Vikings Coach Reenters Carousel Chatter
The NFL will have its customary number of job openings by the middle of January, and according to preliminary rumblings, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores will be in the mix to return to the head coach ranks.
It will be here before you know it, and one Minnesota Vikings coach could be eyeing a sweet promotion somewhere before too long, according to NFL media.
The Tennessee Titans fired their head coach, Brian Callahan, last week, bringing to life a who’s who list of head coach hopefuls. Flores made the cut.
A Familiar Talker: Brian Flores Could Leave Vikings for Head Coach Job in 2026
It’s about damn time for Flores.
Brian Flores on Shortlist of HC Candidates
The Athletic‘s Dianna Russini began the annual process of sizing up the NFL’s 2026 coaching carousel, and wouldn’t you know it? Flores was mentioned.
While the Titans were the first team to fire their coach, they will almost certainly not be the last. I expect Tennessee’s early list of candidates to include:
— Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy
— Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo
— Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver
— Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur SmithHere are some other names I’ll be keeping my eye on if and when other openings arise:
— Chargers DC Jesse Minter
— Jaguars DC Anthony Campanile
— Rams DC Chris Shula
— Vikings DC Brian Flores
— Broncos DC Vance Joseph
— Packers DC Jeff Hafley
— Bills OC Joe Brady
— 49ers DC Robert Saleh
No stranger to head coach flirtations, it seems Flores’ name will be hot and heavy among coach-needy teams in about 2.5 months.
Resume in Minnesota
For starters, Flores curiously didn’t sign a contract extension during the offseason, creating a lame duck scenario in 2025. In fact, no chatter really ever took hold regarding any Flores extension — in the rumor mill or otherwise.
Since Flores took the big job in 2023, these are the NFL’s best teams per defensive EPA/Play:
Best NFL Defenses,
per EPA/Play,
Since 2023:
Cleveland Browns (-0.068)
Minnesota Vikings (-0.057)
Houston Texans (-0.055)
Denver Broncos (-0.045)
Baltimore Ravens (-0.036)
And per points allowed, Minnesota ranks sixth-best in the league since the start of 2023. To put it simply, Flores has fostered a Top 5 defense since his arrival. The man will not be easy to replace when the time comes.
The Job Openings?
By mid-January, these jobs could reasonably be open around the NFL:
- Arizona Cardinals
- Cleveland Browns
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Miami Dolphins
- New York Giants
- New York Jets
- Tennessee Titans
Scratch Miami off the list. Flores won’t return there after a messy divorce in 2022. Flores is from New York, so both Big Apple jobs possibly in play would be intriguing for him.
Flores could also be tabbed by a team that wishes to try on a defensive-minded head coach for size — like the Bengals. When Joe Burrow is healthy, the offense is on autopilot. Flores could turn the Bengals’ defense into a powerhouse.
Previous HC Job Ended in Controversy
Brian Flores, who led the Dolphins from 2019 to 2021, parted ways with the team after reportedly refusing ownership’s request to tank for draft position. He later filed a still-active lawsuit accusing the NFL of discriminatory hiring practices tied to the 2022 coaching carousel. Some have claimed that Flores has been ignored since because of the way he departed Miami, suing the league along the way.
Still, it may be time for owners to bury past grudges or distrust and sign up for the Flores experience. After all, it appears he was right about Tua Tagovailoa, a quarterback who claimed Flores was mean to him in 2020 and 2021. As it comes out in the wash, Tagovailoa might’ve been best served by listening to the tough love, as he and his team are struggling profusely at the moment. Tagovailoa even called Flores a “terrible person.”
It’s also worth noting that should Flores secure another head-coaching role, the Vikings would net two mid-round compensatory selections in the 2027 draft.
Dolphins-Themed Media on Flores, Tagovailoa
Phin Phanatic‘s Brian Miller wrote this week, “The Flores years were horrible for Tagovailoa. The former head coach took a similar approach with Tua that Bill Belichick took with Tom Brady, but that equation was busted from the start.”
“Tua collapsed under the pressure and it showed in his game. McDaniel changed the approach; he was softer, gentler, and designed an offense around the things the Dolphins quarterback did well. Now that isn’t working. McDaniel doesn’t know what to do, Tagovailoa is proving his game is limited, and Flores has to be sitting back with a big smile on his face. The truth is, Flores was right about the Dolphins starting quarterback.”
Flores will turn 45 in February.
Miller added, “Miami has no choice but to keep him around unless someone offers them compensation and takes a chunk of the cap hit. Tagovailoa’s contract doesn’t flip to Miami’s favor until after the 2026 season. If there was one thing Chris Grier got right, it was not restructuring his deal this offseason despite the needs of the roster. Sunday was one of the worst games in Tagovailoa’s career, and it goes beyond just having a bad day.”
“Everything about him as an NFL quarterback should be questioned. At this point, it might be smarter to sit the quarterback and let Quinn Ewers get the playing time he needs. This team is lost and broken, but maybe there is a future for someone else to lead; it’s not Tagovailoa.”
The Flores rumor mill should turn white-hot right after Week 18.
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