The First Door Has Closed for Brian Flores
Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores remains a hot topic for Skol Nation. The Minnesota Vikings could still lose their popular coach, but the chances of that actually happening decreased on Thursday, as the Baltimore Ravens announced their new head coach, Jesse Minter.
“The Ravens have their next head coach, and it’s a familiar face,” the Ravens wrote on their website. “Jesse Minter has agreed to terms to become the Ravens’ head coach, a day after a reported in-person second interview in Baltimore.”
Minter previously oversaw the defense of the Los Angeles Chargers, the same job as Flores. In 2026, he will coach Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry.
Let’s rewind 24 hours. The Vikings informed their fans that Flores signed a contract extension with the club and will stay with the organization if he isn’t named head coach by another franchise.
Sure, the Ravens are just one of ten operations that changed their skipper this offseason, but they were one of only two that interviewed Flores for that top position. The other one was the Pittsburgh Steelers, where Flores is still in the running.
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert noted after the Ravens broke their news, “As it relates to Brian Flores, the last team to keep an eye on is the Steelers. He interviewed in person with them this week.”
Minter marks the fifth HC hire this cycle and he’s the third defensive coordinator to get a promotion. The other defensive minds were San Francisco’s Robert Saleh in Tennessee and Green Bay’s Jeff Hafley in Miami. John Harbaugh, who has a special teams background, will lead the New York Giants and Kevin Stefanski, a former Vikings offensive coordinator, has been hired by the Atlanta Falcons.
The five remaining openings are the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Flores was linked to the Raiders a couple of weeks ago, but that connection never intensified beyond the rumor stage.
Only Pittsburgh has chatted with Flores, and if he’s departing in the upcoming days or weeks, that seems to be the obvious favorite. However, as other coaches get hired, some franchises might lose their top candidates. A reevaluation of the candidates isn’t out of the question.
Flores was a long-time scout and coach of the New England Patriots. In 2018, he coached one of the best defensive units in recent memory all the way to a Super Bowl title over Sean McVay’s Rams. After that game, the Miami Dolphins hired him to lead their squad.
In his three years in Miami, he oversaw a rebuild and won five, nine, and nine games, recording the franchise’s first back-to-back winning seasons in nearly two decades. Still, he was fired after his third campaign. A public (one-sided) feud with Tua Tagovailoa and a discrimination lawsuit against the NFL surely haven’t helped him find an HC job.
With the Vikings, however, Flores has been outstanding, coordinating the defensive unit for three seasons. An up-and-down 2023 was followed by two years with elite defenses.
Baltimore’s decision removes one of the few legitimate landing spots for Flores, narrowing an already shrinking market. At this point, Pittsburgh stands as the only remaining opening where real traction exists.
The longer this process drags on without movement, the more likely it becomes that Flores returns to Minnesota for another season. For the Vikings, that would mean stability, scheme continuity, and another year of one of the league’s most aggressive defenses. For now, one door is closed — and the final outcome may not be far behind.