Patriots defensive signal caller Brian Flores, shown at preseason game at Gillette Stadium, has gone from an outstanding high school player in Brooklyn to a hot coaching prospect in the NFL. He's reportedly close to becoming the next Miami Dolphins head coach. ▲

FOXBORO — The distance between the two neighborhoods in Brooklyn is roughly 10 miles.

Depending on traffic, a car ride from Brownsville to Dyker Heights will take around 40 minutes. Public transportation means hopping on a train and a bus and that commute takes well over an hour.

It's a trip that Brian Flores and his younger twin brothers, Danny and Luis, made routinely while attending Poly Prep Country Day School.

Despite the short distance, the two neighborhoods feel worlds apart. The journey from Brownsville in the east part of Brooklyn to Dyker Heights in the southwest corner of the borough took the Flores boys from an area with poverty, crime and gang problems to a residential neighborhood filled with people of wealth and privilege.

"One of the few times I feared for my life was when I dropped off Danny and Luis one day," said former Poly Prep offensive coordinator Craig Jacoby. "They missed the bus so I drove them home. You get a little perspective when you go into a kid's neighborhood. I've been to every neighborhood in the city and I hadn't been to [Brownsville] and was like, 'damn.' "

Brian Flores was the first of his brothers to attend Poly Prep. A standout student-athlete in middle school, he was given the opportunity to attend the private school thanks to a scholars program that helped low-income families. He was out of his element, surrounded by peers whose problems paled in comparison, but he excelled.

He didn't have a choice.

Flores' father, Raul, was a merchant marine who spent months away from home. That left his mother, Maria, at home with five boys, including the youngest, Christopher, who has autism. She demanded excellence at a time where it was easy for her kids to be swallowed up by the streets.

"The thing that struck me the most about Brian is what a respectful kid he was coming out of a really tough situation," Jacoby said. "You get a great deal of respect for the mom, who demanded the kids do their school work well. [Flores] understood the prioritization of the academics. At the same time, he was a great athlete."

At 37, the Patriots defensive signal-caller is one of the hottest head-coaching candidates in the NFL. On Friday, reports surfaced that he and the Miami Dolphins were close to finalizing a deal making him their new head coach.

It's easy to see why.

High demand

When Flores arrived at Poly Prep, he was talented enough to play on the varsity team as a freshman, but that was never an option — not with head coach Dino Mangiero running the show.

Mangiero played six seasons in the NFL. He was influenced by coaches such as Hall-of-Famer Marv Levy and three-time NFL coach of the year Chuck Knox. He brought an old-school style of coaching to his student-athletes. That included Flores, who wasn't allowed to play varsity until his sophomore year.

"I think the thing that [players] relate to is he's done it as a player and played for demanding coaches," Jacoby said. "His Pop Warner coach was a great guy and demanding. He came to us playing for Dino. Dino was a demanding guy. ... He told Brian, 'You're going to score a lot of touchdowns. Every time you cross that goal line, hand the ball to the referee like you've been there. He learned that at an early age. 'You want to be a pro? Act like a pro and people will respect that.' "

That professional attitude is still seen today in Foxboro. Ask any player on the Patriots defense about their coach and the first word you'll probably hear is "demanding."

"He always demands a lot. He expects a lot," said linebacker Kyle Van Noy. "You don't want to let him down."

In Flores' sophomore season, the first handoff Jacoby remembers turned into a long touchdown run. He operated with a business-like acumen on the field and in the classroom. He succeeded, but ego was never a problem. By the time he was a senior, he was headed to Boston College on a football scholarship.

"This was a kid at 14-, 15-, 16-years-old — he just had this focus like a diamond cutter," Jacoby said. "It's carried on. It's always been in him. Maybe his upbringing, the way his parents kept him as a child to be very focused — time-for-play, time-for-work kind of thing. It's definitely carried over."

'Could always count on him'

Flores' experiences at Poly Prep made him a perfect fit at Boston College.

On the field, he was a smart, accountable linebacker who was adored by teammates and coaches. That carried over to the classroom. After red-shirting, he finished with a bachelor's degree with an English major in four years. During his fifth year, he earned a master's in administrative studies.

Flores, a two-year starter, was a part of four Bowl-winning teams. In 2003, he was named to the Big East All-Academic Team.

"What I remember about Brian is that he had a tremendous work ethic," said former Boston College defensive coordinator Frank Spaziani. "He got the most out of his potential. He worked hard. Had real good instincts. He was a good football player. His ability was what it was, but he always knew what to do, where to be, where to go. He knew his assignments. You could always count on him."

Flores also encountered demanding coaches with the Eagles. His head coach was Tom O'Brien, who went to the United States Naval Academy and played for Bill Belichick's dad, Steve, who was an assistant. Along with Spaziani, now the defensive coordinator at New Mexico State, Flores was mentored by Bill McGovern, who coaches linebackers for the New York Giants.

Flores' career as a player ended when he suffered a torn quad tendon in his final season. He wouldn't play in the NFL, but he had big-league aspirations. Flores ended up writing letters to all 32 NFL teams asking for a job.

The only team that answered was the Patriots.

"Everybody liked him," Spaziani said. "When you're a coach, you have to be able to teach and have respect and gain the respect of your contemporaries and the players that you're coaching. Everybody respected Brian. I know all the coaches did and all the players did. He was a relentless worker and you could always count on him.

"The next thing I know, he's over there [in Foxboro] and the rest of history."

'Love playing for him'

Flores' life in New England wasn't easy in the beginning. He slept on an air mattress, made around $20,000 and fetched coffee.

It took time, but he rose through the ranks of the scouting department (2004-2007) to the coaching staff.

From 2008-2011, he coached special teams, offense and defense as a low-level assistant. In 2012, he coached safeties. Since 2016, he's been the linebackers coach. He replaced Matt Patricia as the defensive signal-caller this season.

"I just know that literally when I got here, he always did above and beyond for me, to help me reach my full potential," said safety Duron Harmon.

"Oh, he's definitely helped me grow over my three years here," added linebacker Elandon Roberts. "He's helped me grow on every level. It comes down to in-game adjustments, film room, practice habits, what I need to look at. Everything."

Flores' influence now extends over the entire defense. He wasn't given the defensive coordinator title after Patricia left, but Flores is in charge of play-calling and implementing the Patriots' defensive scheme each week. Players appreciate his focused, no-nonsense approach.

"He's definitely a guy that demands a high standard of excellence," Trey Flowers said. "You can definitely sense that intensity in the meeting rooms, on the practice fields, just that passion for the game that he's got to be perfect, be precise, be fundamentally sound and physical. He's a guy that demands greatness."

"He's a very passionate coach," added Deatrich Wise. "A coach that wants to see you succeed. A very smart coach. Throughout the year, it's been an honor playing under him."

Besides the Dolphins, Flores interviewed for head-coaching vacancies with the Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos.

It's easy to see why.

"I love playing for him," said Harmon. "Love the energy he has, the focus. He's easy to play for. I'm glad he's a coach of mine."