© Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports
Vikings' Brian Flores on Lack of HC Interviews This Year: 'Very Happy Where I Am'
Flores is back for his second season as Minnesota's defensive coordinator.
Despite leading an impressive turnaround during his first season as the Vikings' defensive coordinator last year, Brian Flores confirmed on Tuesday that he did not receive any opportunities to interview for head coach openings this offseason.
"I did not," Flores said. "And I don't really have control over that situation. I will say, I'm very happy where I am. It's been a great offseason. I haven't spent this much time with my family in an offseason in a while, without a move. I'm in a great spot, I'm very happy, and I'm excited to work with our guys right now."
Flores is entering his second year as the Vikings' DC after finding a new job in each of the last two offseasons. In 2022, he was hired by the Steelers as an assistant on Mike Tomlin's staff after Flores' three-year tenure as the Dolphins' head coach came to an end. Last year, he explored a few different opportunities and ended up joining Kevin O'Connell's staff in Minnesota.
It was a highly impressive first year for Flores with the Vikings. He took a defense that ranked 24th in DVOA in 2022 and brought it to 11th last year, despite the team parting ways with veterans like Patrick Peterson, Dalvin Tomlinson, Eric Kendricks, and Za'Darius Smith. Flores' unique style saw the Vikings blitz more than any other team and also drop eight into coverage more than any other team. He tailored his system to Minnesota's personnel and got the most out of players like Josh Metellus, Camryn Bynum, Ivan Pace Jr., and D.J. Wonnum, among others.
Given how successful the Vikings' defense was last year, particularly during a long stretch in the middle of the season, it seemed quite likely that Flores would at least be considered for HC openings in this hiring cycle. That he didn't get a single interview was pretty shocking. Logic suggests that Flores' active lawsuit against the NFL alleging discrimination in hiring practices may have had something to do with it.
"There's no way to know," Flores said when asked if he thinks the lawsuit kept him from consideration. "It's not really something I'm spending a lot of time thinking about. I try to be where my feet are — that's here with with the Vikings. I try not to worry about things I have no control over."
Either way, the Vikings are thrilled to have Flores back. They'll look to continue ascending on defense in the second year of his scheme. Gone are Danielle Hunter, Jordan Hicks, and Wonnum, but incoming veterans Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Blake Cashman, and Shaquill Griffin all fit what Flores is looking for in his players.
If the Vikings have another successful season on defense, teams may come around on at least interviewing Flores for head coach vacancies next offseason.
"I just (want to) do the best I can where I'm at," Flores said. "And wherever the chips fall, they fall. And that's what I tell the players. If you prepare the right way and you do everything you can possibly do to have success, you gotta have peace with that."
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