“We want leadership,” Broncos GM George Paton said. “That’s our No. 1 priority.” Brian Flores, anyone?
After firing coach Vic Fangio on Sunday, Denver Broncos general manager George Paton is now in charge of the team’s search for a replacement.
During his end-of-season press conference on Sunday, Paton was asked what qualities he’s looking for in the team’s next coach.
“The No. 1 quality is leadership,” Paton said. “We’re looking for someone to lead this entire organization, to lead this community, and to lead our players. That’s the No. 1 trait we’re looking for. Obviously, we want the best football coach. I’m not worried about what side of the ball, and I’m not worried about a play caller. We want leadership. That’s our No. 1 priority.”
Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross had a similar sentiment in 2019 when they hired Brian Flores.
“What we were looking for is a leader,” Ross said three years ago, via Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post. “To me, you start an organization by finding a great leader and I’m really thrilled to say that I believe we have found that leader.”
Despite going 10-6 last year and 9-8 this season, Miami surprisingly fired Flores on Monday. He should now be considered a top candidate for the Broncos’ opening.
More from Schad’s piece in 2020:
Miami’s rookie quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, says Flores is passionate and disciplined, but perhaps more revealing than any other conclusion — consistent.
“We never change anything,” Tagovailoa said of Flores’ approach.
That mentality would be useful in Denver if Von Miller’s recent remarks are to be believed. This is how the outside linebacker described the differences between losing with the Broncos and Los Angeles Rams:
“We have been so even-keeled and so consistent with things that we do, how we prepare,” Miller said last week, via Cameron DaSilva of Rams Wire. “When I was with the Denver Broncos, when we lose, it’s time to double down on something. It’s time to go harder, it’s time to do something differently, it’s time to watch more film, practice a little bit harder, lift a little bit harder. And these guys, they just got a formula. We come in, we do our stuff, we go home. And we trust our guys. We trust the stars on the team.
“We trust the foundational players. We trust the coaches. And honestly, we just come in and we do the exact same thing. When we we’re losing, we were doing the exact same thing. And when we’re winning, we have the same exact mindset that we’ve had these eight weeks that I’ve been here. So it’s been very consistent whether we win or lose.”
That formula has worked for the Rams — they went 12-5 this season and L.A. reached the Super Bowl under Sean McVay in 2018 — and the formula likely would have worked for the Dolphins if they had more patience with Flores.
Miami made a mistake, firing a bright young leader with a winning approach. The Broncos can benefit from that mistake by bringing Flores in to replace Fangio.
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