-
Kevin Seifert, ESPN writer
EAGAN, Minn. — Brian Flores is celebrating his return to the NFL coaching carousel, three years after his tumultuous dismissal as coach of the Miami Dolphins.
As he nears the end of his second season as the Minnesota Vikings’ defensive coordinator, Flores said Tuesday that he will accept all requested interviews. ESPN’s Adam Schefter has reported requests from two teams so far: the Chicago Bears and the New York Jets.
Flores admitted he also has interest in the New England Patriots’ wideout position after spending the first 15 years of his NFL career there, and explained some of the ways he believes he has grown, particularly in how he would handle a offensive. since his time in Miami.
“It’s an honor, certainly, that I definitely don’t take lightly,” Flores said of receiving interview requests. “I look forward to having those conversations and talking to people about my football journey and my leadership journey.”
Flores, 43, agreed to several head coaching interviews in 2022 after the Dolphins fired him. But he received no offers and subsequently sued the NFL and several teams, alleging discrimination in his interview processes with the Denver Broncos and New York Giants, and his firing by the Dolphins.
The NFL stripped the Dolphins of their 2023 first-round draft pick, among other disciplinary measures, following an investigation into tampering allegations that surfaced in Flores’ lawsuit. The lawsuit itself is still working its way through the legal system and the NFL’s arbitration process.
The lawsuit claims that some NFL teams conduct “fake interviews” scheduled solely to comply with the league’s Rooney Rule, which now requires teams to speak to multiple candidates with diverse backgrounds. Flores did not directly answer Tuesday whether he would attempt to evaluate whether the requests for him are genuine or aimed at complying with the rules.
“I plan to take them all,” he said. “I plan to sit down and talk to any team that is interested in talking to me about that position.”
Under NFL rules, the earliest the Jets or Bears could interview him is next week, after the Vikings’ wild-card game Monday night against the Los Angeles Rams. However, he left no doubt about his interest in the Patriots job, should owner Robert Kraft decide to interview him.
“I mean, we’re talking about coming home to where it all started,” he said. “So I think it’s a place that is definitely a special place. Talking about my football journey, that’s where it started. So I would say yes. [to questions about his interest]. But at the same time, it’s not up to me whether or not they want to talk to me or anything.”
Flores has polished his defensive credentials during his tenure with the Vikings. During the team’s 14-3 regular season, Flores’ defense ranked second in the NFL in defensive EPA, tied for first with 33 takeaways and tied for fourth in sacks (49). But after spending the 2022 season as a defensive assistant with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Flores said he intentionally sought jobs for offensive-minded head coaches like the Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell.
Flores’ offenses in Miami had the eighth-lowest scoring average in the NFL (19.9 points per game) during his time there. And his inability to develop a relationship with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa made headlines as recently as this summer, when Tagovailoa called Flores a “terrible person” in a podcast interview.
“I was lucky to come here with [O’Connell]who’s one of the best in the business,” Flores said, “and watching how he programs, how he works with the quarterback, how I can answer questions and pick his brain from an offensive standpoint, from his point of view. , from how he sees, how he sees the offense. So I would say it’s been a great kind of marriage.
“That’s part of that growth, seeing different ways of doing it, taking in all that information, changing some things from my point of view, from a leadership point of view, applying them and seeing if it works. And I think I like what I do “. “I’ve seen so far how to apply some of those things and what it looks like specifically this year.”
Flores has spoken frequently this season about his comfort level in Minnesota and his family’s assimilation into the local community. So before ending his weekly meeting with Minnesota reporters on Tuesday, he reiterated that his time there has been “fantastic,” adding, “It would have to be the right situation for me, for me and for my family.”
