AFC Team Requests Permission to Interview a Pair of Vikings Coaches and Top Executive
The season is barely over but that doesn’t mean an AFC team is going to be complacent.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter offers the news that the New York Jets want to interview a pair of Vikings coaches: “Jets have requested head coaching interviews with Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and QB coach Josh McCown, per sources.”
An AFC Team & The Vikings Coaches
Truth be told, it would be surprising if Flores left for the Jets.
For a little while, New York has been a mess. The franchise that drafted Sam Darnold back in 2018 doesn’t exactly have a great reputation. In 2002, the Jets won the AFC East but haven’t done so since. Of course, much of that has to do with the Patriots being so dominant for so long, but New York can’t get a total free pass for the years of struggle. The Jets haven’t been to the postseason since 2010.
Flores will know the Jets reasonably well since he was the head coach of the Dolphins from 2019-2021, a division rival. Moreover, Flores spent a ton of time coaching (and scouting) with the Patriots, another team in the AFC East.
If he got the job, Flores would get to work with several fantastic players. Foremost among these players are receiver Garrett Wilson, running back Breece Hall, defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, and corner Sauce Gardner. But, to be sure, there are other strong players on the roster.
Oh, and then there’s the status of Aaron Rodgers. Per Over the Cap, Rodgers is under contract for 2025. Indisputably, Rodgers is a Hall of Fame quarterback, but he’s now past his 40th birthday. A new coach may be looking for a younger option.
The appeal of hiring McCown is that he’s a quarterback expert with a ton of playing experience. The NFL likes hiring offensive head coaches, so that gives the Vikings’ QB coach a bit of an edge even if Flores has proven that he’s deserving of one of the NFL’s top 32 spots.
A possible outcome: Flores gets hired to be a head coach somewhere and he looks to bring McCown along as the offensive coordinator. Nothing concrete on this one, just some dot connecting.
Plus, the Jets’ interest in Minnesota’s leadership doesn’t stop at the coaches. Dianna Russini of The Athletic passed along the word about one of the Vikings’ top executives: “The New York Jets have requested to speak to Vikings senior VP of player personnel Ryan Grigson, per source.”
Prior to working in Minnesota, Grigson was the GM for the Colts. His five seasons went from 2012-2016 and he put together a 49-31 record within that timeframe. He’s well regarded inside TCO Performance Center.
Part of the downside of success is that the NFL’s less successful teams start calling in an effort to plunder talent. Minnesota is coming off a surprising 14-3 season where Darnold experienced a career turnaround (McCown was his coach) and a where the defense was very strong, finishing 5th in the NFL by allowing an average of 19.5 points against per game.
The Jets went 5-12 in 2024. New York owns the 7th pick in the draft.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this piece.
The Vikings Have a Problem to Solve at a Critical Position
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter, as a co-host for Notes from the North, and as the proprietor at The Vikings Gazette, a humble Vikings Substack.