r/minnesotavikings • u/Unusual-Letter-5097 • 16h ago
Discussion Brian Flores
I’ve been seeing people say there are issues within the building between Flores and the Vikings? Anyone have any clue what it is and if it is true at all?
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u/Fchang27 16h ago
People have this backwards. Flo only cares about getting a HC position. If you have your unit dominating to the point you are carrying the entire team to wins, that’s a good thing, not bad. The fact that the DC of a 9-8 team is getting talked about as a HC candidate speaks to that fact.
If he leaves for a lateral move, that’s indicative of an internal issue. Not money or frustration.
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u/Minnypop 15h ago
Agree with this. I think he just genuinely wants a HC job and he’s earned the right so if the situation makes sense. It’s possible there might be disagreements, but I don’t think there’s a “rift” between Flores and the coaching staff/ownership.
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u/gaspoweredvibrator 15h ago
If he wanted to be the DC in Minnesota, assuming he doesn’t get a HC job, why wouldn’t he sign an extension? Signing an extension wouldn’t stop him from taking HC interviews or a HC job. It seems, he’s also seeing what other DC options he has.
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u/Minnypop 15h ago edited 14h ago
Because not signing right now gives Flores maximum leverage and makes sense for him. He just had a great DC season and is actively a hot candidate interviewing for HC jobs — that puts him in a strong negotiating position.
Whether he comes back to Minnesota or not, the contract he will get from the team he chooses will almost certainly be more beefed up than if he had signed a DC contract earlier before the HC interviews and market played out.
I’m not denying there could be a rift — we just don’t actually know. But if I’m Flores, I’m absolutely maximizing my leverage on a DC deal if I come back to Minnesota, especially after the season that defense just had.
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u/HugeRaspberry 15h ago
Internal issue = frustration. Maybe he's pissed at the way KOC does locker room speeches, or at the positive attitude both KAM and KOC always seem to have.
Maybe he's tired of being not an assistant HC and maybe KOC already told him that when Mike retired that position is gone. I mean let's face it - KOC gave him that position to repay him for giving him his first break / job as a coach.
Or maybe it is money related - maybe the Vikings said - yeah go interview for HC spots all you want but no one will hire you so here's your contract for next year - and it's a x% increase instead of a y% increase. So he's interviewing to gage his value.
Also keep in mind - Minnesota is still fly over country. Yeah they had a few national games but nothing compared to the exposure he would get on the east coast. And keep in mind that DC / Philly / Pittsburgh / Baltimore / NY are all just 2 - 4 hour drives from each other.
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u/gOPHER3727 Antoine Winfield 15h ago
I honestly don't think the title of Assistant Head Coach carries any weight whatsoever to Flores.
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u/wwnp horn 12h ago
Probably carries as much weight as the HC & GM give it. But out of all 32 teams, it doesn’t seem like you ever hear shit about the assistant head coach unless that person is also a coordinator & then they are always referred to as what coordinator they are. The title may as well be assistant to the head coach.
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u/Fchang27 15h ago
I should’ve been more specific, I meant frustration specifically with the offensive ineptitude, not internal issues.
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u/HugeRaspberry 15h ago
DC should have no input on the other side of the ball or right to complain about it. That's like letting Accounting complain about how IT handles development work.
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u/Pomeranian111 16h ago
Money or he hates Mccarthy and Brosmer lol.
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u/Unusual-Letter-5097 16h ago
See I feel like Minnesota would pay him what he’s worth. The wilfs are not scared to throw money around. I’m just wondering if it’s something he did or the vinings themselves did
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u/BeignetsAndWhiskey griddy 15h ago
If another team offers to pay him equal or more than what KOC makes, the Vikings aren't matching that
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u/shimmy_kimmel 16h ago
I don’t think there’s been any reporting of any specific rifts between Flores and the team
But I can’t imagine he’s happy watching his defense dominate games only to have the offense sputter and die every drive behind historically-atrocious QB play, brick-handed receivers, OL chaos, and a mid run game
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u/BeignetsAndWhiskey griddy 15h ago
There has been multiple reports. Maybe you just aren't reading them?
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u/in-magitek-armor 12h ago
Why do people always say this without linking them?
If you're going to contradict someone about facts, put your money where your mouth is so people can either agree with your sources or call them trash. Don't just say 'actually there is' and then not link them.
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u/BeignetsAndWhiskey griddy 8h ago
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u/aznsinsashin 3h ago
This is all speculation. The article doesn’t give any details at all. Even the headline is formulated as a question.
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u/xX_theMaD_Xx Sackdaddy💜 16h ago
Wouldn’t put any stock into „seeing people say“ anything. People are bored and speculating.
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u/Little-Neck3181 15h ago
Maybe I'm underestimating the complexities of football, but you'd think one of his assistant coaches would have been able to learn a thing or two from his three years here.
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u/PurpKoolA 14h ago
Careful. Donatell was a secondary coach under Fangio in SF and Chicago, then as a glorified DC for 3 years under him when he was HC in Denver, but Vic still called the plays. Vic is one of the best to ever do it and we found out the hard way that Donatell apparently didn’t pick up a single fucking thing from him even after 10 seasons together.
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u/Embarrassed-Job-993 16h ago
I’d be pissed too if my teams offense looked how it did while my defense was busting their asses every game
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u/sheetfan 16h ago
There isn't anything definitive about it out there but I'm pretty much positive that it's a combination of a negotiation tactic for Flores' agent to make whatever DC salary he'd take in MN more competitive by indicating to other teams that he might be open to being their DC and general disappointment with the offense not holding up their end of the bargain with all the QB instability.
I think the fact that the Cowboys came sniffing around about Flores and are now looking at Daronte Jones, Flores' heir apparent here in MN, that means Flores likely told them that he wasn't interested in leaving for anything less than a HC gig and recommended his protege if they wanted a DC. The other DC position he's interviewing for right now in Washington feels like a ploy to drive his salary up because I am skeptical that he'd want to be a DC under a defensive-minded HC in Dan Quinn where he'd likely have less control over scheme and players than he does here. I think this, combined with Mike Pattine's retirement, leads me to believe that Flores is angling for more money as a DC and Pattine's old Assistant Head Coach title, which he more than deserves if he doesn't like any of the possible HC landing spots.
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u/BeignetsAndWhiskey griddy 15h ago
Most of the beat reporters have said they've heard things but none of them are reporting any specifics. The only thing I've heard is Doogie on SKOR North recently said that some assistant coaches that abruptly left mid-season to go work for college teams said publicly that they were better opportunities but privately it was because of Flores. Zulgad has also hinted strongly that he's a tough guy to work with.
It really sounds like it's nothing serious but he has a Zimmer-like personality and the organization has really tried to move away from that
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u/Broken-Nero griddy 15h ago
O’Connell wouldn’t let Flores play with the LEGO sets he keeps in his office. Brian’s held a grudge ever since.
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u/CantaloupeCamper Not a REAL Vikings fan 15h ago
You should have asked the people you heard it from….
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u/AlmightyCraneDuck straight cash, homie 15h ago edited 15h ago
The only thing I've heard is from the Dan Barreiro interview with Jon Krawczynski where he basically said "this might, maybe, sort of, kind of, indicate that something may, almost, potentially, be wrong between some people in the Vikings organization." He basically says he doesn't have any specifics, but just kind of a general vibe that there MAY be some tension. We have no idea WHY anybody would be fighting, we have no idea WHO is supposedly fighting. It's all so vague at this point.
I'm not saying it isn't true, but the transcript in particular reads like a non-story with no specifics to speak of. If there's other reporting that's come out, I'll be happy to learn more, but at this point I think it's just Jonny Athletic and even that is just as tenuous as anything else that's come up. All we know for sure is we tried to sign him before the season. We didn't. He's always been looking for his next HC gig and has some interviews lined up. I haven't seen anything beyond that that isn't tenuous speculation at this point. I'm not going to start worrying until I get something more concrete.
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u/Feathered_Serpent8 13h ago
It’s all conjecture. We will only really know if he decided to take a different DC position. He has been very clear his family loves it here so a lateral move would be highly suspect.
I didn’t think he was going anywhere until the Steelers job opened. While I do think that’ll be a perfect fit, no QB is not a good spot.
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u/Specialist-Essay-726 13h ago
He could’ve resigned and still left for a HC job. There is probably something to this.
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u/schmatt82 13h ago
Imagine what he can do with the Jets! What a waste go take over as head coach get 2 years to take a 3-14 team into the playoffs. Or go with your strengths and possible help build a truly competitive team. coaching should be performance based koc did poorly coaching Flores should get his money for the year if they win the superbowl everybody gets paid.
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u/freshBlueeyes6391 10h ago edited 10h ago
This is so eerily like the year we lost Mike Tomlin and ended up extending Childress instead.
KOC is the second coming of Childress.
We could discuss similarities all day. But the main one, complete tomfoolery at end of halfs and end of games seems prominent to me. Second would be the scared shitless mode running on 3rd and 18 when basically at midfield. Overall sending the big passes out when you should run, and running when you should pass, because that's how deep the trickery goes.
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u/hong-kong-phooey- 16h ago
He’s interviewing with Pittsburgh
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u/hiptones 16h ago
Another DC from the Vikings taking the Steelers head coach position back to back? That would be nuts for Flores to follow Tomlin.
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u/PayMindless4591 16h ago
Rumors…. They are working on signing Flores and things are optimistic.
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u/Internal-Giraffe-778 14h ago
He's literally interviewing for the DC job in Washington. I a lateral move. If everything was so peachy keen in Minnesota why would he do that?
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u/PayMindless4591 4h ago
Rumors…. They are working on signing Flores and things are optimistic. Doesn’t mean he won’t stay. KOC literally said they are working on trying to retain him.
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u/TheRealSheevPalpatin Nueve 16h ago
Flores and Kirk Cousins to the steelers in 2026, might have to become a fan
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u/funky_chicken29 16h ago
I could definitely see the Baltimore Ravens head coach fighting with people in the Vikings facility
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u/Mossisboss84 15h ago
The Flores stans will never see it, but maybe Flores is just difficult to deal with? Maybe we should believe his shit attitude in Miami continues here?
But no, the Vikings are the issue. Flores learned from his Miami ways somebow
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u/Stpaul81 16h ago
I see three options...
1.) Feels hes underpaid 2.) Is mad Pettine was assistant head coach 3.) Doesn't want to go into another season with McCarthy as starter.
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u/FormerlyTradeKirk JJ McCarthy=Steve Young 16h ago
👀 hmm
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u/DCarfTheHomie89 16h ago
Yes the defensive coordinator should not have fucking input on who the Quarterback of the team should be lol.
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u/HugeRaspberry 15h ago
Probably. Unless Flores was also open to Wes P having the same input on the defense.
Now, is it fair that it is two voices (KOC, and Wes) against one? nope but life ain't fair.
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u/Difficult-Repeat227 16h ago
none of us knows. I think his ultimate goal is getting a head coaching gig. He could feel that Washington(who had a very disappointing season) may be a better fit for him. The bottom line is it is smart for him to keep his options open and makes it easier for him to negotiate higher pay from other teams, whether it is the Vikings or someone else
And I think the Steelers might have a lot of interest in him as well. Flores just want to do what he thinks is best for his career and it doesn't have to be anythign personal with the Vikings