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The Minnesota Vikings are bringing in Brian Flores as their new defensive coordinator, according to Ian Rapoport. Flores spent last season with the Pittsburgh Steelers as a senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach.
Sources: The #Vikings are set to hire #Steelers senior defensive assistant and LBs coach Brian Flores as their new defensive coordinator. He impressed from the beginning and now lands in Minnesota with a task of improving their defense. pic.twitter.com/3hiivs4P0h
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 6, 2023
The Vikings could definitely use Flores’ expertise defensively. Minnesota ranked 30th in points allowed per game last season, which was a big reason many saw their impressive record as a fluke. Minnesota’s margin for error was slim last year but if Flores can improve this unit, the Vikings might make more noise in 2023.
Flores is in a coordinator role for the first time in his NFL coaching career. He was hired to be the Dolphins head coach after serving as the linebackers coach in New England, so this could be a great opportunity for him to get back in the head coaching ranks. Flores famously brought a lawsuit against the NFL accusing franchises of using him to fulfill Rooney Rule requirements while not actually giving him real consideration for jobs.