Looks Like Vikings DC Brian Flores is Out of Head Coaching Opportunities
Just a couple of days ago, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores was one of the hottest candidates riding on the 2025 head coaching carousel. He’d lined up three virtual interviews with the Jets, Jaguars and Bears, all scheduled to take place the week following Minnesota’s Wild Card round playoff game versus the Rams.
When Flores woke up on Friday morning, the day of his first interviews, Minnesota’s 43-year-old defensive mastermind had to have felt closer to an NFL head coaching job than any moment since he walked out of Miami Dolphins facilities in 2022, with a lawsuit against the NFL in his hand.
But Father Time works fast, especially during the NFL offseason. And less than 72 hours after Brian Flores completed his final head coaching interview Saturday morning with the Chicago Bears, it appears all three teams interested in the Vikings’ defensive coordinator may have already eliminated him from the running.
Brian Flores running out of head coaching options already…
It all started falling apart on Monday, when the Chicago Bears hired Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as their new head coach, leaving Flores with only two options left on the table. Hours later, news broke that the Jaguars were moving to in-person interviews with three different candidates. Brian Flores was not one of them.
Related: ESPN Analyst Confident the Vikings Will Sign Sam Darnold to Lucrative Contract Extension
Now, on Tuesday morning, it appears the New York Jets may be zeroing in on a defensive coordinator out of the NFC North… but it isn’t B-Flo. According to reports, Detroit Lions’ DC Aaron Glenn is at Jets’ facilities in New Jersey this morning. The belief is that he’ll be named the new head coach before his visit is over.
A monumental day: Top target Aaron Glenn visits the #Jets & the goal is to keep him from leaving the building, sources say.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 21, 2025
The deal isn’t done & there are still some particulars to discuss. But if all goes well, he could end today as HC of the NYJ. If not, the #Saints await. pic.twitter.com/70yHBb5Rel
If Glenn is hired by the Jets, Brian Flores would be out of head coaching opportunities – at least for now. The offseason is young, but normally coaching jobs and staffs are the top priority on every NFL team’s offseason to-do list.
Should Flores strike out in the head coaching market, he would assumedly return to be defensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings, a move that would send a ripple effect through the rest of the offseason.
Trickle-down Effect if Flores returns to the Minnesota Vikings
We know Harrison Smith’s retirement decision will be greatly affected by whether or not Brian Flores returns. What Harry the Hitman decides to do will, in turn, affect what the Minnesota Vikings do in free agency. Speaking of free agency, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah & Co. have no choice but to be very active come March.
Related: 3 Different Ways the Bears Hire of Ben Johnson Impacts the Minnesota Vikings
They have money to spend and most of the Vikings’ 2024 defensive unit is due to leave. If Flores comes back, which is starting to appear inevitable, he will be able to hand-pick most of the defensive roster. That would be a good thing.
Given what we saw from offseason signees like Andrew Van Ginkel, Blake Cashman, and Jonathan Greenard in 2024, we can be confident there’s nobody better equipped for helping Kwesi wrangle up defensive talent than Brian Flores.
More About:Minnesota Vikings News
You Might Like:
