As the Vikings pivot from Ejiro Evero to Brian Flores as the top candidate to become the team’s new defensive coordinator, the Vikings need to have a fallback. Because Flores could still fall into the head-coaching job in Arizona.
Via NFL Media, Flores is expected to have a second interview for the Cardinals’ vacancy on Wednesday.
Flores joins Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, and Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka as the candidates who will have second interviews. Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn also is expected to get a second interview.
For several weeks, folks around the league have been watching Flores as a viable candidate for the job. He has ties to new G.M. Monti Ossenfort from their days together with the Patriots. Flores also is the exact opposite from former coach Kliff Kingsbury, from a coaching-style standpoint. Many teams are attracted to candidates who provide that type of distinction from a coach who was fired.
Perhaps most importantly, hiring Flores (who is currently an assistant coach in Pittsburgh) would boost the NFL’s legal situation in the landmark lawsuit filed against the NFL and several teams last year. The Cardinals later were added to the case, for their firing of coach Steve Wilks after one year.
The Texans also were added, after they interviewed Flores but didn’t hire him. The argument is that Flores engaged in legally-protected activities by filing a discrimination lawsuit, and that he was overlooked due in whole or in part to those activities.
Hiring Flores will necessarily take some of the sting out of his existing claims, even if they don’t rectify years of alleged (or actual) discriminatory practices. Not hiring Flores could only make things worse for the Cardinals — especially if they hire someone with no head-coaching experience.