The Minnesota Vikings hired Brian Flores on Monday to be the team’s next defensive coordinator.
Minnesota, who fired Ed Donatell after one season at the helm, scooped up one of the best defensive minds on the market. Ace ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter first reported the news on Twitter.
“Steelers‘ assistant coach Brian Flores is accepting the Vikings‘ defensive coordinator job, per source,” he tweeted.
Steelers’ assistant coach Brian Flores is accepting the Vikings’ defensive coordinator job, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 6, 2023
Flores coached with the Steelers and under Mike Tomlin for one season. Pittsburgh ranked in the Top 10 in scoring defense and in the Top 20 in both yards/play and Red Zone Scoring%. So the Steelers might not have been the Steel Curtain, or even their great defenses of the 1990s or 2000s, but they were at least pretty formidable. They did also deal with injuries, as star T.J. Watt missed significant time.
Flores became a hot topic last offseason after he sued the NFL for what he alleged as racist hiring practices. The Miami Dolphins dismissed him as head coach and his response was to take it to the courts. That seemed to have a lingering effect for a little while, but it ran out once Tomlin hired him aboard.
Coincidentally, Flores will now take the position that Tomlin held before the Steelers hired him as their head coach after the 2006 season.
The NFL world reacted to the huge Brian Flores news.
Brian Flores spent a decade coaching under Bill Belichick, then received rave reviews from players during his 3 seasons as the Dolphins' head coach. He's a no-nonsense leader who will bring an aggressive defensive approach to Minnesota.
Just an incredible hire for the #Vikings.
— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) February 6, 2023
https://twitter.com/JohnnyVenerable/status/1622726523194310658
Brian Flores was considered a finalist for the #Cardinals job, along with #Giants OC Mike Kafka & #Bengals DC Lou Anarumo.
Figure that shoe's going to fall shortly. https://t.co/tHR7d0gWot
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) February 6, 2023
After a year on Mike Tomlin’s staff as a senior defensive assistant, Brian Flores is heading to Minnesota as the team’s DC.
That’s a blow to the Steelers’ coaching staff, but a really nice move for Flores. https://t.co/Lh14yEEs6i
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) February 6, 2023
Brian Flores didn't just coach the Steelers' defense. He helped guys like Kenny Pickett understand how defenses think and act.
Pickett credited Flores for advice on running two-minute drills. Ended up leading two big ones against the Raiders and Ravens. #Steelers pic.twitter.com/qsyrCbnEB9
— Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) February 6, 2023
