Entering the week, we still do not know who will play quarterback for the Vikings. Head coach Kevin O’Connell left the door open last week, for JJ McCarthy to return.

If the 22-year-old former first round pick can’t go, Minnesota will likely toss former Gopher UDFA Max Brosmer back out there. After his 51-yard performance on Christmas Day against the Lions, however, it is possible they turn to Brett Rypien or John Wolford instead.

But the MN Vikings’ week 18 QB dilemma has been overshadowed this weekend by defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who is expected to get more looks as a head coach this offseason, at which point his contract in Minnesota is due expire.

The timing for B-Flo couldn’t be better. Minnesota’s defense has been on fire the last couple of weeks, literally dragging the offense to two straight victories.

Report: Brian Flores isn’t leaving MN Vikings for another DC job

Then, Sunday morning, Mike Florio dropped a report at ProFootballTalk.com, claiming the Cowboys (among other teams) plan to chase Minnesota’s free agent coach, not as their next head coach, but as a HIGHLY-PAID defensive coordinator.

By the evening, however, another longtime NFL insider — Josina Anderson — weighed in on Florio’s reporting, where she waved it off as complete BS.

If Brian Flores leaves the Minnesota Vikings, tweeted Anderson, it won’t be for a lateral move to remain a defensive coordinator — no matter how much Jerry Jones is willing to pony up.

Why would Brian Flores leave one defensive coordinator job, for another job with the same title? #Vikings would match any pay raise.

Come on y’all. https://t.co/a6H09xfFca

— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) December 28, 2025

Why would Brian Flores leave one defensive coordinator job, for another job with the same title? #Vikings would match any pay raise.

Come on y’all.

Josina Anderson – @JosinaAnderson

After a rocky start to the season, the Minnesota Vikings defense has pushed itself into the top 10, league-wide.

According to Pro Football Reference, Brian Flores & Co ranked 9th in points allowed per game (20.6), 5th in total yards allowed per game (292.7), 3rd in pass yards allowed (168.8) and 5th in yards per play (4.8).

Even in the turnover category, where the Vikings were struggling not that long ago, they now rank 11th (1.31). So, not only does the Minnesota defense look miles ahead of the offense, but that’s what the numbers show too.

Flores could struggle to find head coaching job

Because of the lawsuit he still has pending against the league and multiple teams, it’s going to be difficult (just like last spring/summer) for Flores to find an organization willing to give Brian Flores a second chance as head coach.

And if that is how reality plays out, then it looks like B-Flo is staying for his fourth season as MN Vikings defensive coordinator. At least if you believe Josina, who has since doubled down on her response to Florio’s article.

Again, Brian Flores is not just going to take a defense coordinator title with any other team. Count on that. https://t.co/Uv9g1rwXp2

— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) December 28, 2025

Again, Brian Flores is not just going to take a defense coordinator title with any other team. Count on that.

Josina Anderson – @JosinaAnderson

After Green Bay’s loss last night to Baltimore, the Packers are locked in as the NFC’s 7-seed and — like the Vikings — no longer have anything to play for next weekend.

Meanwhile, the (8-8) Vikings will try to extend their current win streak to five games. If they succeed, Minnesota would finish above .500 for the third time in four seasons, under head coach Kevin O’Connell.

But if there is one unit on the 2025 MN Vikings that has carried them to victory during this hot streak, it’s Brian Flores’ defense, which has held opponents to 13 points or less in three of those four victories.

Now, this is an organization facing a ton of questions entering the offseason, especially at quarterback. It’s quite possible though, even more so than QB, that the future of their free agent defensive coordinator is No. 1 priority on that list.

Cowboys interested in Brian Flores as a defensive coordinator

News broke last week that the Vikings are already trying to work out an extension for Brian Flores, but there is no word on how close the two sides may have gotten. One thing is certain, however.

If Flores hits the head coaching market, he he’ll get looks from multiple teams. But according to Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk.com), Minnesota may have competition for Flores’ services as a defensive coordinator… specifically, the Dallas Cowboys.

Dallas seems to be destined to fire defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, after a disastrous reunion year. (Never mind the fact that owner/G.M. Jerry Jones traded the defense’s best player 10 days before Week 1.) And the increasing chatter in league circles is that the Cowboys will be firmly in play for Flores.

The Vikings, we’re told, are keenly aware of the possibility. And while the Vikings should have exclusive rights to negotiate with Flores until his contract expires, we all know by now that tampering is as rampant in pro football as flopping mouthpieces that never seem to make their way into players’ mouths.

Mike Florio – ProFootballTalk.com

Unfortunately, the MN Vikings have been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention for weeks now. That isn’t on Flores, whose defense is the only thing keeping them from the top of the draft, come April.

Minnesota Vikings will fight… but for who?

But you learn a lot about yourself, with failure. And this year, we found something VERY important out about this team — something we may not have known had the season not gone up in smoke early, like it did.

No matter what the Minnesota Vikings are playing for, or how disappointing the results on the field have been, the team is going to fight tooth and nail every time they put on the uniform.

Related: MN Vikings Trying to Talk Player/Coach Harrison Smith Out of Retirement

And believe it or not, that is a rare thing in the sports world, even at the professional level where guys are playing for paychecks. Now, we know a lot of that no-quit attitude is passed down from O’Connell himself.

But how much of it comes from Flores’ ability to rally his defense? Hopefully, we don’t have to find out in 2026 because if the MN Vikings want to be the playoff team they think they will be, they’ll need B-Flo running that side of the ball.

Not only would a win Sunday be Minnesota’s third-straight, but it would also improve their 2025 regular season record to a semi-respectable 7-8, with two games remaining.

Unfortunately, the playoffs are mathematically out of reach for Kevin O’Connell & Co, but that doesn’t mean the rest of these games aren’t important.

Minnesota Vikings already trying to extend Brian Flores

But while most of us are busy worrying about the Vikings’ future at quarterback, over the next few weeks, decision-makers inside TCO Performance Center are currently distracted with an extremely pressing matter on the other side of the football.

According to league insider Tom Pelissero (NFL Network), the contract of defensive coordinator Brian Flores is due to expire at the end of this season. If the MN Vikings have it their way, he won’t make it to free agency.

Minnesota has many decisions to make this offseason with an expensive, veteran roster.

Another issue to address: Defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ contract is up after the season. The Vikings hope to work out a deal to retain him.

Tom Pelissero – NFL Network

It’s become pretty well-known that the former head coach wants to lead his own NFL squad again someday. On top of that, there’s little doubt B-Flo would would get more interview opportunities to do just that this summer, especially if he hits the coaching carousel as an unrestricted free agent.

Would Brian Flores really turn down head coaching interviews to return for another season as Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator. You wouldn’t think so. Then again, given his ongoing lawsuit pending against the league and how he was fired from Miami, during his previous head coaching job, Flores’ situation is far from normal.

Why the Vikings could pay big to keep Flores as DC

One reason we are less focused on defense is because, since Brian Flores took over as defensive coordinator, we don’t really have to worry about that side of the ball.

That’s why the only chance the Wilfs have of securing his services, prior to him hitting the open market, is to pay him big. And it could be worth it.

Some years have been better than others, just like some games, the Vikings’ defense is more shutdown than others.But no matter what personnel Flores has at his disposal, he is going to get the most out of them.

At worst (2023), we’ve seen less-talented Minnesota defenses play up to average, under Flores. And when he’s had some healthy Joes to work with (2024), they’ve been borderline elite. This year has been somewhere in the middle.

For context, I included the last non-Flores Vikings defense we watched back in 2022, under Ed Donatell as DC.

It’s unlikely that head coach Kevin O’Connell will be going anywhere, but general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah might be where things start. Closer to the field, KOC will probably shuffle some things around, but he definitely wants to keep defensive coordinator Brian Flores.

Brian Flores could stick with Minnesota Vikings

Over the past few seasons, Brian Flores has found his way into the head coaching carousel. Formerly the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, Flores has appeared as a legitimate candidate due to his defensive prowess. It hasn’t happened, though, and he does still have an active lawsuit against the league…The Athletic’s Dianna Russini doesn’t see him landing one this cycle either.

Expect these assistant coaches to garner serious looks in the upcoming coaching cycle: Chiefs OC Matt Nagy, 49ers DC Robert Saleh, Colts DC Lou Anarumo, Broncos DC Vance Joseph, Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver, Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak, Rams DC Chris Shula, Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury, Packers DC Jeff Hafley, Bills OC Joe Brady and Jags DC Anthony Campanile.

Since 2011, at least five head-coaching vacancies have popped up each cycle. Right now? Only two teams have openings: the Giants and Titans. That number will go up. There are no guarantees these jobs will come open, but many around the league are asking questions about the Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals and Cincinnati Bengals, in addition to the Raiders.

Diana Russini – The Atheltic

That’s 11 different candidates named by Russini, and more than a couple of them have been head coaches before. Of note, Brian Flores’ name is not among those mentioned.

It has been a constant for Flores to be among those interviewed, only to not get the job. He satisfies the Rooney Rule, requiring teams to interview a minority candidate, but hasn’t been given the keys to drive, which is sort of a main part of his lawsuit. It could be that organizations are unwilling (or feel unable) to hire a coach actively suing the league as well.

Minnesota is 10th in overall team defense. Flores continues to scheme chaotically, and the pressure has held opposing offenses to the fifth lowest passing yards per game. The Minnesota Vikings have been gashed on the ground, however, and that has been disappointing considering the additions of Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen.

At any rate, Flores being overlooked for a head coaching position would once again benefit Minnesota. He runs a strong unit, and has been a big asset to O’Connell’s staff. The longer he stays in the same spot, the better off the Minnesota Vikings are.

The secondary is prone to big plays, and they lack depth at cornerback. All the money they spent on both the offensive and defensive lines has mostly gone to waste, whether due to injury or lackluster play.

Minnesota Vikings’ have 99 problems and QB is No 1…

Even Kevin O’Connell — who was crowned and compensated as the NFL’s next GOAT head coach last offseason — deserves his fair share of blame for the MN Vikings’ 4-6 failures in 2025. It can’t be healthy to have an offensive play-caller who’s allergic to the run section of his play sheet.

But let’s be real, every team in the league has its issues. Those of us who strap into the front carts of this wild and dangerous purple and gold rollercoaster year after year, week after week, all know the Minnesota Vikings’ REAL problem in 2025.

It’s at quarterback. Redshirt rookie JJ McCarthy is aesthetically and statistically — 52.9% completion | 842 yards | 6 touchdowns | 8 interceptions | 61 QB rating | 26.6 QBR — the ugliest starting quarterback in the NFL.

As always, two things can be true:

1) JJ McCarthy has generally been pretty bad so far
2) Your former first-round pick at WR absolutely has to make this catch for him. pic.twitter.com/nbwdNB1JLS

— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) November 22, 2025

There are obviously a lot of variables plaguing the start to McCarthy’s NFL career, most of which are based on injuries and completely out of his control. But local insider Ben Goessling (Star Tribune) has another one in mind that nobody was really talking about, until he brought it up on the latest episode of the Vikings Access Podcast.

Did Brian Flores screw up JJ McCarthy during Vikings training camp?

Maybe Brian Flores is part of the problem. We heard all training camp about how fast his defense was playing and how they were pulling no punches for a young JJ McCarthy, as the Vikings’ defensive coordinator developed somewhat of a fetish for rattling his own team’s young, struggling quarterback.

Could those training camp practice sessions have played into what now has the kid QB looking “sped up”, leading to all sorts of mechanical issues from head to toe? It certainly seems plausible.

Did Brian Flores' training camp obsession of rattling JJ McCarthy play into the kid QB's mechanical regression this season…?@BenGoessling wondered that out loud on the latest Access Vikings podcast (@StribSports) 👀

"When we've seen [JJ McCarthy's] clock a little bit sped up… pic.twitter.com/txYGMUtHQ5

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) November 23, 2025

“This is probably either revisionist history or something worth revisiting into 2026. But when we’ve seen [JJ McCarthy’s] clock a little bit sped up on the field, I do wonder how much the unfiltered Brian Flores experience in training camp maybe led into that.”

“There weren’t very many reps — [other than a] dealer’s choice period at times where the offense could say, ‘Hey, we want you to kind of run a basic cover two here and we want to see what it looks like against this.’ Or, you know, the defense could say the same thing –…but overall, there was not a lot held back [from the Vikings defense during camp], at least from what we saw.“

Ben Goessling – Access Vikings Podcast (Star Tribune)

Related: Vikings Starter Unlikely to Play vs Packers

Somehow, JJ McCarthy has been even worse than the NDSU QB who made a handful of starts in his place, earlier this season. All of those other Vikings’ problems can be overcome, but if their kid quarterback doesn’t play significantly better in Green Bay, and for the rest of the season, winning will be next to impossible.

MN Vikings need McCarthy to play better vs Green Bay and beyond

To any Vikings fan with an internet connection or free over-the-air television channels near the Twin Cities , it should be no surprise to see the Vikings as near touchdown underdogs Sunday afternoon.

Even with the Packers’ recent struggles, combined with their many injury issues, they still have one thing the Minnesota Vikings do not — a competent QB. That’s not to say McCarthy won’t some day be what Jordan Love is now, but it’s just a fact that JJ is not an NFL-worthy QB, six games into his NFL career.

But if he isn’t ready to face the other defenses spread across the NFL, it’s impossible McCarthy and the rest of the Vikings offense was capable of growth against a veteran Brian Flores defense that was not giving an inch during training camp.

“I mean, that defense was fired up [at training camp]. That defense wanted to make its presence felt. That defense was loud after plays. I do wonder at times uh how much the trial by fire [for JJ McCarthy], you know, maybe there was a way to uh dial that back just a little, sand off a couple of the rough edges.

But that has come to my mind a little bit when we talk about, hey, he’s playing a little fast. How much of that may have been influenced by the thing he imprinted on which was playing against Brian Flores’s defense?”

Ben Goessling – Access Vikings Podcast (Star Tribune)

Related: Vikings Pro Bowl Lineman Returns, Practice Squad Shuffle

If someone as plugged in as Ben Goessling is asking these questions out loud, then I think they are 100% worth keeping in mind. JJ McCarthy is sped up and could have used some time to get back up to speed this summer.

Not only was he stripped of any real preseason experience, being the Minnesota Vikings refuse to play anyone of significance during exhibition games, but now looking back, he probably could have used some more vanilla looks back then against his own defense too.

It remained the Carson Wentz show against his former team in Week 7. That was a significant part of the problem, and unfortunately Jalen Hurts destroyed Minnesota at every opportunity.

Carson Wentz has run his course for the MN Vikings

Right before the season started Minnesota brought Carson Wentz in to serve as their backup quarterback. With Max Brosmer winning a roster spot, they needed a veteran option. He has stepped in over the last four weeks in the wake of J.J. McCarthy’s ankle injury, but Sunday’s performance has to turn the page.

Early on Sunday Wentz threw poorly to Jordan Addison on three different occasions before a pick six and a punt interception. The hole he dug early was ugly, and entirely avoidable.

“Carson, go win this game and the QB job is yours!”

Carson: pic.twitter.com/lK79yF3fOs

— Jason Harmon (@_jason_777) October 19, 2025

It’s all fine and well that he was better in the second half, but that’s good because he had to be. A benching after getting down 14-3 and turning the ball over for a second time would have been completely warranted.

When the dust settled, and the Eagles wrapped up their 28-22 victory, Wentz owned a 26-of-42 for 313 yards stat line. He was picked off twice, but did scramble for 28 yards on four carries. There was plenty of pressure that impacted some of his follow through, but the majority of issues offensively came back to execution from the quarterback.

There was a pregame suggestion that Wentz could hold down the job if he performed. He did anything but, and J.J. McCarthy needs to be readied as the starter for Thursday night.

Vikings pass defense torched by Jalen Hurts

Coming into Sunday, Brian Flores’ secondary was among the best in football. Their 157.6 passing yards allowed per game represented the second-best mark of any team, and trailed only the Atlanta Falcons. Minnesota put pressure on Jalen Hurts, and sacked him three times, but he made a mockery of the group.

Going 19-of-23 for 326 yards and three touchdowns, he finished with a perfect 158.3 passer rating. It was easily his best game of the season, and among the best of his career.

HUGE 3rd down conversion to A.J. Brown

PHIvsMIN on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/Z02DBJ8xwx

— NFL (@NFL) October 19, 2025

A.J. Brown, who has largely been held quiet this season, hauled in four receptions for 121 yards and two touchdowns. His one-on-one matchup with Isiah Rodgers on third down with the game on the line sealed the contest.

Flores wasn’t the only coach with a poor day though. After a wonderfully coached game against the Browns, Kevin O’Connell laid another egg.

Most notable was the 4th quarter sequence as Minnesota watched time dwindle. Trailing by nine, O’Connell opted to go for it on 4th and 2 with 2:58 remaining. The conversion set up first and goal, but an immediate sack, and conservative attempts, led to nothing but 1:01 wasted and the same three points.

The Vikings never got the ball back and Philadelphia put a stop to their two-game skid. Now 3-3, the Vikings have to turn around a short week and win against Jim Harbaugh’s Los Angeles Chargers. Putting McCarthy back under center will bring all of the storylines as he faces his former college coach in his return.

Of course, the NFL has all sorts of respect for the MN Vikings coaching staff, adoration that begins and ends with head coach Kevin O’Connell. He and defensive coordinator Brian Flores have proven themselves to be arguably the best HC + DC tandem in franchise history.

Minnesota Vikings head coach showered with praise

And their colleagues around the NFL agree. The Athletic polled league coaches and executives on different topics heading into the season, and they posted the results in an article published Monday morning. Near the top of the list when it comes to offensive play-callers that strike fear in defenses, KOC was near the top of the list, at No. 4.

Only his mentors Sean McVay (25 votes) and Kyle Shanahan (18 votes), along with Bears new HC, Ben Johnson (14 votes), landed ahead of the Minnesota Vikings head coach.

O’Connell staved off Coen in the battle among McVay proteges, which is understandable due to O’Connell’s more extensive track record.

Jeff Howe – The Athletic

It is a bit curious that Johnson landed 14, despite being saddled with head coaching duties for the first time as a play caller. Obviously Minnesota fans will have a front row seat to how his start with the Bears will work out, when the Vikings open Week 1 on Monday Night Football in Chicago against the division rival Bears.

Brian Flores getting lots of love too

It wasn’t just O’Connell earning praise though. Brian Flores has always been known as a defensive menace, and his 16 votes trailed only Philadelphia Eagles coordinator Vic Fangio as the best defensive play caller in the game.

Flores continued to draw rave reviews for his unique ability to disguise looks, deploy defenders in a variety of ways and simply put offenses through the ringer.

“He’s a pain in the ass to go against,” another head coach said.

The Athletic

This may be Flores’ best opportunity to showcase his stuff yet. Not only does he have a ridiculously talented front seven to work with, but he’ll be showing his abilities with the secondary. The cornerback room is thin, and Jeff Okudah is being asked a lot of. If it works, then Flores is an absolute genius.

Where are the Minnesota Vikings players?

It’s all fine and well that those around the league love the Minnesota Vikings coaching staff. If their impact is going to be felt in the win column though, it will be because of players getting the job done. When looking at the polls about individual talents, virtually all Vikings are nowhere to be found.

Not shockingly the MVP race is comprised of only quarterbacks, and new signal caller J.J. McCarthy doesn’t garner consideration. When asked what quarterback a team would take to start from scratch though, he’s not present either. Somehow Drake Maye, Trevor Lawrence, Bo Nix, and Cam Ward all got votes though.

JJ McCarthy just threw one of the most insane TD's EVER in Vikings camp 😳

People are starting to compare him to Joe Burrow and a young Josh Allen 🔥

The NFL is in DANGER ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/seiIdINsgy

— Cam (@42Cyc) July 23, 2025

Related: Everyone’s Favorite New Viking Makes NFL Futures List

Four non-quarterbacks earned consideration in this coach/exec poll, as the best offensive player in the league. Ja’Marr Chase got the vast majority (17 votes), while Saquon Barkley came in second (10 votes). Justin Jefferson… just 2 votes.

On defense, the Vikings had no one worth of consideration, even though they had one of the best defenses in the league last season and despite multiple pro bowlers. Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard are nowhere to be found. Neither are newcomes Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen.

MN Vikings voted as likely to fall short of expectations

Maybe that is why the MN Vikings were voted a bit further down the poll as one of the six most-likely teams to fall short of expectations this season, landing four votes, trailing only the Lions, Commanders, Broncos, Bears and Dolphins.

Unlike some of the teams listed above them on the “likely to fall short of expectations” list, the Vikings did NOT receive ANY votes for NFL teams “likely to exceed expectations”.

It certainly seems like this Minnesota Vikings team is being a bit overlooked. They are unlikely to win more games than last year, and there is a level of uncertainty with a young new quarterback. Doubting them, especially with the leadership in place though, seems foolish at best.

Due to a level of uncertainty though, there’s a relatively wide schism in potential outcomes. Things could go good, or they could go bad. This roster is too talented for there to be an extremely negative result though.

Still, coming off 14-wins and the departure of quarterback Sam Darnold, not everyone is a believer.

Bill Barnwell isn’t a believer in MN Vikings defense

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell is among the most prominent NFL Analysts across major sports networks. He has a substantial amount of experience and has covered the game for a long time. That isn’t stopping him from pouring water on the Minnesota Vikings. Picking just five teams most likely to decline in 2025, Minnesota made his cut.

Let’s talk about that defense. Can the Vikings keep their level of play up? While acknowledging they have a great front seven and an excellent coordinator, I’d be a little nervous. They led the league in turnovers (33) and were second in turnover rate (16.6% of opposing drives), trailing only the Bills. Defense is more difficult to sustain than offense, and successful defenses built around high turnover margins are even tougher to maintain from year to year.

Are there reasons to think the Vikings will simply field better defensive talent? I’m not sure…In fact, with the league’s fifth-oldest offense, they were the league’s oldest team on a play-by-play basis. That isn’t inherently disqualifying, but it’s a reality of where they were with their roster construction.

They’ll try to make up for it on the front end, where they … got older by importing two new defensive tackles on the wrong side of 30. Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave were both stars earlier in their career, but they combined to play just 11 games last season because of injuries. Allen and Hargrave are big swings, and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has generally done excellent work in free agency, so there are reasons to be optimistic the Vikings’ front will be even more devastating than it was in 2024.

Bill Barnwell – ESPN

I actually find it hard to argue that the Vikings defense isn’t vastly improved from where it was a year ago. They now have an interior presence that has been missing since the Williams Wall. Sure, Hargrave and Allen are older, but they also had substantial time to recover last season after being hurt.

Related: Vikings’ Free Agent WR Options May Be Dwindling

Questions about the cornerback position are fair. Byron Murphy Jr. is back, and Isaiah Rodgers could be a star, but I’m still not sure trusting Jeff Okudah is the right move. DVOA creator Aaron Schatz sees the position as a need, but the group as a whole looks more complete.

At some point the success of Brian Flores’ efforts, and effectiveness of Adofo-Mensah’s signings, should just be taken at face value.

Threading a needle on MN Vikings success

An interesting thing here is that Barnwell measures success in a very curious manner. Decline is literally defined as anything worse than the year prior. He “hit” on the Baltimore Ravens last year because they went 12-5 instead of 13-4 like the year prior.

Theoretically that is accurate. They won one less game, and advanced one less round in the playoffs. However, that’s a relatively cutthroat way to measure success given the overall quality of the team. It shouldn’t be a stretch to say the Vikings won’t win more than 14 games this season. The opportunity for them to do so is factually minute.

The Vikings are a pretty unique team. The age of their roster and the moves they have made suggest they’re trying to win right now, but they have what essentially amounts to a rookie quarterback leading the way. And while we normally associate debuting quarterbacks with subpar teams and young rosters, McCarthy is taking over a 14-win team, something I’m not sure has ever happened in the modern era. I’m not expecting a dropoff below .500 like the one we saw in 2023, but a record more in line with their 11.1-win point differential from 2024 would make sense.

Bill Barnwell – ESPN

There’s a decent amount of teardown to wind up suggesting a dip of just three wins is a realistic outcome. Honestly, that’s a logical number to arrive at, and the same on Kevin Seifert set the team’s ceiling at.

As Barnwell notes, McCarthy is being given the keys to arguably the nicest car in the used lot. There is always uncertainty with a new quarterback getting under center. Someone has to develop into the next Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen though.

Related: Vikings Set Up for Draft Upgrade After QB Rental Wins Starting Job

Mahomes took over a 10-6 Chiefs team and led them to a 12-6 record and playoff victory in year one. That team had a good coach, solid roster, and a quarterback that was deemed ready. Who knows, maybe McCarthy is next?

But prior to Thursday afternoon’s dual practice, Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores scored what will absolutely go down as his biggest win of this preseason.

Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator scores early round legal victory over NFL

According to multiple reports, the U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals (Manhattan) has ruled that Flores CAN sidestep the NFL’s collectively bargained arbitration process in order to take his pending lawsuit against the NFL — which alleges widespread discrimination and racism by the league and specific teams — to public trial.

The judge who wrote the decision did not hold back in his disgust for the NFL’s current arbitration process — which essentially makes commissioner Roger Goodell the lone arbiter on any and all issues, including situations where there’s an obvious conflict of interest.

Judge Jose A. Cabranes went as far as to accuse the league’s process of being “arbitration in name only” and confident that its implementation is against the Federal Arbitration Act of 1925.

The U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a New York district court ruling that Brian Flores' case against the NFL and three teams (the Broncos, Giants and Texans) should be heard in court, not in arbitration.

— Ben Goessling (@BenGoessling) August 14, 2025

…the appeals court said the NFL’s rules forcing Flores to submit his claims to arbitration before Goodell do not have the protection of the Federal Arbitration Act because they provide for “arbitration in name only.”

The 2nd Circuit said the NFL constitution’s arbitration provision “contractually provides for no independent arbitral forum, no bilateral dispute resolution, and no procedure.”

“Instead, it offends basic presumptions of our arbitration jurisprudence” by forcing claims to be decided by the NFL’s “principal executive officer,” the appeals court said.

ESPN

Related: Patriots Head Coach Taking Joint Practices vs Vikings VERY Seriously

This isn’t the first legal “L” the NFL has been of late, due to the league’s incessant commitment to “protecting the shield”. Just a few days ago, the Nevada Supreme Court ruled against the league on a similar matter to what New York’s 2nd Circuit did today… at least legally speaking.

NFL planning to appeal Flores’ victory

Like Flores, former Bucs and Raiders head coach Jon Gruden is attempting to sue the NFL. In that case, Gruden is accusing the league of leaking private emails that paint him to be all sorts of things that he does not want to be associated with (racist, misogynist, homophobic, etc.), in an attempt to blackball him from coaching.

Shortly after the Gruden ruling, the NFL committed to an appeal, something they’ve already suggested they plan do for Brian Flores’ case, as well.

NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy said: “We respectfully disagree with the panel’s ruling, and will be seeking further review.”

ESPN

Related: Voice of Vikings Worried About Recent 1st Round Pick

Whether the arbitration clause is collectively bargained for or not, I’m just not sure how the league can successfully argue that allowing its commissioner to play czar on any and all appeals is legally acceptable, under the Federal Arbitration Act.

Then again, I am not a lawyer… and the league’s attorneys are among the best and highest paid in the field. So don’t count out the most powerful professional sports league on planet Earth just yet.

As for Brian Flores and his plight as a future head coach in the league? I can’t imagine this helps him get back into the head coaching saddle anytime in the near future, even if it does eventually make the NFL’s hiring processes more fair and transparent in the long-term.

Minnesota Vikings fans have known for a while how special their own trio is, but it appears the national news is coming around as well. Maybe it was the development Sam Darnold experienced last year. Maybe it was the next step from Brian Flores’ group.

No matter what sparked the change in reasoning, the Minnesota Vikings coaching staff is now seen as the cream of the crop.

Minnesota Vikings coach staff ranked #1 in NFL

While a complete coaching staff is comprised of well more than just the head coach and his top coordinators, that is where the focal points are. NFL analyst for ESPN, Ben Solak, put together a ranking of the coaching staffs from all 32 teams. He has Minnesota at number one.

“When I ranked the Vikings in this exercise last season, I sang the praises of Flores, the defensive coordinator who had done the most with the least in 2023. But I wondered if O’Connell, another branch off the Shanahan-McVay tree, could innovate and evolve beyond the tried-and-true system he had run with Kirk Cousins to that point. What could he offer a younger quarterback in need of development?

The answer: a whole lot! Not necessarily to the quarterback we expected, as Sam Darnold started the entire season in J.J. McCarthy’s absence — but what a season it was. O’Connell’s mastery is in opening intermediate and downfield passing windows. Darnold had more passing attempts at least 10 yards downfield than any other quarterback, and NFL Next Gen Stats charted those targets with an average separation of 2.7 yards — fifth highest in the league.

O’Connell has easily leaped into that utmost echelon of offensive designers, and Flores remains the cream of the defensive crop. There are always little things to wonder about — scheming for a rookie is different from scheming for a veteran, even if that veteran had never been successful elsewhere — but there is no doubt that O’Connell & Co. elevate players more than any other coaching staff in football.”

Ben Solak – ESPN

It’s hard to look at what the Minnesota Vikings accomplished last season and not be amazed by those orchestrating it. O’Connell has long been considered an elite offensive mind. He displayed that in the form of Sam Darnold throwing for a career-best 4,319 yards with a 66.2% completion rate.

Each cycle it gets tougher to hear about losing Brian Flores on defense. He has elevated the MN Vikings immensely, and now rolls out the top front seven in the game. It looks as though he’ll have even more talent to work with this season.

Related: Vikings Front Seven Living Up to Hype Early

Although it’s fair to question the overall impact of Wes Phillips, he is clearly part of the process as well. To jump up nine spots from 10th overall, where Solak had Minnesota last year, it’s quite an impressive leap.

Next test coming for Vikings staff

Now with developmental and execution expectations heightened, the Minnesota Vikings will need to succeed again. J.J. McCarthy is under center for the first time as a professional, and the secondary has seen some turnover.

O’Connell has to prove he can replicate the quarterback success from Darnold onto McCarthy. Flores has to operate with the changing pieces now at his disposal.

Related: Former MN Vikings RB Hangs Up Cleats

Detroit was pilfered on the coaching front and now ranks (11th) behind Green Bay (10th) for second in the division. That’s a benefit to the Vikings, and while their rosters may be comparable, the coaching staff in Minnesota has to be a differentiator.