The Chicago Bears will interview Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores on Saturday. It isn’t a surprise this is happening. Flores has done wonders for that defense over the past two years, making it one of the NFL’s toughest to play against despite talent deficiencies. He was also teammates with GM Ryan Poles and has previous head coaching experience from his time with the Miami Dolphins. Some feel his hard-nosed, disciplined style is precisely what this team needs after things fell apart under Matt Eberflus.
However, at least one person thinks that is a bad idea. Ryan Fitzpatrick played for several head coaches in his long NFL career as a quarterback, including two years under Flores in 2019 and 2020. During that time, things started out great. The coach was relatable, likable, and demanding. However, his personality seemed to shift as time went on, and Flores came into conflict with many people behind the scenes. It led to several burned bridges, leaving Fitzpatrick to wonder if he truly learned anything.
Brian Flores doesn’t come across as the right guy.
Bringing more discipline to the locker room is important, sure. It must go beyond just that, though. Whoever the Bears bring in as the next head coach must have a plan for quarterback Caleb Williams. Nothing about Brian Flores’ tenure in Miami suggests he will have one. He blew through four offensive coordinators in his three years with the Dolphins and added a feud with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on top of that. Unless he has learned several lessons since then, it is hard to imagine he can present a sound structure for Williams. That is why the majority of candidates to this point come from an offensive background. Flores would have to absolutely blow them away in the interview. Fitzpatrick and others seem skeptical that happens.
