Brian Flores first became immortalized in Boston sports for his iconic “Malcolm Go!” in Super Bowl XLIX.

Flores Joins Miami’s Coaching Staff

Then, when Matt Patricia left New England for the Detroit Lions, he got pushed into a bigger role, becoming the defensive play caller on top of being the linebackers coach. He proved why the team was so confident in him on Sunday, holding the second-best NFL offense to just three points, baffling Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay and winning the Patriots their sixth Super Bowl.

After the game, Flores was spotted walking back to the hotel with his family. Reporters asked him why he wasn’t on the team bus or in a car and Flores replied that he wanted to be with his people, soaking it all up.

At first glance that might seem stupid. Why plan to soak up a win if you don’t know how the game will turn out? Is it hubris, is it just being bold? But Flores wasn’t just soaking up his fourth Super Bowl victory. He was taking in his last moments as a New England Patriots staffer, the organization he’d first started at in 2004 as a scouting assistant and worked his way up through.

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Less than 24 hours later, the Miami Dolphins publicly announced Flores as their new head coach.

“Two things that stand out immediately when you meet Brian are his football intelligence and leadership skills,” Dolphins GM Chris Grier said in a press release from the team. “Brian is widely respected throughout the NFL. He paid his dues in New England working in personnel, on offense, defense and special teams, which helped him build a great understanding of what it takes to win. If you talk with anyone who has played for him or worked with him, you will hear about his ability to lead and get the most out of people. Brian sets a high standard for his players and coaches and we are completely aligned with our vision on how to build a successful organization.”

Flores may be the best hire in this coaching class. After everyone went out and tried to find the next McVay, the Dolphins settled for Flores, a coach who specialized on the other side of the ball. In his last six games, he held opponents to just 15.6 points. That includes shutting the record-breaking Kansas City Chiefs offense down for a half, removing Jared Goff and Todd Gurley in the Super Bowl and holding Philip Rivers to just 14 points for three quarters in the season that he was finally supposed to get his ring.

Before a torn quadriceps muscle, Flores could’ve easily been the perfect Patriots player. He was undersized, overlooked, selfless and most importantly, adaptable. That last trait helped him become the perfect Pats coach. Now, he’ll take over a Dolphins team that’s without a quarterback, a top ten pick and is projected to finish last in the NFL next year.

“We’re going to do everything possible to win games and build culture and build a winner here,” Flores said.

The biggest joke of the NFL offseason was that teams were willing to interview anyone who had talked to Sean McVay for a head coaching job.

Zac Taylor Becomes Cincinnati’s New Coach

The Los Angeles Rams coaching staff got picked apart by a handful of teams. Then, defensive coordinator Wade Phillips threw his son’s name into the mix on Twitter. But the joke wasn’t actually real until the Cincinnati Bengals interviewed Zac Taylor.

Taylor spent 2018 as the Rams’ quarterbacks coach. For whatever reason, his one season at the spot left the Bengals confident enough to hire him. Yes, the Rams are coming off a lackluster 13-3 performance in Super Bowl LIII but at this point, anyone can be an improvement compared to Marvin Lewis‘s mediocre 15-year run at the head coaching position.

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“I am happy and fortunate to join the Cincinnati Bengals as head coach,” Taylor said in a statement. “This is a great organization with good people and a rich history, and I am excited to get started. I am looking to add to that history by setting high standards, and holding everyone here accountable to those standards. There is a lot of work to do, and this is day one. We’re going to attack every day with enthusiasm to get this team ready to go.”

Taylor takes over a strange situation in Cincy. The Bengals defense was downright atrocious, ranking last in the league in yards allowed and No. 30 in points. On top of that, there’s uncertainty at the quarterback position. Andy Dalton has a contract that runs through 2020 but the team can move on at no cost right now. Taylor’s first task, though, will be to find a coordinator to turn around the defense. This is a tough job for anybody, especially for someone whose only experience at a coordinator role was on an interim basis in 2015. The AFC North looks to be one of the strongest divisions in football. The Bengals don’t look like a good team.