The clock is ticking on the Brian Flores era in Minnesota.
Flores is going to interview for the Baltimore Ravens now-vacant head-coaching position, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
Flores has, of course, been the Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator for each of the past three seasons. Minnesota has finished with a top-13 defense in points-against per game in every year since Flores took over, and the Vikings were the third-ranked defense in 2025 in yards-against per game (283.6) despite their 9-8 regular-season record.
The Ravens fired longtime head coach John Harbaugh on Tuesday after they went 8-9 and missed the playoffs.
The Ravens Are Interviewing Brian Flores For Their Head Coach Role
Flores checks a lot of boxes for the Ravens in their head-coaching search. He has been an NFL head coach previously, since he was 24-25 in three seasons with the Miami Dolphins and narrowly missed the playoffs in 2020.
Plus, Flores is a great defensive tactician, which is something Vikings fans know and the Ravens have not had since Mike Macdonald left to take the Seattle Seahawks head-coaching role in 2024.
The Ravens had an up-and-down season defensively and finished 18th in points-against per game (23.4) and 24th in yards-against per game (354.5) in 2025 under second-year DC Zach Orr.
Baltimore, of course, surrendered 13 points in the final 3:49 of its two-point loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers — after allowing 24 points to backup quarterback Malik Willis in its Week 17 win over the Green Bay Packers and blowing a 24-13 lead in the final 11 minutes of their loss to the NNew England Patriots.
So it would make sense for the Ravens to consider a defensive wizard like Flores for their head coaching role.
The Ravens May Not Be The Only Rival Trying To Hire Brian Flores Away From Minnesota
The cynical view could be the Ravens are interviewing Flores to remain compliant with the NFL’s Rooney Rule, which requires a team interview/consider a minimum number of minority coaching candidates before hiring their head coach.
But the Las Vegas Raiders and Cleveland Browns have already expressed interest in interviewing Flores for their vacant head coaching spots. Plus, the Dallas Cowboys have already reportedly reached out to Flores to replace recently fired defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus.
Flores has said he wants to remain selective about his next landing spot. But his agent is surely floating his name as a candidate for any additional vacant defensive coordinator spots if the Vikings don’t retain him.
Flores has paired well with offensive-minded head coach Kevin O’Connell in Minnesota, since ironically it has mostly been O’Connell’s offensive unit that has struggled over the past three years.
So Flores and his people could stake the claim teaming him with a similarly smart offensive coordinator — like Mike McDaniel, who like Flores, was fired by the Dolphins — would create a juggernaut, not unlike the 2024 Vikings, who went 14-3.
It’s safe to assume that some team will hire Flores away if the Vikings to find a way to retain him before he hits the market, either as a head coach or defensive coordinator. With Minnesota regressing in 2025, it would be wise to show Flores the money before he takes his talents elsewhere.
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