Miami Dolphins get a new future — let’s hope it’s a winning one

A new era — a successful one, we hope — begins for the Miami Dolphins with the official hiring and introduction of new head coach Brian Flores on Monday.

Thank goodness, because when it comes to the Dolphins, this town needs a hero — pronto.

Team owner Stephen Ross is putting his money on the franchise’s 13th coach (let’s hope that’s not a jinx) that he’ll be a modern-day version of Don Shula, Like Flores, Shula was also hired in February — of 1970. Fingers crossed.

Flores arrives fresh from the Super Bowl victory on Sunday of his now-former team, the New England Patriots. At the game, Flores was the defensive playcaller and the assistant linebackers’ coach who helped engineer a near shutout of the Los Angeles Rams. If the game was low scoring and boring, it’s probably his fault.

Still, greater Miami is hoping that Flores brings that winning gold dust with him.

Flores, the son of Honduran immigrants who settled in Brooklyn, becomes the teams’ first Hispanic coach — and joins University of Miami coach Manny Diaz with the same distinction.

There is a downside, though. Flores, 37, has no experience as a head coach. But he has been coaching next to one of the greatest coaches of all time, Bill Belichick, and the greatest quarterback, Tom Brady. So, in addition to the talent that he does bring, he’s also highly qualified through osmosis.

We’re impressed and hopeful about the four Super Bowl wins Flores has under his belt. Now, can he rescue the lowly but still beloved, Dolphins?

Flores comes with the most needed qualification: He knows how to win. As he said at his news conference, he’ll have a team full of “selfless players” who believe the team comes first.

Ross and General Manager Chris Grier, who knew Flores from when they both worked with the Patriots, said the front office is looking for a lasting fix to the Dolphins’ doldrums.

“We want to build this right,” Grier said. “We don’t want to go to the playoffs one year and sit back and everyone thinks, ‘Oh, they’re back.’ And then you keep trying to just survive.” Boy, Miami fans know well that heartbreaking roller coaster.

As a leader, Flores knows how to win consistently. That’s what the Dolphins have been desperately needing. If Flores can’t fix the Dolphins, Ross might be motivated to just walk away. But it shouldn’t come to that. He must be praised for trying everything, which he has.

“Every week we’re going to go out there with the idea that we’re going to win a game,” Flores told reporters. Music to our ears.

But, there are big “buts.” Flores has never coached a losing team. Yeah, the Patriots have had some lumps but nothing like those the Dolphins have endured.

This story was originally published February 5, 2019 at 1:53 AM.