Brian Flores was one of the first head coaching candidates linked to the Raiders, but more than two weeks after the initial reports of Tom Brady’s interest in Flores, the Vikings defensive coordinator isn’t known to have met with the Raiders in any official capacity.
Raider Nation Radio host Q Myers talked about Flores this week and he believes the dots are becoming easier to connect on the team’s interest in Flores.
“I’m not saying [the Raiders] are not interested in him at all. But I have not heard anything about Brian Flores since [the initial reports]… it was something that, you know, I heard a lot of before that week 18 game, then all of a sudden it’s like crickets,” Myers said on the Locked on Raiders podcast this week.
“Again, not saying that it’s not going to happen, not saying that there’s not going to be any kind of conversation or interview. But the thing about Brian Flores is it’s not like he’s coaching right now. His team is not in the playoffs. He’s a guy that can go interview. He can actually go in person interview with anyone right now and can be hired.”
“With the different boxes that you have to check to be able to hire your coach, if they wanted to hire Brian Flores because the fact that they’ve already interviewed Vance Joseph, they could interview Brian Flores and decide to hire him, as well,” Myers continued. “And it was sufficed with the Rooney rule. They would be done deal records if they wanted to do that. I don’t think that that’s what the direct direction they want to go or they could have already.”
It isn’t clear what happened since Flores was initially linked to the Raiders, but Sports Illustrated insider Hondo Carpenter offered a clue on Thursday.
Many believe Flores isn’t going to land another head coaching job until his legal proceedings against the NFL are resolved, and Carpenter was already on the record saying he believes Brady floated the Flores rumors to see what the league’s reaction would be.
“Is there a franchise that’s more willing to fight the NFL than the Raiders? No. But if they were going to go in a Brian Flores direction, I’m just telling you, NFL people don’t think that would be a wise move by Tom Brady. I’ll just leave it there,” Carpenter said on the Las Vegas Raiders Insider podcast.
“I’m not against Flores, I’m just telling you that is the perception. Do I think if there wasn’t the lawsuit that Brady would be interested in Flores? I do. I could see Brian [with the Raiders]. I want to make this clear because I’ve said this multiple times over the last few weeks. I would not be shocked if Brian Flores ends up in Vegas as the defensive coordinator.”
Carpenter didn’t say why it wouldn’t be a “wise move” for Brady to welcome Flores back to the coaching ranks, but it’s fair to wonder if the NFL might have changed their stance on Brady working for FOX if he went against their interests and hired Flores.
That’s the one area of leverage the NFL would conceivably have against Brady.
As of Sunday, 14 candidates have reportedly interviewed with the Raiders and Flores is not among the coaches on that list.
It’s possible that Flores has talked with Brady or members of the organization, but the most likely path to Las Vegas for Flores is probably by means of the coordinator title he currently holds in Minnesota.
To this point, the only candidate to have dropped out of contention in Las Vegas is Kevin Stefanski, who was hired by the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday.
x: @raidersbeat
It’s the offseason, so let the wild rumors begin! Smh…
Raiders fight the NFL?? Bull Crap – those days are passed… ended with the Passing of Al Davis… His son is Just Happy making Money – if he were going to fight at all he would have Edefended Jon Gruden with his Life – he Loved Gruden but Chickened out after being threatened by Commissioner BadAll… This is NOT the Raiders of Old – not in any way, Shape or Form…Brady? Come on!!!
Exactly Mark & Brady are suck ups to the league
Mark Davis and Tom Brady. Bone in or bone out.
Ok, the league is not over the abuse of Al Davis or the Raiders do as they want. They stop Raiders and Chargers merge in the So-Fi stadium. Gave it to Rams who could have went back to their old stadium. Which we was in desperate need. Vegas which the league was against as well. Now Gruden and Flores protect their dignity and who they are as human beings. If it’s not all that league. Pay for the mis-character. Let Raiders hire either one. Vegas could be the biggest money venue for the League.
It does make some sense. It’s also why I can’t see Gruden ever getting another shot, even if there was any non- Raiders interest in him as a Head Coach. (I don’t think there is). It would be an awful look for a league that essentially blackballed Kaepernick (they were so afraid of discovery, they settled for what’s been reported to be in the mid 8 figures), and possibly is warning teams off of Flores, if Gruden got a shot. Considering Gruden also litigated against the league, and didn’t do any better a job with the Raiders in his second stint than Flores did in Miami, it would be pretty blatant.