Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores is garnering buzz as a top head coach candidate for the 2025 hiring cycle and is expected to be the subject of a “long look” from the Chicago Bears.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer doubled down on a previous report of his that Chicago has an interest in Flores, confirming Flores as a “real possibility” for the Bears.
“Yes, he is,” Breer said of Flores in a January 2 mailbag segment. “He’s a Boston College teammate of GM Ryan Poles. He’s in Minnesota, where [Bears president] Kevin Warren worked for a decade and a half—and reviews have come back from the Minnesota Vikings to Warren raving about the job Flores has done.”
Flores was subject to scrutiny earlier this season for his treatment of Tua Tagovailoa while he was head coach of the Miami Dolphins, but several Vikings players have gone to bat for him amid a transformational year for Minnesota’s defense.
“He’ll have to answer, of course, for what went wrong with Tua Tagovailoa in Miami, given that he’d have a young quarterback to raise in Chicago. But, yes, I’d expect the Bears to take a long look at Flores,” Breer added.
The Bears fired head coach Matt Eberflus on November 29 after a series of coaching blunders that sunk Chicago’s chances of making the postseason after starting the season 4-2. The Bears lost six straight games coming out of the bye week, four of which were decided by three or fewer points.
Brian Flores’ ‘Growth’ Evident With Vikings
GettyVikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores celebrates with linebacker Blake Cashman
Back in August, Tagovailoa made headlines after an appearance on “The Dan LeBatard Show,” referring to Flores as a “terrible person” in contrast with current Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniels, whose positive reinforcement the past two years was needed to overcome the doubt Flores had instilled in him.
Flores responded, admitting that he’s grown since he was fired by Miami in 2022.
“Look, I’m human. So that hit me in a way that, I wouldn’t say it was positive for me,” Flores said, per the Minnesota Star Tribune. “But at the same time, I’ve got to use that and say, ‘Hey, how can I grow from that? How can I be better?’ And that’s really where I’m at. Do I feel like that’s me? No. But you know, how can I grow from that situation and create a world where that’s not the case that anyone says that about Brian Flores?”
Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores responded to questions today about recent criticism from his former quarterback with the Dolphins, Tua Tagovailoa. From @BenGoessling:
The players Flores has had a chance to leave an impression on most recently this season have gone to bat for him time and time again this season. Flores has embraced a collaborative approach with his players that has Minnesota’s defense thriving as the fourth-ranked scoring unit in the league.
A disciple of the hard-nosed Belichick coaching tree, Flores has taken some teachings from head coach Kevin O’Connell‘s players-first approach and adapted them to his coaching style.
The interpersonal issues with Tagovailoa do not seem to have bled into his tenure with the Vikings.
However, his head coach candidacy could be impacted by his ongoing lawsuit with the NFL.
Flores’ Matchup With Lions’ Ben Johnson Highlights Premiere Matchup in Season Finale
GettyOffensive coordinator Ben Johnson of the Detroit Lions.
Two of football’s brightest minds square off on “Sunday Night Football” as Flores matches up with Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Both coordinators have pieced together two of the league’s top units in their respective fields.
Flores has the Vikings defense playing like a top-five unit, while Johnson’s offense is the highest-scoring unit in the league.
Johnson has gotten the better of Flores the past three times, scoring 30 points or more in all three games with Flores at the controls.
How much Flores can slow the Lions offense will come down to how much he can rattle Jared Goff. Meanwhile, Johnson will try to scheme open an offense to keep Goff’s decision-making clear.
“Ben is one of the best in the game as far as calling it,” Flores said Tuesday, per The Athletic. “Big, big challenge for us.”
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Vikings’ Rival Eyeing Brian Flores for HC Position, Insider Says