The Miami Dolphins need a new head coach, and the next one could come from their most hated rivals, the New England Patriots.
Patriots defensive coach Brian Flores interviewed with the Dolphins during New England's playoff bye week. The interview went well, according to Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald, who reported Monday that Flores has impressed Dolphins vice president of football operations Chris Grier.
But that was no major surprise, considering he might have been Grier’s favorite all along.
While Grier had left the Patriots for the Dolphins years before Flores was hired as a scouting assistant, a league source tells the Herald that Grier has long thought highly of New England’s linebackers coach.
In fact, one source went so far as to say that Flores is near if not at the top of the Dolphins’ list.
Flores also has interviewed with the Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos. The Broncos' list of head coaching candidates reportedly is down to two names, and Flores is not one of them.
Given the choice between Miami and Cleveland, the Browns job probably would be more appealing to a new head coach. Cleveland nearly made the playoffs this season and 2018 No. 1 overall draft pick Baker Mayfield showed signs of being a franchise quarterback late in the year. The Dolphins don't have a franchise quarterback, and not having a top-tier player at that position is a very tough obstacle for a coach to overcome.
The Dolphins also haven't had a ton of stability at the head coach position. They've had six of them (including interim coaches) since Nick Saban was fired after the 2006 campaign. They've made the playoffs only twice during that 12-year span.
In the meantime, Flores is busy preparing for the Patriots' AFC divisional round matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday at Gillette Stadium. He is not allowed to leave for another team until the Patriots' season concludes.
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