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purplefaithful
Joined May 2013
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Brian Flores makes his NFL head coaching case

Good enough that he’s forcing the very league he is suing for discrimination into giving him a second shot at being a head coach. Sooner than later.

Don’t think it will happen as early as 2027? Don’t think an NFL team would want the distractions that would come with hiring the former Dolphins head coach?

Think again. Think about how badly teams want to win. Think about how crucial third downs are. And then study the Vikings’ success on that meaty down this season.

The Saints became the fifth team to not have a clue against Flores’ blitz-crazed third-down defense in Sunday’s 23-13 loss to the Vikings at the Superdome. Add their 2-for-10 performance to the other four victories this season and the Vikings’ league-leading third-down percentage has dipped to 22.2% (14 of 63).

The NFL record for best third-down percentage belongs to the 2019 Patriots at 24.1%. New England gave up 47 third-down conversions, a record-low in a 16-game season. No team has given up that few in a 17-game season.

The Vikings’ pace through five games: 47.6.

The only conversions the Saints had came on third-and-3 and third-and-goal from the 2. They did convert twice on fourth down but failed on their final fourth-down attempt while trailing by 10 late in the fourth quarter.

The Saints had nine possessions. One of them was a 15-play, 66-yard touchdown drive. The other eight produced 76 yards on 28 plays with four three-and-outs, three turnovers and one turnover on downs.

Flores is the NFL’s hottest coordinator and head-coach-(again)-in-waiting. Hands-down.

Strib

Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger! 

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#1 · Oct 12, 9:14 AM
StickierBuns
Joined May 2013
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Dude, this is what you're focusing on after starting 5-0? 😜

Worry less, enjoy more!

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#2 · Oct 12, 9:17 AM CT
purplefaithful
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StickierBuns wrote:

Dude, this is what you're focusing on after starting 5-0? 😜
Worry less, enjoy more!

Relax Sticky,

Just grabbing stories over at the Strib and posting the local view

Appreciate the concern though ;)

Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger! 

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#3 · Oct 12, 9:20 AM CT
StickierBuns
Joined May 2013
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purplefaithful wrote:

Relax Sticky,
Just grabbing stories over at the Strib and posting the local view
Appreciate the concern though ;)

Weren't you the one worried about Indy in another thread?? 😜

Hey, the more we win, the more this board is 'worried'. Frauds or hey this team has started out 5-0 before, etc. If you take the games week to week, then why not worry when its warranted? I'm sure we'll be disappointed at some point. Can only play who's on the schedule as it comes.

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#4 · Oct 12, 9:23 AM CT
purplefaithful
Joined May 2013
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StickierBuns wrote:

Weren't you the one worried about Indy in another thread?? 😜
Hey, the more we win, the more this board is 'worried'. Frauds or hey this team has started out 5-0 before, etc. If you take the games week to week, then why not worry when its warranted? I'm sure we'll be disappointed at some point. Can only play who's on the schedule as it comes.

Yes, and even with a mediocre record, I think the Falcons will be a handful too.

Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger! 

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#5 · Oct 12, 9:34 AM CT
StickierBuns
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purplefaithful wrote:

Yes, and even with a mediocre record, I think the Falcons will be a handful too.

lol. 👍

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#6 · Oct 12, 9:39 AM CT
Cricket
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@purplefaithful ~ I always appreciate your threads/posts from the Strib. I'm really glad you have access to them. Doesn't matter what they're about.

:you_rock:

LIVE WELL ~ LOVE MUCH ~ LAUGH OFTEN

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#7 · Oct 12, 9:43 AM CT
comet52
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It will take an owner going rogue and giving his fellow billionaires the finger to hire him. Because it seems pretty clear they've agreed not to make him a HC while he's in the act of suing them.

If nothing else it's awkward - "Hey fans, here's our new coach; and our lawyers are hopeful he won't beat us in court!"

edited Oct 12, 2026 10:04 AM CT
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#8 · Oct 12, 10:04 AM CT
KM
Joined Sep 2017
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There is effectively a zero percent chance Flores gets another head coaching job until the lawsuit is cleared. 1st off he is effectively suing or asking information from 7 different teams. Next is has a reputation of not working well with QB's. Yes someone will take a chance at somepoint. However that is 2-3 years down the pipeline.

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#9 · Oct 12, 10:04 AM CT
JustInTime
Joined Feb 2025
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Kmerry82 wrote:

There is effectively a zero percent chance Flores gets another head coaching job until the lawsuit is cleared. 1st off he is effectively suing or asking information from 7 different teams. Next is has a reputation of not working well with QB's. Yes someone will take a chance at somepoint. However that is 2-3 years down the pipeline.

I think it expanded beyond 7 teams.

Brian Flores is suing the NFL along with three specific teams as named defendants in his racial discrimination lawsuit: the Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, and New York Giants (with additional allegations involving the Houston Texans). [1, 2]

While the core lawsuit targets the league and those specific franchises, Flores' legal team has also served discovery subpoenas to 25 NFL teams overall as part of the wider litigation. [1, 2]

edited Oct 12, 2026 10:17 AM CT

“Hell is empty and all the devils are here”

Shakespeare 

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#10 · Oct 12, 10:16 AM CT
StickierBuns
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And BFlo is probably one of, if not the, most highly comped DCs I believe? If there's anything the Strib loves to do to Viking's fans is stir the shit.

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#11 · Oct 12, 10:25 AM CT
purplefaithful
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StickierBuns wrote:

And BFlo is probably one of, if not the, most highly comped DCs I believe? If there's anything the Strib loves to do to Viking's fans is stir the shit.

He is at $6mm

Fangio next at $4.5 and then Spags is way up there too.

KOC is pretty well compensated too at a reported $12-$13mm/per

Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger! 

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#12 · Oct 12, 10:30 AM CT
MA
Joined Apr 2024
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The Vikings have made him incredibly comfortable here with his salary and giving him more of a voice in the room. Until this lawsuit is settled, I don't think we have any worries about another team stepping up to offer him a job. Sad reality since he probably deserves another shot. Great for us though, because he's doing an incredible job with the defense. Huge reason we're undefeated this season and we're able to finish with a winning record last year.

edited Oct 12, 2026 10:56 AM CT
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#13 · Oct 12, 10:56 AM CT
JimmyinSD
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Pay him whatever it takes to keep him here... his D has been more instrumental in out 5-0 start than KOCs O, and I am sure KOC would be the first to admit that and wouldnt get but hurt about his DC getting paid like a HC. Give BFlo whatever it takes to keep him happy. I dont know if he was getting 10 million a year if he would even want to leave, and if he did, it would have to be a perfect opportunity.

Why isn't Chuck Foreman in the Hall of Fame?

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#14 · Oct 12, 11:01 AM CT
purplefaithful
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JimmyinSD wrote:

Pay him whatever it takes to keep him here... his D has been more instrumental in out 5-0 start than KOCs O, and I am sure KOC would be the first to admit that and wouldnt get but hurt about his DC getting paid like a HC. Give BFlo whatever it takes to keep him happy. I dont know if he was getting 10 million a year if he would even want to leave, and if he did, it would have to be a perfect opportunity.

I dont think its about $$ anymore...

Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger! 

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#15 · Oct 12, 11:09 AM CT
JimmyinSD
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purplefaithful wrote:

I dont think its about $$ anymore...

its always about the money. if he is making HC level bank, without the grief and risk that comes from a HC gig.... especially the wrong HC gig, his family is happy in MN and he would be most likely next in line as long as his D continues to perform if KOC were to be replaced. I am not sure why he would want to put that all at risk for a HC position that is likely going to end with him getting fired again. Not everyone wants to be the boss, especially once they have been the boss. maybe its an ego thing for him, but hes a smart man, i suspect it would take a hell of an offer to get him to leave, and the more comfortable he is here, the better that offer is going to have to be to make him look twice.

Why isn't Chuck Foreman in the Hall of Fame?

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#16 · Oct 12, 11:35 AM CT
KM
Joined Sep 2017
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So as further update, Flores has subpoenaed 25 of the 32 teams LOL. And people are worried. Just enjoy the ride we locked him up to a great contract and I think he is very happy riding this defense the next couple of years. We have given him the pieces he wants for defense - and he is cooking wonderfully with them.

edited Oct 12, 2026 11:39 AM CT
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#17 · Oct 12, 11:38 AM CT
Montana Tom
Joined May 2013
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Kmerry82 wrote:

So as further update, Flores has subpoenaed 25 of the 32 teams LOL. And people are worried. Just enjoy the ride we locked him up to a great contract and I think he is very happy riding this defense the next couple of years. We have given him the pieces he wants for defense - and he is cooking wonderfully with them.

I love this component. He is effectively poison to those 25 teams, and their buddies (maybe another 6 teams who I can hope view him as untouchable).

He'll never get hired as a HC as long as this crap is still alive.

This is to our advantage. Keep it.

Please God, just one Lombardi before I die.

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#18 · Oct 12, 1:15 PM CT
greediron
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The other thing for him to consider, he is a great DC, but starting over with a new team, with players that don't know his D. Will he have time to get his guys in place to run his system like he runs it here? It will be lots of pressure to perform with new guys.

Not saying he isn't up for the challenge, but he knows part of his secret sauce is having high IQ guys that know his system and are fully bought in.

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#19 · Oct 12, 1:20 PM CT
Canthony
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greediron wrote:


Not saying he isn't up for the challenge, but he knows part of his secret sauce is having high IQ guys that know his system and are fully bought in.

I agree with this. It would be a rough couple years I think if he had to completely start over. He built this defense. It didn't happen overnight.

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#20 · Oct 12, 1:27 PM CT
avike
Joined Apr 2026
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You guys all make sound, logical arguments. I'm not sure owners and coaches make these kinds of decisions based on logic. Owners just want to win, and might overlook Flores litigation flaw and hire him anyway. Flores is a competitor, and has stated that he would like to be a head coach again. His current DC job seems like heaven to me, but Flores may want to prove that he is the best of the best in coaching, no matter the effort required.

I am just enjoying Flores defense while it lasts (and hoping it lasts a long time!).

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#21 · Oct 12, 2:31 PM CT
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