Kevin O'Connell Offers Ringing Endorsement of Brian Flores As Future Head Coach

The Vikings boss praised his defensive coordinator.

Kevin O'Connell on Feb. 6, 2025. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Early this season, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores's reputation was called into question when Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa criticized his style of coaching.

On Friday, appearing on NBC Sports's PFT Live, Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell painted a much more positive picture of Flores in the wake of a successful season.

“I can’t speak more highly about what Brian Flores has brought to Minnesota,” O’Connell said via Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk. “When we identified him as the guy that we wanted to bring in coming off the 2022 season, he has been fantastic. Scheme, relationship with players, my personal relationship with him, how we build our team."

It's impossible to draw overarching conclusions on whether Flores has changed his coaching approach writ large from on-field statistics, but Minnesota has routinely fielded capable defenses under him. The Vikings finished 13th in scoring defense in 2023 and fifth in 2024.

Flores appears slated to return in 2025 as Minnesota looks to build on its best season by winning percentage since 1998.

"I think Brian Flores should be a head coach in the National Football League. He will be again," O'Connell said. "We feel like we’ve got some unfinished business together in Minnesota and we can’t wait to get to work for 2025."

---

More of the Latest Around the NFL

feed