Under new head coach Jeff Hafley, the Miami Dolphins have started 0-3. However, while an 0-3 start to a season would typically bring panic, the team likely knew what it was facing this season after their roster teardown.
As has been heavily discussed, the Dolphins are using a majority of their cap space on players who are no longer on the team. That has led them to start young, inexperienced players at several positions. While some rookies, like linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, have thrived and exceeded expectations, the team has also struggled with miscommunications and penalties.
In many ways, this Dolphins team is reminiscent of their 2019 squad when they also underwent a roster teardown and started the year 0-7.
On Sunday, the Miami Dolphins will search for their first victory of the season and they will do so against the head coach of that 2019 season. Brian Flores, who was Miami’s head coach from 2019 to 2021, now serves as the Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator. Ahead of their matchup, Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley shared his thoughts on Brian Flores.
Miami Dolphins Head Coach Jeff Hafley Shares True Feelings on Brian Flores
Regarding Brian Flores, Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley said, “I think he’s a great play caller and he’s done a tremendous job there.”
When asked about Flores’ scheme, Hafley replied, “I think what he’s done a really good job and what they’ve done a really good job is they have a lot of veteran players that have played in the system that are really good at communicating and checking and talk to one another. I think the older you get and the more experience you get with guys, you can start to build it and do more and more because there’s so much communication that goes into that. I think what he’s done is he’s gotten a group of guys at each position who he’s got smart guys, he’s got good communicators, he’s got really good coaches and they can kind of piece it all together. I think that’s really important when you look at scheme.”
Meanwhile, Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis said of Minnesota’s defense led by Flores, “I mean, watching the tape, they do a lot. I mean, they have a great defense, obviously. They’re undefeated for a reason, and they’ve been doing a great job. And we’ll just continue to search and try to come up with a plan to go out there and execute.”
Dolphins vs. Vikings
Dolphins on SI’s Alain Poupart wrote of the Dolphins facing off against Brian Flores and the Minnesota Vikings: “For the Dolphins, how they can deal with Flores’ blitz-crazy approach could end up being the biggest factor in whether they can record their first victory of the season with an upset of the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Through the first three weeks of the 2026 regular season, the Vikings lead the NFL in just about every category related to blitzes and quarterback pressures.
At the top, according to Pro Football Reference, the Vikings lead the NFL in pressures (hurries, knock-downs and sacks) with 54, 13 more than the second-place Las Vegas Raiders.
The stat that jumps out the most, though, is the blitz percentage, with Minnesota at a crazy 66.4 percent clip, dwarfing the next-most blitz-happy team, the Chicago Bears at 39.8 percent.”
Since being fired from the Dolphins after the 2021 season, Flores has coached only once against his former team. That occurred during the 2022 season, when he served as Pittsburgh’s linebackers coach. On that occasion, Miami won 16-10.
Dolphins Head Coach Jeff Hafley Shares True Feelings on Brian Flores