Brian Flores looks set to return for Season 2 as the Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator after receiving a total of zero head coaching interviews this winter.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported early Thursday morning that Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is being hired as the new head coach of the Washington Commanders. Quinn’s hiring closes out the hiring process of the eight head coaching vacancies across the league.
Since the Vikings’ season ended on Jan. 7, Flores didn’t appear to receive a single interview request despite spearheading an incredible defensive turnaround in Minnesota in 2023.
In 2022, under Ed Donatell, the Vikings defense finished 29th in points allowed and 31st in yards allowed. A year later the Vikings finished 14th in points against and 16th in yards under Flores – a jump that took many by surprise even with Flores’ history of leading high-end defensive units.
Minnesota relied on a blitz-heavy scheme that brought more than four rushers on 51.5% of opposing QB dropbacks, the highest single-season percentage in five years.
Flores engineered that turnaround despite several big name veterans departing the team last offseason and being left with a plethora of youth to develop. Players like Josh Metellus, D.J. Wonnum and undrafted rookie Ivan Pace Jr. had breakout seasons for Minnesota in 2023.
With Flores returning, Minnesota will have consistency at both coordinator positions for the first time since Norv Turner and George Edwards both started the 2015 and 2016 seasons under head coach Mike Zimmer, though Turner abruptly left eight weeks into the 2016 season.
Here are the eight new head coaches for the 2024-25 season:
- Washington Commanders: Dan Quinn
- Seattle Seahawks: Mike Macdonald
- Los Angeles Chargers: Jim Harbaugh
- New England Patriots: Jerod Mayo
- Tennessee Titans: Brian Callahan
- Atlanta Falcons: Raheem Morris
- Carolina Panthers: Dave Canales
- Las Vegas Raiders: Antonio Pierce
