Kevin O’Connell Pounds the Table for Man of the Hour
Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores did not extend his contract — that expires at the end of the 2025 season — this year, but head coach Kevin O’Connell wants him back, nevertheless. In fact, O’Connell would prefer to keep him forever.
Kevin O’Connell’s message was blunt on Monday. His team isn’t looking to replace Brian Flores.
Flores’ defense has performed mightily over the last several weeks, so much so that his head coaching profile has reignited. If that falls through, he has a guaranteed job in Minnesota.
Kevin O’Connell Makes a Clear Case for Brian Flores
O’Connell speaks glowingly of Flores on Monday.
O’Connell on Flores
A popular subject because the Vikings’ defense was so dominant over the Detroit Lions on national television, reporters asked O’Connell about Flores’ future on Monday.
He replied, “Yeah, we have had discussions about his future. And that goes back a long way before those reports. We’ve had recent dialogue, very good dialogue. Flo knows I love him. He was the guy, three years ago, that I identified to bring in here. Our relationship and what he’s meant to me personally is so massive, and that’s not even taking into account what he’s been able to do defensively for our team.”
“Been such a huge part of helping us daily, minute to minute, weather the different storms we had to navigate this year. Things are in a really positive place right now. I absolutely want Brian Flores to be the defensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings as long as we can have him.”
O’Connell didn’t leave anything to the imagination. He vividly and emphatically wants his lieutenant back in 2026.
O’Connell continued, “I do know that he’s demonstrated a lot of things that — having gone through the head coach hiring process before myself, I imagine he’s gonna be a pretty popular guy there, and rightly so. He’s earned everything. And that doesn’t take away from the route we wanna go to make sure he’s our defensive coordinator here for the foreseeable future. Based upon my dialogue with him and obviously the enthusiasm and the want-to for us to get something done, I don’t.”
“I know he enjoys being here. I know him and I, just from our recent dialogue, that he feels very similar about me that I do with him. I know I’m excited about when, hopefully, I can come to this podium and say he’s going to be here for as long as we can keep him here before another team makes him their head coach.”
A five-star review.
The Defensive Production
The proof is in the pudding for Flores. It’s indisputable. Aside from struggling at times against experienced quarterbacks like Matthew Stafford and pre-2025 Jared Goff, Flores has cooked in Minnesota.
Here’s a look at the defensive efficiency and supremacy:
Vikings Defense,
NFL Ranking,
Per EPA/Play:
2023: 17th
2024: 2nd
2025: 5th
Flores especially abuses inexperienced quarterbacks, and for those who need evidence, take a peek at the tape of the game against the New York Giants nine days ago. Jaxson Dart didn’t even try to throw much in that game and still looked silly.
The Job Openings
The NFL will provide more clarity on open jobs in six days when Black Monday hits. These teams are guaranteed to need new coaches, assuming the interim does not hang onto the job title:
- New York Giants
- Tennessee Titans
And these franchises might need new skippers as early as next week:
- Arizona Cardinals
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Cleveland Browns
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Las Vegas Raiders
Flores interviewed with the New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars last year, but those franchises hired Aaron Glenn and Liam Coen, respectively.
Bleacher Report‘s Mo Moton named the Bengals as a wise fit for all parties last week and explained, “Instead of replacing the defensive coordinator for a unit that’s worse than last year’s group, the Bengals should consider hiring Brian Flores, a proven defensive play-caller with head-coaching experience. Flores can uplift that side of the ball, which would take pressure off Burrow and Co. on offense.”
The First Offseason Domino
The Vikings have plenty of offseason items to address — will J.J. McCarthy be the primary QB1 in 2026, will Jordan Addison get an extension this offseason, will Harrison Smith retire, etc. — but it all starts with Flores.
If Flores departs as a head coach for another team, that will reshape everything, starting with Minnesota’s need for a replacement. But if he stays, well, the pressure is off, and the Vikings can conduct a somewhat normal offseason.
Flores’ fate might boil down to how the league (owners) handles his reputation because of his pending lawsuit. He’s suing the NFL for allegedly nefarious hiring and operational practices.
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