Josh McDaniels will not be heading to the Bay Area after Super Bowl LI. But another New England Patriots assistant coach might be.
Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan is expected to be hired as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, and he could interview Patriots linebackers coach Brian Flores to be his defensive coordinator, FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer reported Sunday.
Flores, a former Boston College linebacker, has been with New England since 2004. He began in the scouting department before shifting to coaching in 2008. Before taking his current position in 2016, he spent four seasons as the Patriots’ safeties coach.
If Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia had taken a head-coaching job elsewhere after interviewing with multiple teams last month, many believed Flores would have been promoted to be his successor.
“I think I’ve been fortunate to be in a lot of different roles here, scout, offense, defense, special teams,” Flores told Rich Hill of Pats Pulpit earlier this week. “But I’m a one day at a time kind of person. I don’t really think about what’s in the future. … I just try to get better every day and just try and prepare the guys as best I can every day. That’s really my goal. I don’t really think about anything else.
“I hope that I’m preparing a lot, I hope that I’m prepared. There’s always something I could get better at, but that’s kind of the approach I take every day.”
McDaniels, the Patriots’ offensive coordinator, interviewed for the 49ers job before ultimately choosing to remain in New England.
The Patriots and Falcons will square off Sunday at Houston’s NRG Stadium in Super Bowl LI.
Thumbnail photo via Chris Humphreys/USA TODAY Sports Images
