The last time the Vikings made the playoffs, their defense was abysmal. Fast forward two years, and it has become formidable.
The credit for the transformation goes entirely to defensive coordinator, and three-year Dolphins head coach, Brian Flores.
And so it’s time to ask the question. Will Flores get a second chance to coach a team of his own?
His skills are undeniable. The problem is that he has a lawsuit pending against the NFL and four of its teams — Dolphins, Giants, Broncos, and Texans. It’s not supposed to matter. But in a small industry with 32 branches operating under the auspices of Big Shield, it’s hard to imagine anyone being willing to break ranks and do the right thing.
Maybe the lawsuit won’t matter. It shouldn’t matter. Plenty of people think it’s fair game to shun an employee who has sued the company. It’s not. Retaliation for advancing a legal grievance isn’t permitted.
It still happens. Look at last year. After Flores turned the defense around in 2023, he didn’t get a single interview. Despite eight vacancies.
This year, it might depend on the number of openings. There are two candidates regarded as no-brainers to get offers — Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and former Titans coach (and current Browns assistant) Mike Vrabel. Flores is as qualified as anyone else.
If not more.
The criticism from Tua Tagovailoa shouldn’t matter. Yes, it can be a convenient pretext for ignoring Flores. But owners either want to win, or they don’t. They either want to do the right thing, or they don’t.
The right thing would be to ignore the litigation and give Flores a fair shot. At a time when some think Jon Gruden might get another chance, why shouldn’t Flores?
Like Flores, Gruden has a pending lawsuit against the league. Unlike Flores, Gruden did something that justified his current status.
We’ll see what happens. We’ll see if anyone has the courage to risk a cold shoulder, or worse, from 345 Park Avenue and one or more (or maybe most) of their business partners.
Again, it’s simple. Either you want to win. Or you don’t.
Either you want to do the right thing. Or you don’t.
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