Brian Flores can't get an NFL head coaching job, which continues to be to the Vikings' benefit
'We would all be happy for him, but it definitely would be a bittersweet moment, losing an important piece like that,' seventh-year linebacker Blake Cashman said after the Vikings held a
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Flores has the résumé of a coach who should get another opportunity. He won a Super Bowl in New England as defensive play-caller. His Miami tenure looks increasingly better with time — after an 0-7 start with several blowouts, Flores finished 24-18 and built a hard-nosed, tough culture. And now Flores is thriving in Minnesota, building the Vikings into an aggressive, top-five defense.
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Yet Flores, who declined an interview request, knows why he's probably not on the top of most owners' lists for potential head coaches.
Brian Flores (left) learned at the side of Bill Belichick before leaving New England to coach the Dolphins.
Steven Senne/Associated Press
Shortly after being fired by the Dolphins,
The lawsuit is slowly grinding its way through the legal system, with a judge in 2023 ruling that Flores's suit against the Dolphins must proceed in arbitration, while the suit against the NFL and other teams can proceed.
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The lawsuit has made
After two years of silence,
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'I don't think anybody in our game cares if it's fair or not,' said CBS analyst Jason McCourty, who played for Flores in New England and Miami. 'Face it, there was a point where Flores was suing the NFL, so there's all these mitigating factors. But I've got to imagine his body of work he's done the last two seasons, he's every much deserving of a head coaching job.'
Flores's tribulations have been to the Vikings' benefit. After spending the 2022 season on the Steelers' staff, he joined the Vikings as defensive coordinator. A defense that ranked 28th in points allowed before he arrived has finished 13th and fifth in two seasons.
Flores is the most aggressive defensive coordinator in the NFL, finishing first in blitz percentage two years in a row — 51.5 percent in 2023 and 38.9 percent in 2024. The Vikings led the NFL in takeaways (33), were the only defense last year not to allow more touchdowns than interceptions (they had 24 of each). And Flores's defense was the backbone of a team that went 14-3 last year with backup quarterback Sam Darnold, but lost in the first round of the playoffs.
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In February, Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell lamented that Flores didn't get another head coaching opportunity, but 'we feel like we've got some unfinished business together.'
O'Connell, 34-17 in three seasons as a head coach, said Flores has been an invaluable leader and sounding board.
'He's a big-picture thinker that is incredibly detailed and prepared every single day, and I feel so fortunate to have that type of person to lean on in that role,' O'Connell said. 'Beyond the scheme and the X's and O's, and his ability to lead, teach, and motivate, to have that resource for me has been huge, and our dynamic, our relationship, continues to build.'
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And patience may pay off for Flores. He's still young, and now has a more varied résumé, with 15 years learning under Belichick, plus one year with Mike Tomlin, and three with O'Connell.
'He's a big part of the reason why this organization continues to head in the right direction,' Cashman said. 'My favorite thing about Flo is how he challenges each individual player to continue to improve their football IQ. I almost see it as a requirement to play on this defense, to really have a high knowledge of this game. He just adds a lot of excitement and joy to this game for us, we love him, and we're happy he's here.'
Ben Volin can be reached at
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