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Brian Flores is garnering plenty of buzz for the upcoming wave of NFL head coaching vacancies because of his transformation of the Minnesota Vikings defense this season.
The Vikings defensive coordinator was a finalist for several jobs last offseason, and while Flores, formerly the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, would like another chance at being an NFL head coach, his mind is solely on Minnesota at the moment.
Addressing the chatter surrounding his head coaching candidacy for the upcoming offseason, Flores said his focus is on the final five weeks, which will be pivotal to the Vikings’ playoff chances.
“I understand the question, I really do. My message to our guys yesterday was we’ve got 35 guaranteed days. That’s all we got that’s guaranteed. I asked them to put everything into these 35 days,” Flores said in a December 6 news conference. “I can’t give that message and not heed that message. My focus is on these guys, this team, these next five games because that’s all we really have. I understand the question, but that’s where my focus is.”
He was asked whether he makes intentional decisions to help him avoid looking ahead to the offseason, like telling his agent to not mention the head coaching buzz.
“Yeah, they know not to bring it up,” Flores said with a smirk.
Brian Flores Says Vikings Have Worked Too Hard to Be Looking Ahead to Offseason
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GettyVikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores
The Vikings had plenty of opportunities to throw in the towel this season, between starting 0-3 and losing Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson for the majority of the season.
Instead, Minnesota went on a five-game winning streak after Jefferson landed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, including getting two improbable wins with Josh Dobbs after Cousins went down for the season.
Two losses decided on the final drives in back-to-back weeks before their bye have put the Vikings at 6-6 on the season with a 44% chance of making the postseason, per The Upshot’s playoff prediction engine.
Facing the Detroit Lions (9-3) twice and the resurgent Green Bay Packers (6-6) squad in the final three weeks of the season will have heavy sway in the playoff race, prompting Flores to keep his defense engaged for the final stretch of the season.
“All the other stuff, I asked them to block it out, and I’m blocking it out myself because I think you got to lead by example. I know that that’s out there, I’m not blind to any of that. But I’m really focused on the task at hand. Like I said, my message to those guys was: We got five weeks. Let’s put everything into these five weeks and not come out of it with any regrets and saying, ‘Hey my focus is on this so it wasn’t on you guys,’ Flores added. “I think these guys work too hard, they’ve put a lot into the season already. I understand the question, but that is really not where I’m at right now.”
Brian Flores Has Turned Vikings Defense Into a Top-5 Unit
GettyOutside linebacker Danielle Hunter (left) and teammate D.J. Wonnum of the Minnesota Vikings.
Flores has worked wonders with a Vikings defense that ranked 28th in scoring last season and lost four key starters in Za’Darius Smith, Dalvin Tomlinson, Eric Kendricks and Patrick Peterson.
After some fine-tuning of a novel scheme that had never been seen in the NFL, Flores has the Vikings defense playing like a top-five unit, fueling the team to six wins in their past nine games.
Since Week 4, the Vikings rank fifth in points allowed per game (17.8) and yards per play (4.8), third in defensive success rate (60%) and expected points added (42.8) and second in defensive efficiency (71.2), according to a December 1 ESPN story.
What Flores has done with the defense has undoubtedly enhanced his coaching resume and even exceeded head coach Kevin O’Connell‘s expectations.
“He has surpassed what even I thought could be possible in Year 1,” O’Connell said in a November 22 news conference. “He is incredibly bright, he is somebody that I trust completely. That does not surprise me [that he is getting head coaching buzz].
“That was my expectation when I brought him in here, that he would do what he has done with our defense … not a surprise to me that the league is taking notice with the quality of a coach and man that he is.”
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