They have existed mostly in separate orbits, on opposite coasts, conferences and sides of the ball. Jared Goff, the California quarterback selected No. 1 overall in 2016, and Brian Flores, the pugnacious defensive coach who grew up in Brooklyn's Brownsville neighborhood and apprenticed under Bill Belichick in New England, seem to share little to suggest each would be a prominent character in the other's back story.
But their three meetings during their shared NFL seasons have included some of the most significant days in each one's career. Their most recent matchup might have precipitated the events that brought each one to a position to determine the outcome of the 2023 NFC North race.