10 facts about new Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores

He got his first job in the NFL by writing a letter to every team. Only one responded.

Brian Flores is the new defensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings and just as soon as Vikings fans' collective sigh of relief passed after news of his hiring there has been a wave of excitement about the aggressive scheme is he known for. 

Riding the same 3-4 base defense that Minnesota employed under Ed Donatell in 2022, the big difference will surely be style and putting pressure on the quarterback. While Donatell got burned hoping a four-man rush would get the job done, Flores prefers to bring extra men and blitz...a lot. 

With that in mind, here are 10 things Minnesota fans should know about Flores. 

1. Flores, in his three years as head coach of the Dolphins, blitzed at least 30% of the snaps each season, including about 40% of the time in 2020 and 2021. The Vikings blitzed on 18.6% of snaps under Donatell.

2. Believe it or not, this will be the first time with the "defensive coordinator" title for Flores. He called the plays for the Patriots in 2018 but was never given the DC title. 

3. The 2020 Dolphins were electric on defense, allowing the fifth fewest points per game while leading the NFL with 29 takeaways and the No. 1 third-down defense, allowing just 31.2% of opponents' third downs to move the sticks.

4. The scheme helped cornerback Xavien Howard lead the NFL in interceptions (10) and passes defensed (20) in 2020. 

5. What superstar edge rusher T.J. Watt said about playing for Flores in Pittsburgh this past season: "I mean, it's a guy that absolutely loves football. He loves his X's and O's. He's a business guy, but at the same time, he's a younger coach. So he can just talk and relax and hang out with the guys, which I think is really cool and special to be able to have a bridge between player and coach. And a guy that has brought success into our defensive room, and I'm excited to hopefully have him back this next year."

6. He was the defensive play-caller without the defensive coordinator for the Patriots in 2018. That was his first time calling defense plays and the end result was a 13-3 win over the Rams in the Super Bowl. 

7. Check out the glowing review Bill Belichick gave Flores after calling the game of his life in the Super Bowl: "“Brian called a great game, as he has all year,” Belichick said. “He’s done a tremendous job for me. In the time he’s been with our organization, he’s worn I don’t know how many different hats – scouting, quality control, special teams, defense, safeties, linebackers, defensive coordinator. He’s done a lot of things. He’s done them all well. He’s been a great team player. … He’s a tremendous person and a tremendous guy.”

8. Flores was a player on the Boston College team that hung with the 2001 Miami Hurricanes. Yeah, BC lost that game 18-7 but that was the fewest points that historic Miami team scored en route to going 12-0 and winning the national championship over Nebraska. That Miami team had Ken Dorsey, Clinton Portis, Frank Gore, Najeh Davenport, Andre Johnson, Jeremy Shockey, Kellen Winslow Jr., Bryant McKinnie, Vince Wilfork, Jonathan Vilma, Jerome McDougal, Ed Reed, Mike Rumph and Antrel Rolle, all of whom starred in the NFL. 

9. Flores, who played defensive back before switching to linebacker his final two seasons at Boston College, was a fifth-year senior when quarterback Matt Ryan arrived at BC as a freshman quarterback. 

10. Flores made $20,000 his first year in the NFL as a scouting assistant with the Patriots. How he got that job was remarkable because he says he wrote a letter to every team in the NFL and the Patriots were the only team to respond.