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The Baltimore Ravens' search to find John Harbaugh's successor will include interviewing Brian Flores, the Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator who formerly served as the Miami Dolphins head coach. 

Flores' meeting with Baltimore will be his first interview for a vacant head coaching position during his hiring cycle, which is somewhat surprising given his previous NFL experience. 

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The 44-year-old broke into the NFL in 2004 as a scouting assistant with the New England Patriots. That season, the Patriots won their third Super Bowl over a four-year span. Two years later, Flores was promoted to a pro scout, and in 2008, he was promoted to Bill Belichick's coaching staff as a special teams assistant. 

Flores continued to move up the ladder in New England over the next several years and was the team's de facto defensive coordinator when the Patriots held the Rams to just three points in Super Bowl LIII. In all, Flores won four Super Bowls in New England while serving in a multitude of roles. 

Shortly after the Patriots' Super Bowl win over the Rams, Flores was hired to be the Dolphins' coach. Despite posting back-to-back winning seasons, Flores was relieved of his duties after just three seasons. 

Shortly after his firing, Flores sued the NFL, the Dolphins, Giants and Broncos alleging racial discrimination. 

Court of Appeals upholds ruling in Brian Flores' lawsuit vs. the NFL; three teams could go to trial
Bryan DeArdo
Court of Appeals upholds ruling in Brian Flores' lawsuit vs. the NFL; three teams could go to trial

Just over a month after being fired, Flores found another job in the NFL as the Steelers' senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach ahead of the 2022 season. That season, he was credited with helping Pittsburgh's defense finish 10th in the NFL in points allowed, ninth in rushing yards allowed and first in interceptions recorded. 

After one season in Pittsburgh, Flores joined Kevin O'Connell's staff in Minnesota as defensive coordinator. Over the past two seasons, Minnesota's defense has ranked fifth and seventh, respectively, in the NFL in fewest points allowed. The past season, the Vikings' defense was also second in the NFL in passing yards and touchdown passes allowed, fourth in third-down efficiency and second in red zone efficiency. 

"He's a phenomenal coach," Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said of Flores ahead of Pittsburgh's Week 4 matchup with Minnesota. "He was here a few years ago. ... It's good to see him in a position of leadership. I feel like he probably should, at some point, get another [head] coaching job based on the way that he's coached defense last couple years. The schemes they run and the way they're coached, there's a lot of really good chemistry and continuity on that side that doesn't just come from players. There's a schematic part of that. It's really impressive."

Baltimore is in the process of trying to find a new head coach for just the fourth time in franchise history since the team moved from Cleveland to Baltimore after the 1995 season. Harbaugh, who was relieved of his duties earlier in the week, is the franchise's all-time leader in virtually every category, including wins with 180. He also holds the NFL record with eight road wins in the postseason. 

The Ravens' roster includes a two-time league MVP in quarterback Lamar Jackson, a player Flores raved about prior to Minnesota's regular season matchup with Baltimore this season:

"He's improved and gotten better in all areas of his game. He's a perennial MVP candidate year after year. I think when people talk about him or think about him, you think about the dynamic runs and the scrambles and the off schedule plays. But this guy's an excellent passer of the football. So defensively, you're dealing with everything. ... He's certainly improved and gotten a lot better in all facets of his game. Leadership, command of the offense, acumen, deep balls, intermediate, short scrambles, I mean, all of it."