Vikings DC Brian Flores Deserves Another Head Coaching Chance, But Life Isn’t Fair
The Minnesota Vikings are playing against the Houston Texans today and success will largely depend on Brian Flores. Can his surprisingly productive defense slow down CJ Stroud, and the variety of weapons he has to choose from at wide receiver?
Given what we have learned through two weeks, he’ll do a better job of it than just about any other defensive coordinator in the NFL. And as I write this, the Vikings are up 14-0 on the Texans, who have struggled to move the football in the 1st half vs this Vikings defense. It’s just such a grind against them. Both mentally and physically.
As a Minnesota Vikings fan, it’s fun and refreshing to watch. Like watching Zim’s defenses, when he was in his prime… maybe better. And there is no denying it. Brian Flores is one of the best defensive coordinators in the league, and possibly one of the most brilliant schemers, in football. That’s why he got his first head coaching job with the Miami Dolphins, before he even turned 40.
Will Brian Flores get another NFL head coaching shot?
Of course, we all know how that ended. Lawsuits and a broken QB/HC relationship that will probably never heal. But now that Flores is in Minnesota, doing what he does best, scheming up the craziest defensive schemes in the NFL, pundits around the league are starting to wonder if there’s a franchise out there willing to give him another shot.
NFL insider, Jonathan Jones (CBS Sports), talked to 10 league executives about just that, and their answers were mixed. In his piece, one anonymous NFL exec told Jones that it’ll be tough for Flores to convince an owner that he’s worth the headache. No doubt the Tua interview could haunt him.
An “evaluator” who’s close to the Vikings DC said that Tua calling Flores a terrible person was “way out of bounds”. Jones’ other league sources were all somewhere in between.
One high-ranking NFC executive told me: “He’s a good coach. Whether he’s learned from Miami power struggle/behavior would be key. The Tua stuff will be tough for him.”
An NFL evaluator who has known Flores for several years said he was sure Flores coached Tagovailoa hard, but found the “terrible person” comment to be “way out of bounds.”
Jonathan Jones – CBS Sports
Flores’ biggest obstacle, if he wants more than DC of the Minnesota Vikings
Here’s the thing. Yes, all of the above is true. The Tua Tagovailoa controversy will hurt Brian Flores. So will his lawsuit against the NFL. But neither of those problems are cutting him off at the proverbial knees like the side of the football he coaches.
If Brian Flores was a brilliant offensive mind, thought of in the same ilk as Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan, Mike McDaniel and Kevin O’Connell… he would already have a job. Lawsuits, player problems, they wouldn’t matter. Hiring a defensive minded head coach just makes life too difficult on that team’s offense.
Related: Class Act 49ers Star Explains How He Injured Vikings WR Justin Jefferson
Yes, you can get a brilliant young offensive coordinator, and that might work… for a year or two. But then, as soon as your offense shows a whiff of success, your OC will be hired away to be a head coach elsewhere, leaving you to hire a new one.
Suddenly, your QB and your offense has to spend the offseason learning a new language, instead of improving on its success. We saw it play out in Minnesota with Mike Zimmer, multiple times. Even with a veteran QB, it’s just not sustainable, in most cases.
Unless you luck out and draft the next Tom Brady… good luck. So, will B-Flo get another head coaching opportunity? Maybe. But it is far from guaranteed, even if the Minnesota Vikings finish 2024 with the best defense in the league.
Want a percentage? As of today, I’d say there is a 12% chance he leaves between now and the start of 2025 training camp.
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