Brian Flores is a hot name again for NFL head coach vacancies, but Ryan Fitzpatrick thinks the coach has multiple things to work out beforehand.
Flores was the Miami Dolphins’ head coach from 2019-2021. The team went 5-11 in Flores’ first season and followed that up with consecutive winning years. Fitzpatrick played quarterback for Miami in 2019 and 2020, and he shared some insight about how Flores changed over his time as the head coach of the Dolphins.
During an epside of his “Fitz and Whit” show with Andrew Whitworth that was released a few weeks ago, Fitzpatrick talked about Flores.
According to Fitzpatrick, Flores began his tenure in Miami as a “likable” and “relatable” coach who got the most out of his players. However, Fitzpatrick says Flores became “unrecognizable” as time went on. Fitzpatrick believes Flores started to become a “dictator” of sorts and stopped listening to those who worked for him. As a result, Fitzpatrick says Flores “burned a lot of bridges, alienated himself from his staff, and didn’t have the humility to ask questions and collaborate.”
The reason Flores was let go by Miami despite having consecutive winning seasons is “his ego grew so big that there wasn’t room for anybody else,” Fitzpatrick says.
Fitzpatrick says he considers Flores a friend, so the things he is sharing would be considered constructive criticism. Fitzpatrick’s comments have received renewed attention as NFL teams enter the hiring cycle and start looking at potential head coach candidates.
The 43-year-old Flores is in his second season as the defensive coordinator of the Vikings. The team has gone 14-3 this season, which helps explain why teams have interest in him as a possible head coach.
