Vikings Request to Interview Brian Flores For Defensive Coordinator Opening

Flores, who was the Dolphins' head coach for three seasons, would be an intriguing hire.

The Vikings have requested permission to interview Steelers senior defensive assistant/linebackers coach Brian Flores for their defensive coordinator vacancy, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapaport. Prior to this season, Flores was the Dolphins' head coach for three years.

This would be a fascinating potential hire that would indicate Kevin O'Connell and the Vikings want to go in a completely different direction schematically after firing Ed Donatell. Flores is known for playing lots of press man coverage (cover 1, cover 0) and blitzing at a high rate. That would be quite the change from the Fangio-style two-high shells, off coverage, and four-man rushes the Vikings deployed this year.

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Flores played linebacker at Boston College, then spent four years in the Patriots' scouting department to begin his post-playing career. In 2008, he switched over to the coaching side with the Patriots, becoming a special teams assistant. Flores spent 11 total seasons on Bill Belichick's staff, eventually coaching safeties and then linebackers. That means he was on the staff when O'Connell spent 16 months as a New England player from 2008-09.

In 2019, the Dolphins hired Flores as their head coach. During his first season in Miami, Flores' team started 0-7 but went 5-4 down the stretch. They ranked dead last in defensive DVOA. The next year, in 2020, the Dolphins went 10-6 and shot up to 11th in defensive DVOA. They missed the playoffs by one game, but Flores still finished third in coach of the year voting after an impressive turnaround. The 2021 team started 1-7, but won eight of its last nine to finish 9-8. They ranked 10th in defensive DVOA.

Flores was fired after the season. The Dolphins, due to impermissible communication with Sean Payton and Tom Brady, ended up being fined $1.5 million and forfeiting two draft picks, including their 2023 first-rounder. Flores filed a class-action lawsuit against the NFL alleging racial discrimination after his firing. There were texts from Belichick congratulating Brian Daboll on being hired by the Giants before Flores was even interviewed, and allegations from Flores that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross pressured him to intentionally lose games. It was all a bit of a mess, and Flores deserved a better ending.

Flores spent this season as an overqualified senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach in Pittsburgh. He's never been a defensive coordinator, but if he isn't hired as a head coach this year, he'll likely land a DC job.

It'll be very interesting to see if he winds up in Minnesota.

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