Brian Flores has to be the first head coach hired in the next NFL hiring cycle. 

In a decision that sent a shockwave throughout both NFL players, staff and fans, the Miami Dolphins unexpectedly fired head coach Brian Flores after three seasons. Flores joined the Dolphins in 2019, a campaign titled “Tank for Tua” as a response to the team’s need for a quarterback, that ended with five wins and eleven losses. The following season, the young and unproven Miami squad went 10-6, missing the playoffs by a game but showing promise for the future. 

When the Dolphins began their 2021 season with seven losses in eight games, there were uncertainties about Flores’ job security due to the lofty expectations surrounding his squad. However, any questions about the former coach’s position were answered with Miami’s play — the “Fins” flipped their season around and went on a seven-game win streak, becoming the first team in NFL history to feature both a seven-game losing streak and seven-game winning streak in the same season. 

The developing squad also swept the playoff-bound New England Patriots for the first time since 2000; Flores is 4-2 against Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, the best record of any coach against Belichick since he began his stint in Foxborough. 

Regardless, Flores’ Dolphins finished 9-8 and missed the playoffs once again, but there were flashes of promise on both sides of the group. Rookie wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, who Miami drafted with their first pick in the 2021 Draft, broke Anquan Boldin’s NFL record for receptions by a rookie in Week 18’s win over the Patriots. Similarly, the organization’s second pick went to the University of Miami’s Jaelan Phillips, who broke the Dolphins’ franchise record for sacks by first-year player. 

So why did Brian Flores lose his job? 

Miami’s owner Stephen Ross attributed the decision to off-field issues.

“I’ve been looking at this over three years now and watching the organization grow,” Ross said in an interview with ESPN a few hours after the firing. “And I think an organization can only function if it’s collaborative, and it works well together. And I don’t think that we were really working well as an organization that it would take to really win consistently at the NFL level.”

During the Flores era in Miami, the team had four offensive coordinators, two defensive coordinators and four offensive line coaches. While the Dolphins’ offense was inconsistent and struggling, their defense established tenacity and set the tone for the squad- thanks to Flores at the helm. 

Before the NFL trade deadline, Miami had shown what seemed to be mutual interest with Houston Texans’ superstar quarterback Deshaun Watson, who was attracted to the thought of playing under Flores. There was reportedly a deal in place, but the Dolphins’ front office ultimately backed out due to Watson’s legal troubles that caused him to sit out of the 2021 season. 

The Dolphins’ current quarterback, second-year Tua Tagovailoa, has been one of the most accurate quarterbacks in the league statistically, but has not proven he can lead an offense in his short career- at least not yet. Regardless, trading for a player of Watson’s caliber could have propelled Miami to the playoffs as a serious threat; with Flores gone, any trade talks could be dismissed. 

The firing of Brian Flores may become a decision that haunts the Dolphins’ front office and fanbase for a long time, depending on their next head coach and future success. Flores came into Miami when they were arguably the worst team in football and brought them into competition for a playoff spot in a year. Multiple NFL teams with head coach openings are expected to pursue the former Dolphins coach — they would be absurd not to.