Former Raiders, Seahawks Coach Tom Flores Elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame

After being named as a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August, Flores finally will receive his due and receive a gold jacket later this year.

After a long wait, former Raiders and Seahawks coach Tom Flores has officially been selected as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2021.

Flores began his coaching career as a quarterbacks coach for the Bills in 1971 before joining John Madden's staff with the Raiders the ensuing season as a receivers coach. During his seven years on Madden's staff, the franchise captured a Super Bowl title and made six playoff appearances.

Once Madden stepped down after the 1978 season, owner Al Davis named Flores as his successor and he found instant success, becoming the first Hispanic head coach in NFL history to lead his team to a Super Bowl victory in 1980. Three years later, after the franchise moved to Oakland, he coached the team to another Lombardi Trophy in a win over Washington.

In nine seasons with Flores at the helm, the Raiders posted an 83-53 record, finished in the top 10 in scoring offense five times, and finished in the top 10 in scoring defense four times. They reached the postseason five times total, including winning three AFC West division titles.

Following a dismal 5-10 finish in 1987, Flores moved to Oakland's front office for a year before taking over as Seattle's president and general manager in 1989. He eventually returned to the sidelines as the Seahawks head coach in 1992, but the team never reached the playoffs and finished with double-digit losses in three consecutive seasons before he was fired after the 1994 season.

While Flores didn't enjoy anywhere near the success in the Pacific Northwest as a coach with a 14-34 record and will always be tied to the selection of quarterback Dan McGwire in the 1991 NFL Draft, he does deserve credit for drafting future Hall of Fame defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy as well as star running back Chris Warren and standout linebacker Terry Wooden in the 1990 NFL Draft. All three players were fixtures for the franchise over the next decade despite the team's ineptitude in the win-loss column.

For his career, Flores compiled a 97-87 regular season record along with an 8-3 record in the postseason. He and the rest of the 2021 Hall of Fame class will be enshrined in conjunction with the 2020 Hall of Fame class on August 8, 2021 in Canton, Ohio.