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Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCredit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Brian Flores is down to<\/a> one final head coaching opportunity (Steelers), before he\u2019s officially forced into returning as Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator for a fourth consecutive season<\/a>.<\/p>\n Earlier this week, Flores signed an extension<\/a> to return as Vikings DC. That means, barring a head coaching offer, he\u2019ll be back in 2026. And according to Alec Lewis (The Athletic)<\/a> on KFAN Radio<\/a> Friday morning, it\u2019s extremely unlikely Flores lands the job out in Pittsburgh.<\/p>\n Thus, in all likelihood, B-Flo will be back<\/a> at TCO Performance Center next week, working with Vikings scouts and defensive coaches to tweak one of the last year\u2019s top NFL defenses for another run at the playoffs in 2026.<\/p>\n MOST of the Minnesota Vikings coaching staff returning in 2026<\/p>\n Other than the possible departure<\/a> of defensive pass game coordinator Daronte Jones, who remains a top candidate for multiple defensive coordinator jobs, it doesn\u2019t look like there will be much shuffling of the MN Vikings coaching staff this offseason.<\/p>\n On offense, the MN Vikings appear primed to bring back most of O\u2019Connell\u2019s coaching staff, after the dismissal of o-line coach Kris Kuper<\/a> and retirement of assistant head coach, Mike Pettine<\/a>, both of whom came to the Vikings with KOC in 2022.<\/p>\n When the news of Pettine\u2019s retirement originally broke, there were many of us out there who wondered out loud<\/a> if his exit was, in part, to make room for a new Brian Flores job title in 2026.<\/p>\n It\u2019s worth noting that B-Flo\u2019s announcement did not include any mention of assistant head coach. However, we found out on Friday that, in fact, Pettine\u2019s exit 100% had to do with Flores returning.<\/p>\n Former Vikings assistant coach is no fan of Brian Flores<\/p>\n Mike Pettine, a former NFL head coach<\/a>, arrived in the Twin Cities with Kevin O\u2019Connell in 2022, where his duties as assistant head coach were mostly on defense. When defensive coordinator Ed Donatell was fired after one season, Pettine remained on staff helping out Brian Flores.<\/p>\n Apparently, that was NOT a happy union. This week, Mike Pettine made an appearance on The Cleveland Sports Show, where he was asked a question about Brian Flores and what he\u2019s like to coach with.<\/p>\n I think it’s safe to say Mike Pettine (Vikings assistant who “retired” last week) isn’t a huge fan of Brian Flores \ud83d\ude05<\/p>\n Q: What are your thoughts on Brian Flores? <\/p>\n A: “Probably not many that I would prefer to share\u2026”<\/p>\n (via @ultCLEsports<\/a>) pic.twitter.com\/VDx0Dx67rt<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Phil Mackey \ud83c\udf99 (@PhilMackey) January 23, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n \u201cUhhh, probably not many that I would prefer to share. I mean, we didn\u2019t see eye to eye on a lot of things. That\u2019s why I spent this past year on offense. I was there in 2023 and 2024 on defense. So, I\u2019ll take the high road on that one.\u201d<\/p>\n Mike Pettine when asked about his thoughts on Brian Flores (video above)<\/p>\n Pettine told the host that he wanted to \u201ctake the high-road\u201d by refusing to answer the question. Of course, by \u201cnot answering\u201d, he told us everything we needed to know. <\/p>\n But Mike didn\u2019t stop there, he took it a step further and revealed that, while Wikipedia claims<\/a> Pettine coached linebackers for the MN Vikings in both 2024 and 2025, it turns out he didn\u2019t work with the defense at all (see below).<\/p>\n Instead, according to Pettine, he coached on the Vikings offense last season. If true (and there\u2019s no reason to believe it isn\u2019t), 2025 would have been the first time in Mike Pettine\u2019s 20+ year NFL coaching career that he\u2019s ever been an offensive assistant.<\/p>\n All those rumors over the past year about a potential \u201cschism\u201d in the Vikings locker room<\/a>? I think we just found it.<\/p>\n Fact: It’s not unusual for good coaches to have fundamental disagreements with each other. <\/p>\n Informed opinion: Some coaches run into more disagreements than others. https:\/\/t.co\/q9Rp8fk8yU<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) January 23, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n Now that we can assume Minnesota\u2019s defensive coordinator will be back next season, it\u2019s a lot easier to project the Vikings\u2019 plan, not just on that side of the football, but as a team.<\/p>\n MN Vikings running it back on field in 2026 too?<\/p>\n Outside of Pettine, Kuper and possibly Jones leaving, it\u2019s clear the Minnesota Vikings plan to run things back next season, at least for the most part. That extends to the roster, too.<\/p>\n Yes, they are going to bring in a better quarterback<\/a> to compete with JJ McCarthy at camp. We can also expect them to lose WR Jalen Nailor to free agency and Harrison Smith to retirement. Hell, maybe Jordan Addison even gets traded<\/a>.<\/p>\n Related: Minnesota Vikings Legend Stands Up for \u201cNine\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n Have we seen TJ Hockenson play his last snap in purple and gold? That\u2019s plausible too<\/a>, along with a few other veterans who could be wearing different uniforms next season.<\/p>\n But this idea that the MN Vikings front office will have to chop off half of the roster, just to shake some pennies loose inside the salary cap, is a myth, something I expect local media to figure out and cover heavily over the next few weeks.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMentioned in this article: Brian Flores<\/a> Mike Pettine<\/a> <\/p>\n More About: Minnesota Vikings<\/a><\/p>\n Add MinnesotaSportsFan as a preferred source on Google. \t\t\t![\"Mike](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/NFL-NFC-Wild-Card-Round-Minnesota-Vikings-at-Los-Angeles-Rams-25203139-scaled-e1769189242552-788x632.jpeg\")
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