Mel Tucker draws high praise from former NFL head coach
Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker has been around the coaching block, having worked under the likes of Nick Saban, Jim Tressel, Romeo Crennel, Jack Del Rio and Kirby Smart.
Obviously, all of these coaches had an impact in shaping Tucker into the head coach that he is today. In addition, Tucker has influenced several other high-level coaches in his own right.
During an interview on the "I Am Athlete" podcast, hosted by former NFL players Brandon Marshall and Chad Johnson, former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores singled out Tucker as a coach that made a big impact on his career.
“The one person that definitely helped me, you know, that people probably wouldn’t think of is Mel Tucker," Flores said. "The year before I was going to be the coordinator in New England, I spent a few days at the University of Georgia, where Mel was a DC. I remember sitting in this meeting and saying to myself, ‘Damn, that guy is impressive.'"
Flores began his coaching career as a scouting assistant for the New England Patriots in 2004, and worked all the way up to the defensive coordinator position with the franchise in 2018. Tucker has a defensive background as well, having served as a defensive coordinator both in college and the NFL.
"I kind of saw myself, but an older, wiser, more-seasoned version," Flores said of Tucker. "And I was like, ‘I’ve got to learn from this guy’. He’s somebody who, he probably doesn’t even know how much of an impact he had on me. And I took a lot from that.”
After serving as the Patriots' defensive play-caller for one year, Flores was hired as the head coach of the Dolphins in 2019. He led Miami to winning records in 2020 and 2021, the first time the franchise had back-to-back winning seasons since 2002-2003.
Regardless of that feat, Flores was fired by the Dolphins following the 2021 season, which was widely considered the most surprising termination of any of the seven head coaches fired by NFL organizations this offseason.
Flores would go on to file a class-action lawsuit against the NFL, New York Giants, Denver Broncos and Dolphins organizations, alleging racial discrimination. Just last week, Flores was hired by the Pittsburgh Steelers as a senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach.
