Ryan Fitzpatrick Says Brian Flores ‘Became Unrecognizable’ As Dolphins HC

Vikings DC Brian Flores walks into the offseason as a top candidate for head coaching vacancies around the NFL and will start to have interview requests pile up. It marks a return to the head coaching ranks for Flores for the first time since his disastrous time with the Dolphins from 2019-2021. 

Ryan Fitzpatrick was Miami’s quarterback during Flores’ first two seasons at the helm. When appearing on his podcast, Fitzpatrick reflected on the circumstances that led to Flores’ downfall with the Dolphins. 

“In Year 1, Miami got rid of every good player they had, and it was jokingly called the “Tank for Tua” year. Halfway through that year, we didn’t want a game yet, there was a shift in the way that he was approaching his job. He was likable, he was relatable, he demanded a lot out of the players, but he was also able to get the best version of his players, and I really appreciated him for that. But as his tenure went on in Miami, he kind of became unrecognizable,” Fitzpatrick said. 

The former quarterback mentioned how Flores “burned a lot of bridges” with coaches who worked under him in Miami and his leadership became an ego-driven dictatorship. 

“I think in the interviews he’ll be likable, he’ll be relatable. But when people say give me somebody from Miami that coached under you as a reference so we can talk to them, I think he burned a lot of bridges there. I think he alienated himself from the entire staff, instead of having the humility to ask questions, to collaborate. I think by the end of his time there, he became a dictator. He ruined a lot of those relationships that he built up through the NFL, and his ego grew so big that there wasn’t any room for anyone else. And so that was why he got released at the end of his tenure in Miami,” Fitzpatrick said. 

Fitzpatrick mentioned how Flores was well-liked around the organization and the dysfunction during his time with the Dolphins was exclusively related to the coaching staff. 

“If you ask the training staff, the equipment guys, the people that serve the meals, the custodians, everybody in that Miami building loved him. It just became such a power-driven ego trip in the coaching meeting rooms. There wasn’t a collaboration,” Fitzpatrick said. 

Fitzpatrick is confident Flores learned a lot from his time in Miami and deserves another shot at being a head coach. In the end, he thinks Flores must be himself instead of trying to imitate an authoritative figure like Bill Belichick. 

“That being said, I do think he’s learned a lot. The job that he’s done in Minnesota this year has been unbelievable. He’s such a relatable guy when he is himself, and I think that’s the most important thing for him. Hopefully, the thing he’s learned the most is you are enough. You don’t have to be anybody else you don’t have to try to imitate Bill Belichick. Be you. Guys respect and appreciate you, and want to learn from you. So he’s going to be an interesting one in the cycle, because of how successful he’s been,” Fitzpatrick said. 

Flores, 43, began his NFL coaching career with the Patriots back in 2004 as a scouting assistant. He held a number of positions including pro scout, special teams assistant, assistant offense/special teams, defensive assistant, safeties coach and linebackers coach before serving as the de facto defensive coordinator in 2018. 

Miami hired Flores away to be their head coach in 2019 before firing him abruptly after the 2021 season. He caught on with the Steelers as a defensive assistant and LB coach, then was hired by the Vikings as defensive coordinator in 2023. 

In three years in Miami, Flores posted a record of 24-25 (49 percent) with no playoff appearances.