INDIANAPOLIS — Brian Flores no longer needs to adhere to The Patriot Way of dealing with reporters, but the Miami Dolphins new head coach certainly still sounds a bit like Bill Belichick.
Flores held his first NFL Scouting Combine news conference Wednesday and featured many of the same cliches Belichick uses in his meetings with the media.
Unsurprisingly, Flores is focused on this year, not last year, and the Dolphins are concentrated on getting better in every area.
“I think last year is last year,” Flores said. “If we focus on — maybe he does rub off. I feel like there’s some good in that. If we focus on last year, then we’re not focused on this year. I would hate to take away from this year’s team and focus on whatever happened a year ago. If I’m copying Bill, then I guess I’m copying Bill in that situation.”
Flores hired five former Patriots assistant coaches, so he was asked if he’s trying to be like New England.
“Right now my vision is really focused on this week and the players in this draft, trying to get to know these guys,” Flores said. “And again, this part of the process is so vital, so important as far as getting to know these players, their strengths, their weaknesses, how they fit with our team. And then we’ll get to that play-calling, who’s doing this when we get to that. Obviously, that’s something you’re working towards also. Right now, the focus right now is on these players at the combine.”
Flores was non-committal when asked if he also would try to sign some familiar faces to the Dolphins’ roster. The Dolphins already have former Patriots Danny Amendola, Ted Larsen and Jomal Wiltz on their active roster. Running back Brandon Bolden and tight end A.J. Derby are free agents.
“I think it’s important to bring in players who play our style and do the things that — well first, I’d say bring the culture and bring the leadership and the toughness and the intelligence that we’re looking for,” Flores said. “So, I don’t care where that player comes from. Hopefully, we’ll find a good number of them this week. So, that’s all part of the process.
“This week is so important because you get to know these guys and we’re not going to be able to pick every guy we like, I understand that. But we’ll get to know them and maybe down the line this conversation that was had here just kind of helps our process two or three years from now. ‘We talked to so-and-so at the combine. That was a good interview. He’s available.’ Things like that. This is all important not just for right now but in the future.”
