Vikings DC Brian Flores happy for head coaching interviews, but focused on beating Rams
MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores isn't hiding the fact that he's interested in another head coaching job, but he's not going to jump at just any opportunity that arises, either.
"I don't want to leave without saying it's been fantastic here in Minnesota," Flores said Tuesday. "So it would have to be the right situation for me to leave, for me myself and my family."
Flores, 43, led the Miami Dolphins from 2019-2021, going 24-25. After his firing, he sued the team and the NFL, alleging racial discrimination. The case is still not resolved. He also caught flak earlier this year from Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who said of his time under Flores, "[If] you have a terrible person that's telling you things that you don't wanna hear or that you probably shouldn't be hearing, you're gonna start to believe that about yourself."
After his ousting from Miami, Flores coached linebackers for the Pittsburgh Steelers for a year before joining the Vikings as defensive coordinator. Flores called his time in Minnesota "one of the most rewarding" experiences of his coaching career.
"When I left Pittsburgh I was looking to work with someone with an offensive background, so I was fortunate to come here with [head coach Kevin O'Connell], who's one of the best in the business," Flores said.
Flores said he plans on taking any interview requests that come his way, but the fit would have to be right for him to leave his current gig.
"In that setting, is there a connection? Is the vibe, is the energy something you're interested in? And I think that goes both ways," Flores said.
One potential fit? The New England Patriots, who just fired Bill Belichick's hand-picked successor Jerod Mayo after only one season. Flores spent 11 seasons in various roles in New England.
"I think that's a place that's got a, definitely a special place – when I talk about my football journey, that's where it started. So I would say yes," Flores said. "It's not up to me as to whether or not they would want to talk to me or anything like that."
Though questions about his future dominated Tuesday's news conference, Flores insists he isn't distracted from the task at hand: preparing the Vikings' defense, fresh off of being embarrassed by the Detroit Lions, for a wild card matchup with the Los Angeles Rams.
"I look forward to having those conversations, talking to people about my football journey and my leadership journey, but I also pride myself on being able to compartmentalize and really lock in on the things that — or prioritize the different things that are happening in my life," he said. "It's certainly an honor, but my number one priority is getting this team ready — or this defense ready — to play against the Rams."
