Denver Broncos Request to Interview Brian Flores for DC

The Denver Broncos are preparing for the eventuality of losing defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the team has requested to interview Pittsburgh Steelers linebackers coach Brian Flores for their potential (or impending) defensive coordinator vacancy.

The #Broncos have requested to interview with #Steelers LBs coach and senior defensive assistant Brian Flores for their defensive coordinator position under Sean Payton, source said.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 3, 2023

Flores coached with the Steelers in 2022, but he is best known for his work as head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2019 to 2021. He was also a position coach for the New England Patriots from 2012 to 2018, an era in which they won three Super Bowls and played in a fourth. Flores managed a respectable 24-25 record in his three seasons with the Dolphins before being fired.

Flores famously sued the NFL for racial discrimination following the end of his tenure with the Dolphins, but it thankfully hasn't appeared to drastically diminish his NFL prospects. He has never served as defensive coordinator before, but his 2020 Dolphins ranked sixth in points allowed and first in takeaways. He also called defensive plays for the Patriots in 2018, a season in which they defeated the Los Angeles Rams 13-3 in Super Bowl LIII.

In a perfect world, the Broncos would likely prefer to keep Evero as defensive coordinator, but he has conducted multiple interviews for head coaching vacancies and has a realistic chance of landing a promotion somewhere. Also complicating his return is the fact that he has never worked with new Broncos head coach Sean Payton. Evero may not want to return to an organization that has changed so drastically since he first joined. The Broncos are wise to begin planning for the future.