Brian Flores is rising back up the coaching ranks.
The Vikings are set to rent Flores as their recent defensive coordinator, in response to NFL Network. He’ll replace Ed Donatell, who was fired after only one season, on head coach Kevin O’Connell’s staff. The Vikings defense struggled all year long, and derailed a promising season with a 31-24 loss to the Giants within the divisional round.
The 41-year-old Flores spent last season as a senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach with the Steelers.
Before the Steelers, Flores was the Dolphins’ head coach from 2019-2021, compiling a 24-25 record in charge. After he was fired, he filed a bombshell class motion lawsuit against the NFL, Dolphins, Broncos and Giants. He alleged that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross pushed him to tank with a purpose to improve the team’s draft position, and likewise accused the Giants and Broncos of racial discrimination of their hiring processes for brand new head coaches last offseason. Flores was a candidate and interviewed for each jobs.
Flores emerged as a talented defensive assistant and coordinator with the Patriots before taking the Dolphins head coaching job.
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Based on multiple reports, Flores was certainly one of three candidates, together with Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, to be brought back for a second interview by the Cardinals for his or her head coach opening. Now that Flores accepted the Vikings defensive coordinator job, Kafka and Anarumo are the one known candidates left to switch Kliff Kingsbury.
Kafka just accomplished his first season with the Giants, by which he helped Daniel Jones enjoy a renaissance 12 months while elevating an offense void of many elite playmakers. Anarumo has served because the Bengals’ defensive coordinator the past 4 seasons.
The Vikings surrendered 25.1 points per game within the regular season last 12 months, the third-worst mark within the league.
