Getty
The Vikings have signed defensive coordinator Brian Flores to a contract extension, but he’s still in consideration for several head coach openings
The Minnesota Vikings didn’t exactly have the 2025 campaign that they were hoping for, but they finished the year strong, giving them something to build off of moving forward. Early in the offseason, though, the team has had to grapple with the possibility that defensive coordinator Brian Flores could leave to take a head coach opening with another team in the NFL.
While several teams have already passed on Flores, he is reportedly a finalist for the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers‘ head coach jobs. On Wednesday night, though, the Vikings took a big step towards keeping Flores in town for at least one more season. However, there is one big catch that is surely worth some attention.
Vikings Sign Brian Flores to Contract Extension
Flores just finished up his third season with Minnesota as its defensive coordinator, and his work with the unit has helped him earn consideration for a head coach gig with several different teams. While his previous stint with the Miami Dolphins as a head coach didn’t go particularly well, Flores’ ability to completely turn the Vikings’ defense around has made him a top candidate once again.
While Flores has emerged as a frontrunner for the Baltimore and Pittsburgh’s jobs, it’s become clear that, in a perfect world, Minnesota would like to keep him around. The team obviously isn’t going to prevent him from taking a new job should he want it, but the Vikings have been expected to retain Flores should he not land one of the aforementioned head coach gigs.
On Wednesday night, Minnesota took a big step towards securing Flores’ future, as the two sides agreed to a new contract extension. The problem, though, is that Flores is still in the running for the Ravens and Steelers’ openings. So if he doesn’t land one of those gigs, he will stick with the Vikings, but he could still land one of the jobs he is in consideration for.
“The Vikings have signed defensive coordinator Brian Flores to a new contract, sources tell me and Ian Rapoport,” Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported in a post on X. “Flores is still a candidate with the Steelers and Ravens head coaching jobs. But if he doesn’t land one of those, he’ll stay in Minnesota.”
Will Vikings Be Able to Retain Brian Flores?
GettyVikings’ defensive coordinator Brian Flores is expected to remain with the team if he does not land a head coach job
On the surface, this extension for Flores seems pretty important, but the Vikings are still in limbo with their defensive coordinator, as he could land a head coach job, which would render this move pretty inconsequential. With the Ravens and Steelers still fairly early in their head coach searches, it could be another week or so until Minnesota learns Flores’ true fate.
The Vikings did all they could to keep Flores around, but it may not be enough. Now, all eyes will be on Baltimore and Pittsburgh to see who both teams end up hiring. Flores could very well land with either squad, but if he doesn’t, he will be back with Minnesota for at least one more season as its defensive coordinator.
Owen Crisafulli Owen Crisafulli is a Breaking News Writer at Heavy. In addition to writing for Heavy, Owen works as a Content Producer for More Views Media. His work has also appeared on ClutchPoints, The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, Basketball Network, and FanSided, where he shared his insights on a variety of sports topics primarily surrounding the NFL, NBA, and MLB. More about Owen Crisafulli
More Heavy on Vikings
Loading more stories
