Tom Flores has long been one of the NFL’s forgotten successful head coaches. His time as the sideline boss of the Oakland Raiders (and Los Angeles Raiders) never quite getting the respect that it deserves as despite two Super Bowl championships along with a W/L record of 83-53 with the franchise the first Hispanic head coach in NFL history is still not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

HOF voters have consistently decided to not enshrine the first Hispanic starting quarterback in professional football as well as the first minority head coach to win a Super Bowl year after year that Flores is on the ballot. The coach still not getting his day in Canton despite retiring from head coaching in the early 90’s after an unsuccessful stint with the Seahawks.

Flores, who still calls games for the Raiders on radio broadcasts, is growing frustrated by being snubbed by the Hall of Fame committee voters who don’t give him the respect that he deserves for two Super Bowl wins and a winning record as a NFL head coach. The voters also discrediting Flores playing career, where he became the first Hispanic starting quarterback before winning a Super Bowl as Len Dawson’s backup with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Despite all of Flores accomplishments and contributions to the game during his career, he has not once been named a finalist for a Hall of Fame class. Something that he recently told the Talk of Fame Network is confusing and frustrating to him as he can’t seem to get in the discussion of coaches who are worthy of being inducted into Canton.

From the Talk of Fame Network

“I accepted that. But I don’t accept what the facts prove. It’s kind of confusing and frustrating at times, but what am I going to do? I’m not a voter. I coached with the Raiders, (and) I still do the radio broadcasts for the Raiders. A lot of first things that I did in this league were the first things in this league.”

When it comes to head coaches, Flores is certainly deserving based on his accomplishments with the Raiders before you add in the historic firsts that he helped happen as a pioneer for Hispanic players as well as Hispanic coaches during his time in the league. If there was a first for minority head coaches at the time Flores was in the league, he probably has the claim to fame as the first to do it as he took the opportunity from Al Davis to fill John Madden’s legendary shoes and never looked back.

All of those accolades far outweigh the losing seasons in Los Angeles and the failed comeback stint in Seattle that some cynics point out as the reason that he is not in the Hall of Fame. Flores was one of the most influential figures in football coaching in the 1980’s as a trailblazer for minority coaches while holding onto four Super Bowl rings as a player/assistant coach/head coach to his name. It is time for Flores to finally get his due, but it is up for the voters to realize what the Raiders icon has accomplished and given to the game for that top happen.