“We didn’t see eye-to-eye on a lot of things”: Ex-Vikings coach Mike Pettine gets honest about rocky relationship with Brian Flores

The Minnesota Vikings introduced on Wednesday that they’ve signed defensive coordinator Brian Flores to a contract extension following his profitable three-year tenure. The brand new deal ensures Flores will return to his function in 2026 except he lands a head-coaching job elsewhere.

Mike Pettine, who retired earlier this month after 4 seasons because the Vikings assistant head coach, gave his view on Flores throughout his look on “Final Cleveland Sports activities Present.” Adam Gerstenhaber threw a daring query relating to Flores toPettine amid his hyperlinks to a bunch of head teaching jobs.

“I wished Brian Flores to be the following coach of the Browns, however clearly he is not or they don’t seem to be , I do not know. I do know he has that fame, you labored with him, you already know, he was robust on the gamers in Miami and I believe he is been vindicated. What’s your ideas on Coach Flores?” Gerstenhaber requested.

Nevertheless, Mike Pettine wasn’t a giant fan of Brian Flores. He determined to not provide a solution to the query in a bid to keep away from controversy.

“In all probability not many who I would favor to share. We did see eye to eye on lots of issues and that is why I spent this previous 12 months on offense. I used to be there 24-25, or 23-24 on protection, so I am going to take the excessive highway on that one.”

Brian Flores expresses love for the Vikings amid hyperlinks to move teaching jobs

Previous to signing an extension cope with the Vikings, Brian Flores expressed his love for the staff. He famous that if the choice have been primarily based purely on soccer deserves, he would have already dedicated to returning. That in all probability performed a job in agreeing to the brand new cope with the staff regardless of hyperlinks to different NFL head teaching positions.

“I like Minnesota,” Flores mentioned. “I like this staff. I like working for and with [O’Connell]. He is been incredible to me. I believe the Wilfs are a number of the greatest homeowners within the league. I like these gamers, the teaching employees.

“And like I mentioned, [Minnesota] has proven me lots of love and I present it proper again. And so I do not understand how rather more there may be to it. … From a soccer standpoint, it matches. And I believe there’s all the time a, let’s name it, a enterprise a part of this. The soccer all traces up and we’ll simply see the place all of it goes.”

Nonetheless, securing a head teaching job would imply Brian Flores will not make a return to the Vikings subsequent season. He is already taken interviews with the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers. With the Ravens’ job gone to Jesse Minter, he stays in competition for the Steelers.

Edited by Farouk Yusuf