Brian Flores

[Vanimal46]

A key detail not being discussed enough is Flores is on an expiring contract. He will of course pursue HC opportunities again, and he deserves a 2nd chance somewhere - I will keep pounding the drum for Cincinnati hiring him if they can convince Burrow to stay. However, he could simply sign somewhere else as their DC. 90% of teams would dump their current DCs in a heart beat to sign Flores to that role. 

Will he sign an extension before the end of the season? If not, are you concerned that he'll go somewhere else, leaving the Vikings in a very vulnerable spot?

[Vanimal46]

A huge reason I am concerned is because the defense is a consistent top 10 unit since he arrived and turned things around with his chaotic scheme. I view him as a turnaround specialist, and all it does is continue to build his HC resume. He may be ready for the next challenge of turning around a bottom 10 defense into a top 10 group. 

[nicksaviking]

If anything, the current political climate is even MORE supportive of the billionaires colluding and being unjustly vengeful yet still getting away with it. My guess is Flores stays blackballed from a HC job until a judge has the guts to pick up the case and do the right thing. Also, Mike Brown of the Bengals is only ridging the gravy train the other owners let him board. He doesn't care about fans or the players or winning, I don't see him rocking the boat. He'll again hire an inexperienced HC that he can pay the least amount of money to.

However there are a couple of long established owners who could buck the system, the Maras and the Rooneys. The Maras are obviously looking for a new HC and while I'm guessing Pittsburgh's hot streak has saved Tomlin's job, he's never been on a hotter seat.

[gunnarthor]

On 12/16/2025 at 11:01 PM, Vanimal46 said:

A key detail not being discussed enough is Flores is on an expiring contract. He will of course pursue HC opportunities again, and he deserves a 2nd chance somewhere - I will keep pounding the drum for Cincinnati hiring him if they can convince Burrow to stay. However, he could simply sign somewhere else as their DC. 90% of teams would dump their current DCs in a heart beat to sign Flores to that role. 

Will he sign an extension before the end of the season? If not, are you concerned that he'll go somewhere else, leaving the Vikings in a very vulnerable spot?

I assume that he'll stay if he doesn't get a head coaching job but you're right, even if he doesn't get that, some team could try to outbid the vikes. The Dallas SB nation forums were pretty complimentary to Flores last week. 

I'd be pretty worried if he left. 

[Mike Sixel]

 

[gunnarthor]

20 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

 

I think that sounds right. The Wilfs have shown a willingness to pay coaches as needed. Obviously, he'll leave for a HC job but if he doesn't get that, it doesn't make sense for him to leave MN. He's been able to make his defense and has had a huge role in both the draft (Turner) and free agency (AVG, Rodgers, among others). I think he stays but might get an assistant HC title as well as a big raise.

[Mike Sixel]

There is an article (not sure where) that has some quotes stating that his style doesn't exactly mesh with "minnesota nice", and I just wanted to laugh. Now, there may be some fire/smoke there, but there has to be a better way to talk about that. 

[nicksaviking]

20 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

There is an article (not sure where) that has some quotes stating that his style doesn't exactly mesh with "minnesota nice", and I just wanted to laugh. Now, there may be some fire/smoke there, but there has to be a better way to talk about that. 

Mike Zimmer and Brad Childress coached here a combined 12 years. Thankfully the Wilfs don't seem to care about Minnesota Nice in their HC. Unlike other Minnesota clubs who seem to think a sweetie pie teddy bear equals fan-service.

Not that I WANT an un-nice HC, but if he's good at his job and the players buy into his system, that absolutely won't disqualify him in my book.

[nicksaviking]

 

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/brian-flores-the-vikings-and-my-representation-are-handling-contract-talks

“Like I just said, I love Minnesota,” Flores said. “I love this team. I love working for and with [O’Connell]. You know, he’s been fantastic to me. I think the Wilfs are some of the best owners in the league. I love these players, the coaching staff. And, like I said, this place has shown me a lot of love and I show it right back. And so I don’t know how much more there is to it. I mean, if everything lines up and it fits, you know, from a football standpoint, it fits. And I think there’s always — it’s called a business part of this. The football all lines up, and we’ll just see where it all goes.”

I believe him when he says he likes the Vikings/Wilfs/Minnesota, by all accounts, this is a great place to be employed in the NFL. So it's kind of weird that there'd need to be so much dialogue. I wonder if there's something else unexpected or unheard of being requested by Flores' team. Obviously if he merely got extended as the DC then got a HC job the next day there's nothing the Vikings could or would do to prevent that, so that's not an issue.

Does he want to be paid the equivalent of a head coach (probably best guess)? Does he want to be a co-head coach? Does he want more say in player personnel? Does he want someone specific fired or hired?

Whatever he's asking for, that probably means another team has tampered and already offered it to him.

[old nurse]

I don’t think Flores will go anywhere else as a DC. I doubt there are many organizations that would work to et the types of players Flores needs for his defense ‘ KOC and the M seem to listen to him. No knuckleheads are hide-able in his defense. 

[Vanimal46]

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/commanders-want-to-interview-brian-flores-for-defensive-coordinator

Commanders throwing their hat in the ring for Flores as DC.

[nicksaviking]

Washington is requesting to interview Flores for their DC spot. Obviously it makes sense for them, but hopefully it doesn't for Flores.

Also, regarding Flores being blackballed and having few avenues to get a head coaching job, it seems crazy that nobody has mentioned that Pittsburgh is his best shot. They already broke ranks once when they hired him for their staff the first time. Now if Tomlin does depart, I wouldn't be surprised if Flores is the first interview mentioned.

[Vanimal46]

Ian Rapaport confirmed Flores is no longer under contract, so he can pursue any opportunity he wants. Now we hold our breath as Vikings fans. 

[nicksaviking]

27 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

Ian Rapaport confirmed Flores is no longer under contract, so he can pursue any opportunity he wants. Now we hold our breath as Vikings fans. 

The Vikings seemed pretty confident he'd be back unless he gets a HC job. Not sure that a lateral move would be good for Flores, unless it comes with perks and money the Vikings won't offer. He knows what he has in Minnesota and he can be much more confident that he can continue to be a top DC here; changing teams presents much more risk as it would come with too many variables, many of them unpredictable.

[TheLeviathan]

2 hours ago, nicksaviking said:

The Vikings seemed pretty confident he'd be back unless he gets a HC job. Not sure that a lateral move would be good for Flores, unless it comes with perks and money the Vikings won't offer. He knows what he has in Minnesota and he can be much more confident that he can continue to be a top DC here; changing teams presents much more risk as it would come with too many variables, many of them unpredictable.

Yeah, if he moves on for a lateral move that would indicate more behind-the-scenes stuff that never spilled out.

[Danchat]

I have to imagine Flores is the favorite to land the Steelers job with Tomlin stepping down. They already like him after coaching there in 2022 and the Rooneys are more likely to not care about the lawsuit compared to other teams.

[Vanimal46]

2 minutes ago, Danchat said:

I have to imagine Flores is the favorite to land the Steelers job with Tomlin stepping down. They already like him after coaching there in 2022 and the Rooneys are more likely to not care about the lawsuit compared to other teams.

Ravens or Steelers makes all the sense in the world for Flores 

[gunnarthor]

28 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

Ravens or Steelers makes all the sense in the world for Flores 

They do. He's a good coach. But I think both teams need to modernize their offenses rather than double down on their defensive bonafides. I wouldn't be surprised if both teams passed on him and hired an offensive mind. 

[Vanimal46]

8 minutes ago, gunnarthor said:

They do. He's a good coach. But I think both teams need to modernize their offenses rather than double down on their defensive bonafides. I wouldn't be surprised if both teams passed on him and hired an offensive mind. 

Problem is idk who those offensive minds are in this cycle. They’ve all been scooped up in the last 4-5 years. Do you take a chance on a 30 year old former Vikings coach Grant U? Idk how to spell his last name. Or take a chance Mike McDaniel can do better right away after getting fired in Miami? Brian Daball?

The better names this cycle are on the defense side of the ball IMO. 

[gunnarthor]

56 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

Problem is idk who those offensive minds are in this cycle. They’ve all been scooped up in the last 4-5 years. Do you take a chance on a 30 year old former Vikings coach Grant U? Idk how to spell his last name. Or take a chance Mike McDaniel can do better right away after getting fired in Miami? Brian Daball?

The better names this cycle are on the defense side of the ball IMO. 

Kubiak and Stefanski will get head coaching jobs this cycle (I would think). But you're right, it looks like a lot more defensive minded people are getting interviews this year.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-coaching-gm-search-2026-interview-requests-tracker/

[gunnarthor]

ESPN predictions on next HC picks. Flores doesn't land one.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/47591091/2026-nfl-coach-hire-predictions-candidates-giants-ravens-dolphins-falcons-raiders-browns-titans-cardinals

[nicksaviking]

39 minutes ago, gunnarthor said:

Kubiak and Stefanski will get head coaching jobs this cycle (I would think). But you're right, it looks like a lot more defensive minded people are getting interviews this year.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-coaching-gm-search-2026-interview-requests-tracker/

Yeah, DCs hadn't been getting as many good looks lately, and for good reason since most of them seemed to do a poor job as head coaches.

But now the last three years we've seen DeMeco Ryans, Mike MacDonald and Mike Vrabel shoot their teams to be amongst the elite. So, yeah, I buy all the DC interviews now; the NFL is a trendy league I bet more than half of the new HCs come from that side of the ball.

Still, while Pittsburgh has nothing going for themselves offensively and really should start from scratch, Baltimore is just going to waste the last few productive years of Lamar Jackson if they don't bring in a dynamic offensive mind to run things.

[gunnarthor]

KOC thinks Flores will be back in MN. 

https://www.nfl.com/news/kevin-o-connell-a-lot-of-confidence-vikings-will-retain-dc-brian-flores

[nicksaviking]

1 hour ago, gunnarthor said:

KOC thinks Flores will be back in MN. 

https://www.nfl.com/news/kevin-o-connell-a-lot-of-confidence-vikings-will-retain-dc-brian-flores

If Pittsburgh doesn't hire him, I'm not sure any team will.

Except for one. If he comes back, the defense is still great, but McCarthy and the offense is still holding them back, I wonder if the Vikings would promote him. As much as KOC gets flack here, I'm quite confident he has a good reputation leaguewide. Even another down year and I bet the Vikings could trade him.

[gunnarthor]

1 hour ago, nicksaviking said:

If Pittsburgh doesn't hire him, I'm not sure any team will.

Except for one. If he comes back, the defense is still great, but McCarthy and the offense is still holding them back, I wonder if the Vikings would promote him. As much as KOC gets flack here, I'm quite confident he has a good reputation leaguewide. Even another down year and I bet the Vikings could trade him.

That's actually possible. 

[TheLeviathan]

Raiders are still, by far, the best bet IMO

[nicksaviking]

1 hour ago, TheLeviathan said:

Raiders are still, by far, the best bet IMO

It appears they have interviewed eight people already and have three pending who are still in the playoffs. I think if he was a candidate there, they would interviewed him by now.

[TheLeviathan]

41 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

It appears they have interviewed eight people already and have three pending who are still in the playoffs. I think if he was a candidate there, they would interviewed him by now.

Logically...yes.

Counterpoint: Raiders.

[Vanimal46]

Gotta hope the Steelers pass on him and we’re in the clear 

[TheLeviathan]

20 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

Gotta hope the Steelers pass on him and we’re in the clear 

That sounds like McCarthy's job.  I think we have B-Flo back...thank goodness.