vikings when Brad Childress was fired. Frazier was given interim duties and was actually given the job the following year. He was the full-time coach of the Vikings for three seasons, and he led them to a 21-32-1 record and one postseason appearance.

Along with Daboll, Frazier joins Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, and 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel as the coaches who the Dolphins have requested to interview.

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Albert Breer: Deshaun Watson to Miami not dead even without Brian Flores

It’s not out of the question.

With the firing of Brian Flores now in the past, the Miami Dolphins are preparing to take their next steps as a franchise.

They’re putting out requests to interview coordinators to become their head coach, and the next decision after that should be the quarterback. Tua Tagovailoa is set to start his third season with the Dolphins, but it’s clear that he hasn’t lived up to his draft position.

Throughout the last year, there were consistent discussions about a potential trade for Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson. It was essentially known that Flores was part of the reason that the quarterback would consider waiving his no-trade clause to be sent to Miami.

Now that Flores is out of the picture, does that mean the potential deal is dead?

Albert Breer of the MMQB doesn’t seem to think so. He wrote about the very topic on Wednesday.

“Deshaun Watson’s desire to play for the Dolphins, as I’ve heard it, was bolstered by Brian Flores’s presence there,” Breer wrote. “But that was hardly the only thing Miami had going for it—there’s also a good core group on the roster, cap flexibility to allow for guys to come with the quarterback, no state income tax and, yes, the simple fact that it’s South Florida (which helps in getting guys to want to join him).”

So, despite the rumors that have spread this week about owner Stephen Ross and general manager Chris Grier being the ones who back Tagovailoa, there’s still a chance that this deal could get done without Flores.

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Chris Simms and Mike Florio say Dolphins job is not at the top of the list for coaches

Will there be any coaches jumping at the opportunity?

The Miami Dolphins decided to fire head coach Brian Flores on Monday, and that move sent the media landscape into shock, as nearly anyone who was considered an NFL analyst was completely blown away by the decision.

Now, the Dolphins have begun their search for the next leader of their locker room. Miami has already requested permission to interview five coaches including, Bills defensive coordinator Brian Daboll, San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, and Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.

While the Dolphins may interview these coaches, there’s no guarantee that they get the guy that they want.

On “PFT Live,” Mike Florio and Chris Simms discussed how interested coaches will be in this opportunity.

“Who in their right mind is going to take that job,” Florio asked. “Who’s going to take that job knowing what we know? Knowing that you step into the shoes of Brian Flores. You’re the guy who, if you’re not nice enough to all the people in the building they may whisper to Stephen Ross that this guy’s not getting it done. We need to get rid of him. And, we know that it works unless Stephen Ross wakes up at some point and says ‘enough of this crap. I’m sticking with my coach.'”

The conversation last nearly 10 minutes, but the point they kept coming back to is that this job won’t be one that’s thought of highly because of the situation with the general manager and the owner.

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Dolphins request interviews with Cardinals DC Vance Joseph and Cowboys OC Kellen Clemens

Miami adds an up-and-comer and a coach with experience to their list.

Since the Miami Dolphins fired Brian Flores on Monday, they’ve requested interviews with Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, and Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

Tuesday evening, the team put in two more requests, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, as they’ve inquired about Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.

Moore transitioned from quarterback to quarterbacks coach in Dallas in 2018. Since then, he was promoted to offensive coordinator and has survived a regime change with Mike McCarthy replacing Jason Garrett as head coach.

With a healthy Dak Prescott this season, Moore’s offense put up the most points per game (31.2) and yards per game (407) this season. Those numbers are impressive, but one would have to wonder if he could replicate that success without the stars around him.

It is interesting that Moore was a lefty quarterback like Tua Tagovailoa. That probably doesn’t mean anything, but it’s just something to remember.

Joseph, on the other hand, has head coaching experience, as he was Denver’s head coach from 2017-2018. During his tenure, the Broncos finished 12-21 and failed to make the playoffs.

Those in Miami may actually remember that he was the Dolphins defensive coordinator before he made the jump to Denver. That season, Miami went 9-8, and their defense was slightly below-average in points allowed per game (24.1) and poor in total yards allowed (381.7).

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Dolphins have requested to interview Cowboys DC Dan Quinn

He’s the first defensive coach that the Dolphins have asked about.

The Miami Dolphins have fired head coach Brian Flores and have moved on to building a list of candidates.

In the past two days, they’ve requested interviews with Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel. Now, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero is reporting that the Dolphins have asked to interview Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as well.

Quinn is the first of these coordinators that has prior head coaching experience, as he was the coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 2015-2020. During that time, Atlanta was 43-42 (.506 winning percentage) and had made a run to the Super Bowl where they blew the lead to the New England Patriots.

This is Quinn’s first season as defensive coordinator for the Cowboys, and his unit held teams to the seventh-fewest points per game (21.1) and the most takeaways per game (2.0).

He’s been known to have real success with defenses in the past, as he was the defensive coordinator for Seattle’s “Legion of Boom” defenses. Quinn could probably do something interesting stuff with Miami’s talented defenders.

Quinn would likely have to find a really strong offensive coordinator to help that side of the ball along.

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Dolphins put in request to interview 49ers OC Mike McDaniel

That’s two potential candidates for the Dolphins.

The Miami Dolphins, after firing Brian Flores on Monday and requesting to interview Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, are continuing to add names to their coaching search.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Dolphins have requested permission to interview San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.

This is McDaniel’s first season as the 49ers offensive coordinator, but he was previously the team’s run game coordinator for the three years prior. He’s spent nearly his entire career around the Shanahan family. McDaniel came into the league as an intern for the Broncos under Mike Shanahan in 2005 and has followed him or his son, Kyle, everywhere they went with exception of the 2009 and 2010 seasons.

With nearly 16 years of experience working with and for the Shanahans, McDaniel’s knowledge of their scheme should be pretty strong.

This season, their newest wrinkle has been the usage of Deebo Samuel out of the backfield. He rushed 59 times this season for 365 yards and eight touchdowns. Samuel’s a dynamic playmaker who should have the ball in his hands as much as possible.

Maybe McDaniel could do the same with Jaylen Waddle in Miami.

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Former Dolphins coach Brian Flores is getting an interview with the Bears

That didn’t take very long.

After the Miami Dolphins fired head coach Brian Flores on Monday morning following the end of the 2021 regular season, he is already looking for a new home.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Flores is set to interview with the Chicago Bears. The Bears recently fired both coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace and have put together a list of names they’re ready to interview.

Along with Flores, the Bears have also requested permission to interview Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, and Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. They also plan to interview former Eagles head coach Doug Pederson, so the competition for the job will be stiff.

Flores spent three years with Miami, going 24-25. He brought the Dolphins to two winning seasons, but they never made the postseason. Chicago’s strong building blocks on defense would fit Flores perfectly, and he’d have another young quarterback to work with in Justin Fields.

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