Flores Watch

pattersaur wrote:

Agreed. I think the Vikings should do everything they can with money and titles to keep him, but if that doesn't do it then he's probably gone. And if he's gone then what's he really gonna care about our comp pick situation.

I think he’s most likely staying.  It’s either Ravens or here.  If there’s no head coaching job available, I think he’ll go to every team that wants him for a DC position and see if they’ll beat the Vikings offer, and then ask the Vikings to do better and they will.  Head coach money isn’t that high, but things get tricky if some other team offered him more than we pay KOC, just because of egos.

There’s just no downside for him to actually see what other teams are offering.  The biggest risk he would take is if he took too long and we offered Jones the DC spot, because we needed to lock in one of the two, but I imagine we would be very much in conversations with him.

I just don’t buy too much into the drama side of things.  I don’t think he’s out because relationships went sour.  He’s just too valuable that everyone will figure things out.

medaille wrote:

I think he’s most likely staying.  It’s either Ravens or here.  If there’s no head coaching job available, I think he’ll go to every team that wants him for a DC position and see if they’ll beat the Vikings offer, and then ask the Vikings to do better and they will.  Head coach money isn’t that high, but things get tricky if some other team offered him more than we pay KOC, just because of egos.

There’s just no downside for him to actually see what other teams are offering.  The biggest risk he would take is if he took too long and we offered Jones the DC spot, because we needed to lock in one of the two, but I imagine we would be very much in conversations with him.

I just don’t buy too much into the drama side of things.  I don’t think he’s out because relationships went sour.  He’s just too valuable that everyone will figure things out.

Average head coach money is $6.6 million and mid-tier first timers like Ben Johnson earn $10-$13 million.  If a team interviews Flores and wants to hire him, because he has been a head coach before, for like $8 to $10 million BUT he has to drop his lawsuit against the league he will be gone.  Turning down what be his last chance at a head coach for that kind of money or stay a DC and continue with his lawsuit, may be an easy choice.

Greylock wrote:

Average head coach money is $6.6 million and mid-tier first timers like Ben Johnson earn $10-$13 million.  If a team interviews Flores and wants to hire him, because he has been a head coach before, for like $8 to $10 million BUT he has to drop his lawsuit against the league he will be gone.  Turning down what be his last chance at a head coach for that kind of money or stay a DC and continue with his lawsuit, may be an easy choice.

might depend on his legal fees and how they are structured no?  if his legal team is working on contingency,  and he drops the case,  he is then likely personally responsible for their work to date and that alone might prevent him from taking a new coaching deal if his lawsuit was going to pay the lawyers major bank.  I dont really know how large a sum they were after.

JimmyinSD wrote:

Even with a new DC contract,   he can still interview for HC jobs,  it woukd just prevent him from making lateral moves and keep the Vikes from getting screwed out of draft picks.  I think KAM needs to make this a priority,  make him Asst HC and the highest paid DC and see if that doesnt get him to sign tomorrow.

Yes.  I agree with those that doubt he is getting an offer to be a HC.  Saw his name on Baltimore's list as the only team to be considering him.

But he is a star as a DC.  Pay the man and keep our D at the elite level.  Listening to Harrison Smith talk about Flores this year was eye opening.  Said he has never seen some of the concepts that Flores implements.

greediron wrote:

Yes.  I agree with those that doubt he is getting an offer to be a HC.  Saw his name on Baltimore's list as the only team to be considering him.

But he is a star as a DC.  Pay the man and keep our D at the elite level.  Listening to Harrison Smith talk about Flores this year was eye opening.  Said he has never seen some of the concepts that Flores implements.

that really is saying something as Harry is a student of the game and studies his craft, and has played under several DCs in his tenure.

Kevin O’Connell says Vikings have been ‘really aggressive’ in push to retain DC Brian Flores

Flores interviewed Jan. 13 for a head coaching role and could talk to other teams about defensive coordinator openings if a deal isn’t reached with the Vikings soon.

The Vikings are still in negotiations with defensive coordinator Brian Flores as the clock ticks down on their time to finalize a contract before other teams can make their pitches.

Typically, there is an exclusive 10-day negotiation window after the end of the season for a team to renew contracts with coordinators and assistant coaches. The Vikings’ window with Flores — if his current contract, which expires this offseason, indeed includes such language — would presumably close later this week. Although the sides could still reach an agreement after the window closes, he would be allowed to interview for lateral jobs with other organizations.

Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said during his end-of-season news conference Tuesday, Jan. 13, that the organization has “been really aggressive” in trying to retain Flores, who has been with them since 2023. O’Connell also acknowledged a desire to be supportive, particularly as Flores pursues a potential return to a head coaching job.
Flores is allowed to interview for head coaching positions within the 10-day window.

The Baltimore Ravens, who fired John Harbaugh after a Week 18 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers that eliminated them from playoff contention, announced they had interviewed Flores on Jan. 13.

“I think he’s more than deserving, everything he’s brought to our organization over these last three years,” O’Connell said. “Not surprised people are wanting to talk to him about that role. Excited for him to do so, all while knowing our No. 1 priority — really before the season even ended — our No. 1 priority has been to get that thing done with him.”

O’Connell said he doesn’t read into the fact that a deal has not been done yet despite the high priority, making an analogy to free agency and how some players test the market to determine their worth.

O’Connell ended that answer, though, by saying he has “a lot of confidence” the Vikings will reach a deal with Flores as their defensive coordinator.

While Flores expressed gratitude for his time in Minnesota during his final in-season news conference, he did not make a definitive statement on whether he would like to return for the 2026 season and beyond.

Should negotiations between the Vikings and Flores fail to finalize, General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said Jan. 13 that he wouldn’t expect more than the typical level of scheme and personnel churn in finding a replacement, despite some of Flores’ quirkier play-calling and schematic tendencies.

“He is unique, and he does have a unique play style, but if you really look down deep, what does Flo value?” Adofo-Mensah said. “Versatility, physicality, the things that matter in good defensive football ... that everybody values. Flo kind of takes those pieces and puts it together in an artwork that’s different than most, but the core colors that are a part of that painting, a lot of people share those same things.”

Strib

If he an offered the Steelers job he will take it. And I think they make an offer.

StickierBuns wrote:
Maybe I'm in the minority, but I'm convinced he's staying.

Seems like a lot of the press is convinced he's outta here, even if it's a lateral DC. I have no idea where they are getting that??? 

Caactorvike wrote:

If he an offered the Steelers job he will take it. And I think they make an offer.

I agree, I would take that job too...Lot worse orgs out there looking for head coaches. 

Steelers are living on their past lately, but it's a good football town and I dont mind the Rooney's myself.

StickierBuns wrote:
Maybe I'm in the minority, but I'm convinced he's staying.

I won't say I'm convinced, but I do still believe staying with the Vikings is the most likely outcome. Not by a lot though.

MaroonBells wrote:

I won't say I'm convinced, but I do still believe staying with the Vikings is the most likely outcome. Not by a lot though.

I do too, but there are lots of HC openings.  I think Flores is back if the Ravens and Steelers fill theirs with someone else.  Not sure I see him going to the Raiders or any of the other openings.  The media is pimping him to Las Vegas because of the Brady connection but I don't see it.

The fact that he’s doing lateral DC interviews with teams like the Commanders is pretty interesting and kind of unusual, no?

I’m sticking with my original prediction- 25% chance he’s back. Depending on the landing spot, his chances at moving from DC to HC within an organization are much higher elsewhere than they are here.

Also, we didn’t know Speilman and Zimmer hated each others guts til after they were both gone so I’m not totally dismissing the chance that BFlo is just ready for a change of scenery either. I hope it’s nothing along these lines and from listening to KO, I doubt it. But who knows. Vikes insiders haven’t been very inside for years.

pattersaur wrote:
The fact that he’s doing lateral DC interviews with teams like the Commanders is pretty interesting and kind of unusual, no? I’m sticking with my original prediction- 25% chance he’s back. Depending on the landing spot, his chances at moving from DC to HC within an organization are much higher elsewhere than they are here.

Also, we didn’t know Speilman and Zimmer hated each others guts til after they were both gone so I’m not totally dismissing the chance that BFlo is just ready for a change of scenery either. I hope it’s nothing along these lines and from listening to KO, I doubt it. But who knows. Vikes insiders haven’t been very inside for years.

^^^

Agreed, something seems off...OTOH, I can also convince myself he's just seeing what else is out there (for a lateral) to improve his negotiating with the Vikings. 

With Pettine retiring, the Vikings have the option to give him an Asst HC Title if they want to.

pattersaur wrote:
The fact that he’s doing lateral DC interviews with teams like the Commanders is pretty interesting and kind of unusual, no?

I’m sticking with my original prediction- 25% chance he’s back. Depending on the landing spot, his chances at moving from DC to HC within an organization are much higher elsewhere than they are here.

Also, we didn’t know Speilman and Zimmer hated each others guts til after they were both gone so I’m not totally dismissing the chance that BFlo is just ready for a change of scenery either. I hope it’s nothing along these lines and from listening to KO, I doubt it. But who knows. Vikes insiders haven’t been very inside for years.

I don’t really know why it’s unusual.  If you are a player there is a strong risk of injury that incentivizes you to take whatever contract is put in front of your face which helps keep you on the team until the team is ready to move on.  It’s hard to bet on yourself as a player.  As a coach though, the risk of betting on yourself is so low.  These guys just circle around the league anyway, why wouldn’t they let their contracts expire and then force the original team to negotiate with everyone else for your services.  I also don’t get why coaching contracts are so low.  Like KOC and Flores are each more valuable than midtier QBs like prime Cousins.  Surely there’s got to be some teams that just want to win and would pay the premium to get a top coaching staff. 

Like if you’re the Giants and you’re going all in on Harbaugh and paying him $20M, why not offer Flores $15M and get a top 3-5 DC right out the gate?  Flores is probably worth 3-4 wins just by being on the coaching staff and not even touching the roster.  It’d make it difficult for the Vikings if Flores gets an offer for more than KOC.  Like, I’d offer the Eagles OL coach that’s regarded as the best in the league another $5M a year and see if you can pry him off the team and he’s just an OL coach.

MAD GAINZ wrote:

I do too, but there are lots of HC openings.  I think Flores is back if the Ravens and Steelers fill theirs with someone else.  Not sure I see him going to the Raiders or any of the other openings.  The media is pimping him to Las Vegas because of the Brady connection but I don't see it.

Flores connection to Pittsburgh was thru Tomlin.

Chuck Noll
Bill Cowher
Mike Tomlin

None of these coaches were previously head coaches prior to being hired by the Steelers for that position. Possibly just a coincidence or maybe the Steelers prefer coaches who weren't previously head coaches.

A lateral move would seem to simply be a matter of money; unless he wants to win a championship and doesn't want to ride the JJ train! He knows JJ's abilities and potential better than most anyone.

pattersaur wrote:
The fact that he’s doing lateral DC interviews with teams like the Commanders is pretty interesting and kind of unusual, no?

I’m sticking with my original prediction- 25% chance he’s back. Depending on the landing spot, his chances at moving from DC to HC within an organization are much higher elsewhere than they are here.

Also, we didn’t know Speilman and Zimmer hated each others guts til after they were both gone so I’m not totally dismissing the chance that BFlo is just ready for a change of scenery either. I hope it’s nothing along these lines and from listening to KO, I doubt it. But who knows. Vikes insiders haven’t been very inside for years.

Seems that KOC is quite liked around the league. If BFlo does a lateral move. One would think it would mean he couldn’t get along with KOC. Surely that wouldn’t sit well for future head coaching positions.

StickierBuns wrote:
I really do like Flores, but if he goes, he goes. Get the next bright mind at the position and lets move forward.

Agree. It’s time to shit or get off the pot.

Flores doing a 2nd interview with the Steelers.

Regarding Steelers head coaching job:
The betting market favors Chris Shula (39), who runs the Los Angeles Rams’ defense. Shula is actually the overwhelming favorite, with Flores (soon to be 44) in second, and former Green Bay Packers + Dallas Cowboys skipper Mike McCarthy in third place.

Still Curtain‘s Shayne Kubas noted on Shula this week, “Shula checked all the right boxes even before his impressive coaching job on Sunday. He is a young (39), defensive-minded coach coming from an established coaching tree, having been with Sean McVay in LA since the beginning of McVay’s career there back in 2017. He has risen through the ranks all the way to being the DC the past two seasons, where he has taken a flawed defensive roster and coached them into a solid unit.”

“Forcing turnovers has been what Shula’s defenses have been best at in his two seasons as DC, forcing 46 combined over that time. The Steelers’ defense has put a premium on forcing turnovers as well, making him a seamless fit. Some fans may want to focus on playing lockdown defense, opposed to just gunning for turnovers, but they don’t have to be mutually exclusive.”

So, while the smoke for Flores to Pittsburgh is real, oddmakers believe Shula, not Flores, probably has a fast track to take over. If that happens, and Flores does not land the Ravens’ vacant head coaching job, he would presumably return to Minnesota for a fourth season.

It’s worth noting that if Shula is “the guy,” the process will linger until the Rams’ season concludes. Los Angeles will play the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship this weekend.

https://vikingsterritory.com/2026/news/top_news/brian-flores-second-interview

There has never been a year with more vacancies at head coach. If Flores doesn't get a HC job this year, it may never happen.