Perhaps the most surprising story this season is the Minnesota Vikings. Before the season started, few — if any — would have predicted that Minnesota would be undefeated after having to face the San Francisco 49ers and Houston Texans in back-to-back weeks.
Yet, that’s exactly where the Vikings are sitting going into a Week 4 matchup against their heated division rivals, the Green Bay Packers. A lot of the credit for the Vikings’ three-game winning streak has to go to defensive coordinator Brian Flores for what he’s been able to do with the Vikings’ defense this season.
Minnesota has quickly developed a reputation for giving opposing quarterbacks and offensive coordinators fits. Flores has devised a scheme and been able to mask what he’s doing to perfection, and it’s driven the Vikings to a 3-0 record, with two wins over two of the toughest teams the league has to offer.
The performance Flores has gotten out of his defense has put the league on notice in more ways than one. According to ESPN NFL reporter Dan Graziano, Flores is “the buzziest” name among coordinators working their way into the inevitable coaching carousel that will follow this season.
Some were surprised that Flores wasn’t considered for a head coaching position coming into this season after what he did with the 2023 defense. With a repeat performance this year, it may be hard for teams to ignore Flores. However, as Graziano cautions, Flores comes with significant baggage.
Flores is still actively involved in a lawsuit against the NFL, alleging “racial discrimination in the league’s hiring practices.” Graziano says that the Vikings’ defense “could be the reincarnation of the 1985 Bears, and it would still be hard to imagine an owner hiring a head coach who’s in the middle of suing the league.”
The lawsuit against the league certainly complicates things, but if Flores and the Vikings’ defense keep doing what they’ve been doing through three weeks, it’s going to be hard for the league to keep him out of an interview room for the second-year in a row.
