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Tom Flores

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Tom Flores
refer to caption
Flores, circa 1962
No. 15, 16, 12
Position:Quarterback
Personal information
Born:(1937-03-21)March 21, 1937(age 87)
Sanger, California,U.S.
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
As a player:
As a coach:
As an executive:
  • Seattle Seahawks (1989–1991)
    President/General manager
  • Seattle Seahawks (1992–1994)
    General manager
Career highlights and awards
As a player
As a coach
Career AFL statistics
Passing attempts:1,715
Passing completions:838
Completion percentage:48.9%
TD–INT:93–92
Passing yards:11,959
Passer rating:67.6
Rushing yards:307
Rushing touchdowns:5
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

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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

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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

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Team Year Regular season Postseason
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

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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

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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

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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

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References

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  1. ^Tom Flores, Jim Plunkett blazed path to Raiders popularity in Mexico.Paul Gutierrez, ESPN
  2. ^abMatt Kawahara (July 18, 2018)."Tom Flores says he's out as Raiders radio analyst".sfgate.com.RetrievedJuly 20,2018.
  3. ^ab"Pacific alumnus adds title of Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee to trailblazing career".www.pacific.edu.RetrievedAugust 16,2021.
  4. ^Flores, Tom (September 1, 1992).Fire in the Iceman: Autobiography of Tom Flores.Bonus Books.
  5. ^"Seahawks Fire Flores And His Entire Staff -- Successor Not Named; Walsh Role Possible".RetrievedAugust 19,2015.
  6. ^Tom Flores Record, Statistics, and Category Ranks - Pro-Football-Reference.com
  7. ^Alper, Josh (November 7, 2011)."NFLPA will hold pre-draft game in Los Angeles".Profootballtalk.com.RetrievedJanuary 9,2013.
  8. ^"PACIFIC ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME,"Pacific Tigers official website. Retrieved Feb. 1, 2021.
  9. ^"Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame | Home".Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame | Home.Archived fromthe originalon July 31, 2017.RetrievedFebruary 3,2017.
  10. ^"Raiders Legend Tom Flores Receives Prestigious Award,"Raiders.com (July 26, 2011).
  11. ^"Tom Flores,"Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame official website. Retrieved Feb. 1, 2021.
  12. ^"Peyton, Woodson, Calvin Johnson lead 8 into HOF".ESPN.com.February 7, 2021.RetrievedFebruary 7,2021.
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