Brian Flores has expressed interest in the New England Patriots coaching position, though it’s unclear if the feeling is mutual.
Speaking with reporters in Minnesota on Tuesday, Flores, the Vikings’ defensive coordinator, shared his thoughts on returning to a head coaching role. He mentioned that he would be open to interviewing with other teams and that the Patriots job does appeal to him.
However, he acknowledged that the decision is not in his hands.
“We’re talking about going home,” Flores said. “That’s where it all started for me, and I hold a special place for that in my football journey. So, yes, I’d be interested. But at the same time, it’s not up to me if they want to talk to me or not. That’s just how I feel about it.”
The Patriots have already interviewed two candidates, Byron Leftwich and Pep Hamilton, on Tuesday. Additionally, they have requested to interview Ben Johnson and plan to speak with Mike Vrabel later this week.
Flores began his NFL career with the Patriots in 2008 as a special teams assistant. He transitioned to offensive assistant and special teams coach in 2010 before moving to defense. Bill Belichick promoted him to safeties coach in 2012, and in 2016, Flores became the linebackers coach. Though he never held the title of defensive coordinator, Flores was the Patriots’ defensive playcaller during the 2019 season, helping guide the team to a Super Bowl win over the Los Angeles Rams.
That success led to Flores becoming the head coach of the Miami Dolphins in 2020. Over three seasons, he posted a 24-25 record but was fired in 2022. During that time, he filed a class-action lawsuit against the NFL, the New York Giants, Denver Broncos, and Dolphins, accusing them of racial discrimination.
Flores later joined the Pittsburgh Steelers as the linebackers coach and moved to the Minnesota Vikings in 2023 as their defensive coordinator. Under his guidance, the Vikings finished with the fifth-best scoring defense in the NFL.
With the Vikings playing in the wildcard round next Monday, Flores is eligible for virtual interviews starting Thursday, January 16.
“These head coaching requests are an honor, certainly,” Flores said. “I don’t take that lightly and look forward to discussing my football journey and leadership path with others.”
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