When the Minnesota Vikings handed defensive coordinator Brian Flores an extension on January 21, it wasn’t just a vote of confidence-it was a clear signal that the organization believes he’s a cornerstone of their future. And considering Flores had multiple head coaching interviews lined up this offseason, including in-person talks with the Pittsburgh Steelers and interest from the Baltimore Ravens, it’s safe to say the Vikings had to come with a strong offer to keep him in the fold.
What’s striking, though, is that while most of the spotlight in Minnesota last season centered on rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy and the offense, the real drama-and arguably the real story-was happening on the defensive side of the ball.
Flores, who took over as DC in 2023, didn’t just revamp Minnesota’s defense; he reshaped its identity. The Vikings finished the 2025 season ranked 7th in scoring defense and 3rd in total defense, a massive leap from where they stood just a couple of years ago.
That kind of transformation doesn’t happen by accident. It takes vision, discipline, and buy-in from the players-and clearly, Flores had all three.
But not everyone inside the building was on board with his methods.
Mike Pettine, who joined the Vikings in 2022 as an assistant head coach, didn’t exactly see eye-to-eye with Flores. In fact, the relationship between the two seemed to deteriorate to the point where Pettine, a longtime defensive mind, spent most of the 2025 season working with the offense. That’s not a typo-Pettine, who has nearly two decades of defensive coaching experience in the NFL, essentially switched sides of the ball just to avoid working under Flores.
When asked about his thoughts on Flores, Pettine didn’t mince words-or rather, he chose not to say much at all.
“Probably not many that I would prefer to share,” Pettine said. “I mean, we didn’t see eye-to-eye on a lot of things.”
That’s a diplomatic way of saying the partnership didn’t work. Pettine, who is 15 years Flores’ senior and has a longer NFL résumé, was effectively pushed out of his defensive role. His title changed in 2024 to include “outside linebackers coach,” but by 2025, he had gravitated toward the offensive side of the ball to work more closely with head coach Kevin O’Connell.
“That’s why I spent this past year on offense,” Pettine explained. “I was there in ’23 and ’24 on defense. So, I’ll take the high road on that one.”
This isn’t the first time Flores has clashed with colleagues. His no-nonsense, high-demand coaching style famously led to friction with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa during their time in Miami. But hindsight has been kind to Flores-Tagovailoa’s development since then has added context to that dynamic, and many now view Flores’ tough love approach as more principled than problematic.
And in Minnesota, it’s hard to argue with the results. Flores’ defense was the backbone of a 9-8 season that kept the Vikings in playoff contention.
More importantly, his players have consistently backed him, even when outside noise tried to paint him as difficult. That kind of loyalty doesn’t come unless a coach is doing something right.
As for Pettine, his NFL journey has been one of constant movement since his stint as Browns head coach ended in 2015. He’s bounced around the league in various assistant roles, but has never quite found a long-term landing spot. The contrast between his trajectory and Flores’ recent extension speaks volumes.
At the end of the day, coaching in the NFL is about results and relationships. Flores has delivered on both fronts in Minnesota, even if not everyone in the building was on the same page. The Vikings made their choice-and based on how this defense played in 2025, it’s hard to argue they chose wrong.