Almost as if on cue, Brian Flores is out in Miami – and as the clouds roll in over Dolphins nation, the future, again, is packed with uncertainty. The Dolphins have had eight head coaches since the golden rein of Don Shula, and each one of them received on average 3.25 seasons to prove their long-term worth.

Brian Flores? Well, he received 3. 

Three seasons packed with high expectations and moral victories. Because as much as we want to deny the concept that the Dolphins organization is simply swimming in circles, it’s slowly becoming impossible to refute.

Let’s take a look at the past 4 head coaches for the team:

  • Tony Sparano
    • 29-32 over 3.75 seasons
      • .475 winning percentage
      • 1 playoff appearance
  • Joe Philbin
    • 24-28 over 3.5 seasons
      • .462 winning percentage
      • 0 playoff appearances
  • Adam Gase
    • 23-25 over 3 seasons
      • .479
      • 1 playoff appearance
  • Brian Flores
    • 24-25 over 3 seasons
      • .490
      • 0 playoff appearances

Someone do me a favor and try to spot the difference between these four regimes. Ignore the statistics – ignore the narratives surrounding the team and the players – ignore it all. During Sparano’s time, our offensive ingenuity took the league by the collar; during Flo’s few years, we won through defensive prowess. But one thread has always remained constant within the walls of the team: none of these coaches has ever been able to put it all together. And the result, no matter how seemingly unique, has elicited the exact same outcome – absolute mediocrity.

Record over the last 4 regimes: 100-110 (.476 winning percentage); averaging a 7-9 to 8-8 record.

And honestly, this is a team and fanbase that has been conditioned to think that moral victories are the same as true wins. And today, as an honest attempt to understand the premature departure of Brian Flores, I’d like to argue that the Dolphins have been swimming in circles for nearly 30 straight years. Not by fault of any specific general manager or coach – not because of our clear worthlessness at cultivating a franchise quarterback. No. I’d argue, this organization is mediocre to its core – with a team culture and atmosphere that perpetuates passable and ordinary results.

“The Same Old Dolphins,” is not only true for this season; it perfectly describes the self-defeating culture that Stephen Ross and company unknowingly have built Hard Rock Stadium to embody.

And, I believe, in that spirit, the Dolphins fired Flores. To again, attempt to reestablish the excellence of Don Shula. And to make it clear to the team, that moral victories are not good enough.

Flo’s Biggest Moral Victories:

  • Dolphins go 10-6 in the 2020-2021 season during a year many thought would be a rebuilding year. Since the expectations were low, Flores is praised by the media and fans – even though they absolutely get demolished by the Bills in a Week 17 win-and-get-in football game
  • The 2021-2022 Dolphins team – with high expectations – starts the year 1-7. After that, they finish 8-1 and showcase their resilience after the piss-poor start. Flores is praised for creating a winning season out of the awful situation; even though his team gets slaughtered in the win-and-get-in game versus the Titans

But, sadly, this move also accidentally established something even more deep-rooted:

The Dolphins are swimming in circles, and there is no end in sight.Â