The Jets have already interviewed 10 head coaching candidates, with seven more interested and scheduled to interview.
The list is long, but one of the most intriguing names might be Brian Flores.
Flores, a Brooklyn native, is scheduled to interview virtually with the Jets on Friday. The 43-year-old is an attractive candidate for the job and could try out for the No. 33 team, the group that helps the Jets in their search.
Flores is a candidate with head coaching experience. He served as the Dolphins' head coach for three years from 2019 to 2021, posting a 24-25 record and a winning record in each of his final two years there.
The idea of hiring a head coach with experience is appealing to the Jets, who have hired mostly first-time head coaches during Woody Johnson's ownership.
But Flores' time in Miami also raised many questions that needed to be answered.
It appears Flores was not fired by the Dolphins because he was a bad football coach.
Owner Stephen Ross said there was a lack of a “supportive” environment within Flores and the organization.
Stories surfaced that Flores clashed with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, general manager Chris Grier and a number of assistant coaches. The Dolphins have had four offensive coordinators and two defensive coordinators in three years under Flores.
Flores was portrayed as difficult and arrogant.
Last week, Ryan Fitzpatrick, who played for Flores in Miami in 2019 and 2020, said Flores has become a “dictator.”
“But when people say, “Give me some references from Miami who coached under you, so I can talk to them,'' he said he built a lot of bridges there. I think he was estranged from the whole staff,” Fitzpatrick said on the “Fitz & Whit” podcast. “I think by the end of his tenure there, instead of what you were just talking about, being humble and asking questions and collaborating, he became a dictator. It ruined the relationship. And his ego got so big that there was no room for anyone else.”
Fitzpatrick later posted on X that he considers Flores a friend and that he thinks he has improved since his time in Miami.
That's the big question the Jets have to answer regarding Flores. After leaving Miami, he spent one season on Mike Tomlin's staff with the Steelers and his final two years in Minnesota under Kevin O'Connell.
This is where the No. 33 team can be a resource for the Jets.
Mike Tannenbaum and Rick Spielman are the faces of the group supporting the Jets, but behind the scenes there are many people doing research on all the candidates.
There's no doubt they talked to a lot of people who worked with and played for Flores at both Miami and Minnesota.
Flores' no-nonsense, disciplined approach is exactly what the Jets are looking for. There is a feeling within the organization that things have become too lax under Saleh and that players are not being held accountable.
Flores fits the mold of a tough coach. But is he too strong?
Tagovailoa was drafted by Flores in 2020, and the two clashed.
Tagovailoa called Flores a “terrible person” in a radio interview last summer. He said Flores beat him up and hurt his confidence.
Flores recently spoke to The Athletic about what he learned from his mistake in Miami.
“I think I’ll always keep demanding,” he said. “There’s always high standards, otherwise I don’t think you can win in this league.
“I think when I look back at my experience in Miami, I definitely made mistakes as a young coach, as a young leader, and I was able to grow from them. I think I learned from those mistakes and evolved. And now I think I've learned from those mistakes and evolved from them. I think we're a much better coach now than we were three or four years ago. And I think we're seeing a lot of that here in Minnesota.”
There's no question what Flores has done as a defensive coach. The Vikings, 14-3, are fifth in points allowed this season thanks to Flores' blitz tactics.
But the Jets need more than a defensive coordinator. They want leadership. They will have to decide if Flores is their leader.
