In a Shocking Turn of Events, Brian Flores Is No Longer the Dolphins Head Coach
Jan. 11 2022, Published 11:40 a.m. ET
While many surprises are bound to happen during the NFL's annual "Black Monday," none were as shocking as the Miami Dolphins firing their head coach, Brian Flores.
"I am grateful most of all for the players, coaches, and support staff who gave everything they had on a daily basis to help us win games," Brian said in a statement for EPSN.
He continued, "They deserve the credit for any success on the field, and it was the honor of a lifetime for me to go to work with them every day. I have always believed that leadership is really about service, and I did my best to serve the players, the staff, and the organization every day. I believe in this team and will always value the relationships my family and I made here."
Throughout his tenure with the franchise, Brian tallied in a 24-25 record, with his last two years being winning seasons. Though he had arguably one of the (if not the) worst rosters in the NFL during his rookie year, Brian managed to secure a 5-11 record, despite chatter the team would go 0-16.
Though he's never made the playoffs with the Dolphins, Brian made serious progress with the franchise, so why did the Dolphins fire Brian Flores? How much was his salary with the Dolphins? Here's what we know.
What was Brian Flores' salary with the Miami Dolphins?
According to NBC Chicago, Brian Flores was one of the highest-paid NFL coaches for the 2021 season. He ranked at number 23 on the outlet's list with $3 million, tied with Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel.
Brian Flores presumably earned more than Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell, Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni, Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith, and Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley.
Why did the Dolphins fire Brian Flores?
After the NFL regular season concluded, the Miami Dolphins broke their silence on Monday, Jan. 10, and announced they were parting ways with their coach, Brian Flores. Though he rounded in three promising seasons, it wasn't enough to keep his job.
"I made a decision today to part ways with Brian Flores," declared Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross. "After evaluating where we are as an organization and what we need going forward to improve, I determined that key dynamics of our football organization weren't functioning at a level I want it to be and felt that this decision was in the best interest of the Miami Dolphins."
He concluded, "I believe we have a talented young roster in place and have the opportunity to be much better in 2022. I want to thank Brian for his hard work and wish him nothing but the best in his future."
Wait, what "key dynamics weren't functioning" in Miami?
Brian Flores' firing from the Dolphins seemingly all comes down to relationships.
Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, this statement points to the tension between Brian Flores and GM Chris Grier. Of course, the power struggle apparently concluded once Chris Grier, who's been with the Dolphins since 2016, got what he wanted.
"This has been boiling for the last, I would say more than a month," Ian revealed on Good Morning Football (via Sporting News). "You look at some of the personnel moves that the Miami Dolphins have made and have not made, certainly the frustration is understandable."
He added, "Several first-round picks have not panned down, and it did seem, as far as coach Brian Flores is concerned, that certainly could be things that may be done better."
Thankfully, everything will pan out just fine for Brian Flores; there are several vacant head coaching positions across the NFL, and we're sure he will swoop in and lead another franchise to victory.
