Tom Flores
No. 15, 16, 12 | |||||||||||||||||
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Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
Born: | Sanger, California,U.S. | March 21, 1937||||||||||||||||
Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||||||
Weight: | 202 lb (92 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
Career information | |||||||||||||||||
High school: | Sanger Union (Sanger, California) | ||||||||||||||||
College: | Pacific | ||||||||||||||||
Undrafted: | 1958 | ||||||||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||||||||
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As a coach: | |||||||||||||||||
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As an executive: | |||||||||||||||||
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Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||
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Career AFL statistics | |||||||||||||||||
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Head coaching record | |||||||||||||||||
Regular season: | 97–87 (.527) | ||||||||||||||||
Postseason: | 11–8 (.579) | ||||||||||||||||
Career: | 108–95 (.532) | ||||||||||||||||
Player stats atPFR | |||||||||||||||||
Coaching stats atPFR | |||||||||||||||||
Executive profile atPFR | |||||||||||||||||
Thomas Raymond Flores(born March 21, 1937) is an American former professionalfootballplayer in theAmerican Football League(AFL) and coach in theNational Football League(NFL). He played as aquarterbackfor nine seasons in the AFL, primarily with theOakland Raiders.After his retirement as a coach, he was a radio announcer for more than twenty years.
Flores won fourSuper Bowlsin his playing and coaching careers. He andMike Ditkaare the only two people in NFL history to win a Super Bowl as a player, assistant coach, and head coach (Flores wonSuper Bowl IVas a player for theKansas City Chiefs,Super Bowl XIas an assistant coach of the Raiders, andSuper Bowl XVandSuper Bowl XVIIIas head coach of the Raiders). Flores was also the first Mexican starting quarterback and the first minority head coach in professional football history to win a Super Bowl. Although it may not be officially sourced, Flores is also noted as the only head coach to win a Super Bowl with the same team in two cities in Oakland (1980) and Los Angeles (1983).[1]
From 1997 until 2018, Flores served as an announcer for theRaiders Radio Network.[2]Flores was elected to thePro Football Hall of Famein 2021 as a head coach.
Playing career
[edit]Flores played quarterback for two seasons atFresno City College,beginning in 1955. He was active off the field too, serving on the Student Council and as President of the Associated Men's Students. He received an academic scholarship to study at the College of the Pacific—now known as theUniversity of the Pacific—from which he graduated in 1958. Flores came to Pacific from Fresno City College and started for the Tigers as quarterback.[3]Following his playing career with the Tigers, he was hired as an assistant coach at Pacific and worked toward his master's degree.
Flores was unable to find a job in professional football. He was cut by theCalgary Stampedersof theCFLin 1958, after which he played with the Bakersfield Spoilers (Semi-Pro) football team.[4]A second attempt to break into pro football with theWashington Redskinsof theNational Football League(NFL) in 1959 also failed. In 1960, Flores finally landed a position as a quarterback with theAmerican Football League'sOakland Raiders,who began play in 1960 as a charter member of the league. He was named the Raiders' starter early that season, becoming the first-ever Hispanic starting quarterback in professional football.
Flores had his most productive season in 1966, passing for 2,638 yards and 24 touchdowns in 14 games. Oakland traded him to theBuffalo Billsin 1967. After serving asJack Kemp's backup that year, he had a chance to be the Bills' starter when Kemp suffered a season-ending injury during training camp. However, Flores hurt his shoulder before the first game, and his season was limited to a five-pass appearance in Week 6. After another five-pass appearance in the first game of 1969, the Bills released Flores and he signed with theKansas City Chiefs.There he was third-string quarterback behind fellow Hall of FamerLen DawsonandMike Livingstonon the Chiefs' Super Bowl Championship team. He officially retired as a player after not playing a single game in the 1970 season. He was one of only twenty players who were in the AFL for its entire ten-year existence. He is the fifth-leading passer in the AFL's history.
Coaching career
[edit]Flores is a member of theSid Gillmancoaching tree.After stints as an assistant coach inBuffaloand Oakland (he won aSuper Bowl XIring as an assistant coach underJohn Madden), Flores became the Raiders' head coach in 1979, following Madden's retirement. In 1980, Flores led the Raiders as a wild card playoff team to win theSuper Bowl XVchampionship over thePhiladelphia Eagles,27–10. This was the first wild card team to win the Super Bowl and the only team to win four postseason games en route to a title, until Denver accomplished the same feat in 1997. Flores then moved with the team toLos Angelesin 1982. In the 1983 season Flores led the Raiders to another Super Bowl (XVIII) victory over theWashington Redskins,38–9. He was named AFC Coach of the year byUnited Press Internationaland the Football Writer's Association in 1982.
Flores was the NFL's first minority head coach to win a Super Bowl, winning twice –Super Bowl XVwith the Oakland Raiders andSuper Bowl XVIIIwith theLos Angeles Raiders.
After a 5–10 finish to the 1987 season, Flores moved to the Raiders' front office, but left after just one year to become the president and general manager of theSeattle Seahawks.He returned to coaching as the Seahawks head coach in 1992, but was fired after the 1994 season following three disappointing seasons.[5]
His 83 wins with the Raiders are the second-most in franchise history, behind only Madden. Flores left pro football with a lifetime coaching record of 97–87 (52.7%), as well as an 8–3 playoff record, with two Super Bowl victories.
Head coaching record
[edit]Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
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Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
OAK | 1979 | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 4th in AFC West | – | – | – | – |
OAK | 1980 | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 2nd in AFC West | 4 | 0 | 1.000 | Super Bowl XVchampions |
OAK | 1981 | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 4th in AFC West | – | – | – | – |
RAI | 1982 | 8 | 1 | 0 | .889 | 1st in AFC | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost toNew York JetsinAFC second round Game |
RAI | 1983 | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 1st in AFC West | 3 | 0 | 1.000 | Super Bowl XVIIIchampions |
RAI | 1984 | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 3rd in AFC West | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost toSeattle SeahawksinAFC wild card game |
RAI | 1985 | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 1st in AFC West | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost toNew England PatriotsinAFC Divisional Game |
RAI | 1986 | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 4th in AFC West | – | – | – | – |
RAI | 1987 | 5 | 10 | 0 | .333 | 4th in AFC West | – | – | – | – |
OAK/RAI total | 83 | 53 | 0 | .610 | 8 | 3 | .727 | |||
SEA | 1992 | 2 | 14 | 0 | .125 | 5th in AFC West | – | – | – | – |
SEA | 1993 | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 5th in AFC West | – | – | – | – |
SEA | 1994 | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 5th in AFC West | – | – | – | – |
SEA total | 14 | 34 | 0 | .292 | – | – | – | |||
Total[6] | 97 | 87 | 0 | .527 | 8 | 3 | .727 |
Post-coaching career
[edit]From 1997 until 2018, Flores was color commentator alongside play-by-play announcerGreg Papafor theRaiders Radio Network.[2]
Flores served as coach of the American team in the 2011NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.[7]
Personal life
[edit]In 1961 Flores married Barbara Fridell, who he met while a student at University of the Pacific. They have twin sons and a daughter, and five grandchildren.
Sanger High School's football stadium is named Tom Flores Stadium in honor of Flores, who was a graduate of Sanger. He heads the Tom Flores Youth Foundation, which benefits the K-8th grades in the Sanger School district in the fields of art, science, and sports.
Flores graduated from University of the Pacific in 1958. He was the starting quarterback while at Pacific[3]and following his playing career with the Tigers, Flores was hired as an assistant coach at Pacific as he worked toward his master's degree.
Flores holds an honorary doctorate degree fromPepperdine Universityfor humanitarian service.
His biography,Fire in the Iceman,was released in 1992. Flores also coauthoredTales of the Oakland Raiders(2002).
Awards and honors
[edit]In 1982, Flores was inducted as a charter member of theUniversity of the PacificAthletics Hall of Fame.[8]In 1988, he was inducted into theFresno County Athletic Hall of Fame.[9]In 2007, Flores was inducted into theCalifornia Sports Hall of Fame.In 2011, he was also inducted into theCalifornia Community College Athletic Association Hall of Fame.In July 2011, Flores received the Roberto Clemente Award for Sports Excellence that is given by theNational Council of La Razafor contributions in society by an Hispanic athlete.[10]In 2012, he was also inducted into theBay Area Sports Hall of Fame.[11] In 2021, Flores was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, alongside former RaiderCharles Woodson,Peyton Manningand 5 others.[12]
See also
[edit]- List of American Football League players
- List of most consecutive games with touchdown passes in the NFL
- List of NCAA major college football yearly passing leaders
- List of NFL head coach wins leaders
- List of Super Bowl head coaches
References
[edit]- ^Tom Flores, Jim Plunkett blazed path to Raiders popularity in Mexico.Paul Gutierrez, ESPN
- ^abMatt Kawahara (July 18, 2018)."Tom Flores says he's out as Raiders radio analyst".sfgate.com.RetrievedJuly 20,2018.
- ^ab"Pacific alumnus adds title of Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee to trailblazing career".www.pacific.edu.RetrievedAugust 16,2021.
- ^Flores, Tom (September 1, 1992).Fire in the Iceman: Autobiography of Tom Flores.Bonus Books.
- ^"Seahawks Fire Flores And His Entire Staff -- Successor Not Named; Walsh Role Possible".RetrievedAugust 19,2015.
- ^Tom Flores Record, Statistics, and Category Ranks - Pro-Football-Reference.com
- ^Alper, Josh (November 7, 2011)."NFLPA will hold pre-draft game in Los Angeles".Profootballtalk.com.RetrievedJanuary 9,2013.
- ^"PACIFIC ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME,"Pacific Tigers official website. Retrieved Feb. 1, 2021.
- ^"Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame | Home".Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame | Home.Archived fromthe originalon July 31, 2017.RetrievedFebruary 3,2017.
- ^"Raiders Legend Tom Flores Receives Prestigious Award,"Raiders.com (July 26, 2011).
- ^"Tom Flores,"Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame official website. Retrieved Feb. 1, 2021.
- ^"Peyton, Woodson, Calvin Johnson lead 8 into HOF".ESPN.com.February 7, 2021.RetrievedFebruary 7,2021.
External links
[edit]- Tom Floresat thePro Football Hall of Fame
- Media related toTom Floresat Wikimedia Commons
- 1937 births
- Living people
- American Football League All-Star players
- American Football League players
- American football quarterbacks
- American sportspeople of Mexican descent
- Buffalo Bills coaches
- Buffalo Bills players
- Fresno City Rams football players
- Kansas City Chiefs players
- Los Angeles Raiders coaches
- Los Angeles Raiders head coaches
- National Football League announcers
- National Football League general managers
- Oakland Raiders announcers
- Oakland Raiders coaches
- Oakland Raiders head coaches
- Oakland Raiders players
- Pacific Tigers football players
- People from Sanger, California
- Players of American football from Fresno County, California
- Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees
- Seattle Seahawks head coaches
- Players of American football from Fresno, California
- Super Bowl-winning head coaches
- Hispanic and Latino American players of American football