Nov 27, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; A Minnesota Vikings helmet sits idle on the field before the game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Chicago Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports.
Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores wants to be a head coach again, and the masses believe he’ll get a shot.
Pro Football Focus sized up potential 2025 head coaching candidates late last week, and Flores made the cut on its 12-man list.
“Flores’ 24-25 record in three years coaching the Dolphins, not to mention some public outcry of Tagovailoa, will definitely lead to some skepticism. At the same time, he’s still one of the best defensive minds in the NFL, helping propel the Patriots and now Vikings to sustained success on that side of the ball,” PFF’s Bradley Locker opined.
The Vikings’ defense ranks first in the NFL per DVOA and EPA/Play through 10 weeks, which won’t hurt Flores’ case for a promotion elsewhere.
Locker added, “Minnesota entered the year with question marks about the talent across all three levels of its defense, but that hasn’t fazed Flores. Jonathan Greenard (48 pressures) has enjoyed the best season of his career in purple, easily replacing Danielle Hunter. Blake Cashman (75.6 PFF overall grade) has fit in seamlessly after arriving from Houston. Josh Metellus (90.4-plus PFF tackling grade) has helped bolster a secondary without a true lockdown cover man.”
Flores taking the plunge with a new team is a real possibility — from the man’s lips. He told ESPN’s Schefter this week he would love to head coach again, given “the right opportunity.” He wants to be choosy.
“Now, I may get some resistance from my kids, who are having a great time here in Minnesota. They’re having a fantastic time here just with school, and basketball, and football, and friendships and things like that. I think I’d get a little resistance, but for me personally, it’s something that I’d love to do again. With that said, Minnesota has been a great spot for me. My family, we’re really enjoying it,” Flores said this week.
Last offseason, Vikings fans wondered if Flores would take the head coaching plunge with a new team and be a one-hit-wonder in Minneapolis, but the man curiously received no interviews. This offseason may be different, especially if Flores’ defense remains tops per DVOA and EPA/Play through 10 weeks, its current ranking per each metric.
Flores, too, told Schefter he loves working with Vikings skipper Kevin O’Connell. “It’s been fantastic. He’s all about vibe and energy and having the right energy across the board. I’ve been a few other places, this is the first time I’m working for an offensive head coach. So, to see that dynamic … really just spend time with him on his thought process from an offensive standpoint. That’s been new and different for me. Seeing the head coach-quarterback dynamic, because he’s really the best in the business from that standpoint, and just watching that dynamic.”
The PFF list also included high-profile names like Bill Belichick, Ben Johnson (Detroit Lions), and Kliff Kingsbury (Washington Commanders), among others.
The Vikings entered the 2024 campaign with full coaching continuity for the first time since 2015-2016. It might’ve been an outlier.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.