The Minnesota Vikings employed Brian Flores as their defensive coordinator on Monday, their first step towards attempting to revive a once-dominant unit that ranked among the many NFL’s worst final season.
Flores was a senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach this season for Pittsburgh, after three years as head coach in Miami.
Prior to being employed by the Dolphins, Flores was an assistant for 11 seasons for New England, the final eight on the defensive aspect. The Patriots gained 4 Super Bowls throughout his time there, which included 4 years as a scout. The final of these was within the 2018 season, which was Flores’ first because the defensive play-caller. The Patriots jumped from seventeenth to seventh within the league that yr in opponent passer score (85.4) and have been tied for fifth with 28 takeaways.
After he was fired by the Dolphins, Flores, who’s Black, filed a class-action lawsuit alleging racial discrimination by the crew and the NFL. The case continues to be tied up within the court docket system.
With the Steelers, the 41-year-old Flores drew rave critiques from gamers who noticed him as an additional head coach on Mike Tomlin’s employees. The Steelers have been tied with the Patriots this season for the fewest dashing touchdowns (seven) allowed within the league.
Flores replaces Ed Donatell, who was fired final month after one yr with head coach Kevin O’Connell. The Vikings have been second-worst within the league in yards allowed and fourth-worst in factors allowed throughout the common season. The NFC North champions have been then ousted from the playoffs within the wild-card spherical by the New York Giants as quarterback Daniel Jones threw for 301 yards and rushed for 78 extra.
The Vikings additionally interviewed Seattle affiliate head coach Sean Desai, Pittsburgh senior defensive New Orleans co-defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen and their very own assistant head coach Mike Pettine, who was Green Bay’s defensive coordinator from 2018-20 and likewise the pinnacle coach for Cleveland from 2014-15.
Nielsen was employed as Atlanta’s defensive coordinator. Desai withdrew from consideration. The Vikings additionally had curiosity in former Denver defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, however he made a lateral transfer to take the job with Carolina and by no means wound up interviewing with Minnesota.
The Vikings below Donatell favored a four-man rush with two excessive safeties backing their zone cross protection, however over their final eight regular-season video games they compelled solely seven turnovers and totaled 12 sacks. Jones picked them aside beneath within the playoff sport, going 24 for 35.
Four cornerbacks might be free brokers subsequent month: major starters Patrick Peterson, Duke Shelley and Chandon Sullivan and backup Kris Boyd. The Vikings even have 4 core defensive gamers carrying eight-figure salary-cap hits: security Harrison Smith, exterior linebackers Za’Darius Smith and Danielle Hunter and inside linebacker Eric Kendricks. Only Hunter has not reached his 30s.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com