The Brian Flores Question May Already Be Answered
Though the team hasn’t always performed this year, the Minnesota Vikings have a strong coaching staff led by the reigning Coach of the Year, Kevin O’Connell, and elite defensive coordinator Brian Flores. The former has probably built enough credit to survive the disappointing season, while Flores is still looking for a promotion.
There’s No Brian Flores Buzz
Unfortunately for the defensive mastermind, there has been absolutely no buzz for him this time. Last year, Flores interviewed for three coaching openings but did not secure any. Still, his defensive units perform well and certainly haven’t been the culprit in the Twin Cities.
There already are a couple of job openings, and like every year, there will be a handful more. Flores, however, hasn’t even made a short list. ESPN’s Dan Graziano named his top ten head coaching candidates. Those include Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, who might get the axe in Cleveland, and nine coordinators.
The coordinators in that order:
- Vance Joseph, Broncos DC
- Chris Shula, Rams DC
- Jeff Hafley, Packers DC
- Matt Nagy, Chiefs OC
- Joe Brady, Bills OC
- Robert Saleh, 49ers DC
- Jesse Minter, Chargers DC
- Klint Kubiak, Seahawks OC
- Arthur Smith, Steelers OC
Notably, Graziano’s top three candidates are all defensive coordinators.
Flores’ defense ranks 8th in EPA/Play, 8th in success rate, and 9th in DVOA. It’s a good unit, and his unique style will always turn heads. No other team is sending more blitzes than Flores. His blitz rate is comically high, and opponents struggle to punish that.
Sure, although Graziano has some connections to the NFL, they might see things a little differently and all it takes is one organization to give Flores a shot. Unfortunately, he’s not the only one who doesn’t consider the Vikings’ third-year DC a strong candidate.
Dianna Russini of The Athletic released a list of her own, and guess who was also absent?
Last week, she released the list, “Expect these assistant coaches to garner serious looks in the upcoming coaching cycle: Chiefs OC Matt Nagy, 49ers DC Robert Saleh, Colts DC Lou Anarumo, Broncos DC Vance Joseph, Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver, Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak, Rams DC Chris Shula, Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury, Packers DC Jeff Hafley, Bills OC Joe Brady and Jags DC Anthony Campanile.”
So what’s the deal with Flores?
The first problem is his lawsuit. Flores filed a discrimination lawsuit against the NFL, and that’s still ongoing. Owners usually don’t like attacks like that, and it’s certainly not helping him generate any interest.
Another turn-off could be his time in Miami. From a football perspective, he took over a rebuilding team with a horrible roster and managed to win five games in 2019. It was one of the best coaching jobs of the last decade, despite a 5-11 record. Then, he clinched back-to-back winning seasons — Miami’s first time in nearly two decades. After missing the playoffs twice, the Dolphins still said goodbye.
Off the field, there was the Tua relationship. Flores failed to develop a connection with his 2020 QB draft pick, and it didn’t help him keep his job. Franchises with young quarterbacks or those that want to select one in the near future could shy away from Flores because of that.
During the 2024 season, Flores was asked whether he still intends to return to the top 32 jobs in the business.
“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’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,” the defensive coach said about a year ago.
Things could get a little dicey in the upcoming months for Flores and the Vikings because his contract is about to expire. There’s no real reason to leave the franchise, as the front office signed and drafted his handpicked personnel in recent years and built a unit to fit his scheme.
On the other hand, the Vikings are unlikely to find a replacement who can get more out of the team’s players. If he can’t find a promotion elsewhere, the marriage should continue, and at this point, Flores simply hasn’t gotten any traction.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.
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