Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ contract with the team is set to expire after a stellar second season from his unit in Minnesota, making him a choice head coach candidate this offseason.
There are some intriguing options for Flores this hiring cycle.
He is considered the betting favorite to fill the Las Vegas Raiders head coach vacancy, especially with his ties to Tom Brady. The Baltimore Ravens‘ surprise vacancy left by John Harbaugh is also an enticing landing spot for the former Miami Dolphins head coach who has maintained that he is going to be selective about his next destination in the NFL.
However, Flores’ candidacy was hit with a dark cloud this week.
A comment from former Dolphins journeyman quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who called Flores a “dictator,” resurfaced on social media as a reminder of his darker days in Miami.
Brian Flores’ Head Coach Candidacy Hit With Reminder of Dolphins Fallout
Entering the first week of the postseason, a clip of Fitzpatrick breaking down Flores’ 2024 head coach candidacy resurfaced on X, with some posts of the clip garnering over two million views.
“I think the interesting thing with Brian Flores, when I think about him and being able to play under him for a few years, is which version of Brian Flores are we getting,” Fitzpatrick asked a year ago on the “Fitz and Whit” podcast. “I think the further removed we get from his tenure in Miami, the more people kind of forget about how that ended, and the better his name becomes.
“He was likable, he was relatable, he demanded a lot out of the players, but he was also able to get the best version of his players, and I really appreciated him for that,” Fitzpatrick added. “But as his tenure went on in Miami, he kind of became unrecognizable… I think by the end of his time there, he became a dictator. He ruined a lot of those relationships that he built up through the NFL. And his ego grew so big that there wasn’t any room for anyone else.”
Flores did not make it to a final interview in last year’s coaching cycle, although his ongoing legal battle with the NFL could also have played a factor in his candidacy.
Fitzpatrick’s comments came several months after Tua Tagovailoa called Flores a “terrible person” in a viral interview.
Flores addressed the criticism coming from Tagovailoa and said he would be open to making amends with Tagovailoa, as he has shown some growth as a leader since he left Miami.
Vikings’ Brian Flores is Changed, But He Needs a Team to Step Out for Him
Since Flores departed from Miami, he has witnessed different coaching styles as an assistant under Mike Tomlin and a coordinator for Kevin O’Connell.
As Flores’ transformation of the Vikings’ defense has coincided with his own change in character, several profiles have highlighted his growth as a coach in Minnesota.
On merit alone, Flores should have received at least one final interview a year ago, but his checkered past and legal battles with the league continue to overshadow his candidacy.
Flores will need a team to step out of line to take a chance on him. But if the league continues to overlook Flores, he is likely to sign an extension with the Vikings.
Concerning Brian Flores Comment Resurfaces Amid Vikings Coach’s Job Search