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Commanders To Hire Daronte Jones As Defensive Coordinator

By | at January 26, 2026 11:20 pm

The Commanders have found their new defensive coordinator. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Commanders are finalizing a deal to hire Daronte Jones as their new DC.

We learned just yesterday that Jones was set to interview for the job, marking his fifth DC interview during this year’s hiring cycle. Jones first emerged as a coordinator candidate during the 2024 offseason when he interviewed for the Giants DC job. His candidacy took another bump last year, as he interviewed for the Bears, Jaguars, and Saints gigs.

That interest seemed to culminate this offseason, as Jones was viewed as a DC in waiting. He was a candidate for the Cowboys, Packers, Giants, and Jets jobs before he ultimately landed the gig on Dan Quinn‘s Washington staff. He was also a candidate to take over as the Vikings DC if Brian Flores ended up leaving for a head coaching job. This will represent a bit of a homecoming for the coach, who grew up just outside of Washington and played college football at Morgan State in Baltimore.

Jones had a long stint coaching college football before taking his first NFL gig with the Dolphins in 2016. Since then, he’s quickly climbed the ranks, serving as a cornerbacks/DBs coach with the Bengals and later the Vikings. He’s actually completing his second stint in Minnesota, as Jones briefly left the organization to serve as LSU’s defensive coordinator in 2021. After returning as the Vikings defensive backs coach in 2022, he earned a promotion to defensive pass game coordinator in 2023.

The Commanders’ need for a new DC wasn’t unexpected. Joe Whitt was stripped of play-calling duties midway through the 2025 season, and he was ultimately dismissed earlier this month. Quinn had a long list of candidates, including Flores before the Vikings DC ended up re-upping with Minnesota, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic. Instead, the Commanders ended up pivoting and snagging someone from Flores’ staff.

In Washington, Jones will be tasked with turning around a defense that took significant steps back in 2025. While the Commanders were a respectable 12th in sacks, they finished 27th in points, 31st in takeaways and dead last in yards. Quinn took play-calling duties from Whitt after Week 10, though there’s a chance the head coach passes those responsibilities to his new DC. While Jones doesn’t have extensive experience, he did call defensive plays during his lone season at LSU.

While more changes are surely coming to Washington’s coaching staff, Jones will represent the most significant addition this offseason. With David Blough taking over for Kliff Kingsbury as the offensive coordinator, the Commanders will enter the 2026 campaign with first-time coordinators on both sides of the ball.

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Commanders To Conduct DC Interview With Daronte Jones

By | at January 25, 2026 3:26 pm

Daronte Jones has been among the the most sought-after defensive coordinator candidates in this year’s cycle. The current Vikings defensive pass-game coordinator is now on the radar of another DC-needy team.

Jones will interview with the Commanders today for their D-coordinator position, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. That makes Washington the fifth team to arrange an interview in this case. It also expands the list of Commanders candidates even further.

Joe Whitt was stripped of play-calling duties midway through the 2025 season. After head coach Dan Quinn made that decision, there was a widespread expectation a parting of ways would take place after the campaign ended. Whitt was indeed dismissed earlier this month.

The Commanders also elected to move from offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, and they looked internally by promoting David Blough to the position. An in-house move should not be expected regarding Whitt’s replacement, with only outside candidates receiving a look up to this point. Jones, 47, is the second Vikings staffer to interview with Washington, after Brian Flores met with the Commanders two weeks ago.

Jones – who was born in Capitol Heights, Maryland – has been with the Vikings for a total of five seasons across two spells with the team. He has worked in his current capacity for each of the three years Flores has been with Minnesota. It appears as though Flores will continue his D-coordinator gig for at least one more season, and if that winds up being confirmed Jones would of course be a strong candidate to be retained. The door is clearly still open to Jones receiving a coordinator opportunity, though.

Here is an updated look at where things stand regarding the Commanders’ search:

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Packers Request DC Interview With Daronte Jones

By | at January 20, 2026 9:00 am

As expected, Jeff Hafley is the new head coach of the Dolphins. His departure leaves the Packers in need of a replacement defensive coordinator.

Green Bay is interested in one of the most popular candidates of this year’s cycle. An interview request has been submitted for Vikings defensive pass-game coordinator Daronte Jones, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. This marks the fourth DC vacancy Jones has been connected to.

The Giants were among the teams to submit an interview request in his case. Jones has also met once with the Jets for their opening. The Cowboys have reached out to a long list of candidates in their ongoing search, and Jones is among those who have conducted a second interview with Dallas.

Jones has NFL experience dating back to 2016. His first Vikings stint took place in 2020, and it was followed by a one-and-done stint as LSU’s defensive coordinator. The 47-year-old then returned to Minnesota in 2022, one year before Brian Flores arrived as the team’s DC. Flores and Jones have each boosted their stock over the past three years. Flores remains a head coaching candidate at this time, although the Vikings have made clear their desire for retaining him.

In the event Flores were to depart, Jones would be a candidate to follow him to his new destination. Alternatively, a Vikings promotion could become something to watch for. In the meantime, it will be interesting to see if Jones emerges as a target for Dallas in particular given the fact he has conducted an in-person interview. Competition from the Packers could emerge, if a Green Bay interview winds up being arranged.

Hafley enjoyed strong results during the first of his two Packers seasons in particular. The team was hit hard by injuries down the stretch in 2025, and in addition to better health next year Green Bay will hope the new D-coordinator maintains the level of play Hafley oversaw. Jones joins Eagles defensive backs coach Christian Parker as a Packers target for their coordinator opening.

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2026 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

By | at January 20, 2026 9:00 am

The 2026 head coaching carousel has now seen 10 jobs open since the start of the offseason, as the Bills have fired Sean McDermott. HC firings generally lead to coordinator changes, and several other teams have proceeded with OC or DC moves to start their offseasons. Here are the current OC and DC searches transpiring. As the remaining HC searches conclude, more coordinator searches will be added to this list.

Updated 2-4-26 (3:31pm CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals (Out: Drew Petzing)

  • Nathaniel Hackett, quarterbacks coach (Dolphins): Hired

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Zac Robinson)

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Todd Monken)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Joe Brady)

  • Pete Carmichael Jr., senior offensive assistant (Broncos): Hire expected

Chicago Bears (Out: Declan Doyle)

Cleveland Browns (Out: Tommy Rees)

Denver Broncos (Out: Joe Lombardi)

  • Ronald Curry, quarterbacks coach (Bills): Interviewed
  • Brian Johnson, pass-game coordinator (Commanders): Interviewed
  • Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Promoted

Detroit Lions (Out: John Morton)

Kansas City Chiefs (Out: Matt Nagy)

  • Eric Bieniemy, running backs coach (Bears): Rehired

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Greg Roman)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Frank Smith)

New York Giants (Out: Mike Kafka)

New York Jets (Out: Tanner Engstrand)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Kevin Patullo)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Arthur Smith)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Josh Grizzard)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Nick Holz)

Washington Commanders (Out: Kliff Kingsbury)

Defensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals (Out: Nick Rallis)

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Zach Orr)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Bobby Babich)

  • Jim Leonhard, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Hired

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Matt Eberflus)

Green Bay Packers (Out: Jeff Hafley)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Jesse Minter)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Anthony Weaver)

  • Sean Duggan, former linebackers coach (Packers): Hired
  • Clint Hurtt, defensive line coach (Eagles): Interviewed

New York Giants (Out: Shane Bowen)

New York Jets (Out: Steve Wilks)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Teryl Austin)

San Francisco 49ers (Out: Robert Saleh)

  • Gus Bradley, assistant head coach (49ers): Interviewed
  • Raheem Morris, former head coach (Falcons): Hired
  • Jim Schwartz, defensive coordinator (Browns): Rumored candidate
  • Joe Woods, defensive backs coach (Raiders): Interviewed

Tennessee Titans (Out: Dennard Wilson)

Washington Commanders (Out: Joe Whitt)

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Giants Request DC Interview With Daronte Jones

By | at January 19, 2026 5:40 pm

We heard this past weekend that Daronte Jones was set for a second interview for the Cowboys defensive coordinator job. Now, a division rival has entered the fray. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Giants have requested permission to interview the Vikings passing game coordinator for their own defensive coordinator vacancy.

Jones had a long stint coaching college football before taking his first NFL gig with the Dolphins in 2016. Since then, he’s quickly climbed the ranks, serving as a cornerbacks/DBs coach with the Bengals and later the Vikings. This is actually his second stint in Minnesota, with Jones briefly leaving the organization to serve as LSU’s defensive coordinator in 2021.

After returning as the Vikings defensive backs coach in 2022, he earned a promotion to defensive pass game coordinator in 2023. He emerged as a popular defensive coordinator target during last year’s hiring cycle, interviewing for the Bears, Jaguars, and Saints gigs. He also interviewed for the Giants opening in 2024.

He ended up sticking in Minnesota for the 2025 campaign and is once again a candidate for multiple openings. The Jets interviewed him for their defensive coordinator vacancy, and the Cowboys moved him on to the second round of their search. There have also been rumblings that Jones could just earn a promotion to the role in Minnesota if Brian Flores ends up leaving.

John Harbaugh is now in the process of building out his staff with the Giants. He’s likely going to hire old friend Todd Monken to serve as his offensive coordinator, and we’ve heard that former assistant Anthony Weaver could be a candidate for the DC role. However, it seems like Harbaugh is willing to at least consider outside names as he looks to fill his staff.

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Cowboys Scheduling Second Interviews With Defensive Coordinator Candidates

By | at January 17, 2026 11:28 am

Almost two weeks since they fired defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, the Cowboys are getting closer to hiring his replacement, Josina Anderson of The Exhibit reports. The Cowboys are setting up second interviews with the top contenders for the position.

Vikings pass game coordinator Daronte Jones will be in Dallas to meet team brass today, according to Todd Archer of ESPN. Former Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon has scheduled a Jan. 20 in-person visit with the Cowboys, per Anderson. While Eagles pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach Christian Parker hasn’t booked an in-person sitdown yet, that’s expected to take place, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN relays.

Broncos assistant head coach and pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard was part of the Cowboys’ first round of interviews, but it’s unclear if they’ll meet with him in person. He’s ineligible for now, Archer notes. The Broncos would have to lose in the divisional round or AFC title game first. Otherwise, a Leonhard meeting would have to wait until the bye week before the Super Bowl.

Hiring Gannon, who’s on the market after winning just 15 of 51 games in Arizona, would continue the Cowboys’ recent trend of choosing ex-NFL head coaches to run their defense. Dating back to 2014, Rod Marinelli, Mike Nolan, Dan Quinn, Mike Zimmer and Eberflus have held the job for various periods.

Nolan, Zimmer and Eberflus lasted just one year apiece in Dallas. The Cowboys would surely prefer more stability in the post, whether they choose Gannon or one of the other candidates.

Gannon’s also in the running to join Quinn’s staff as the Commanders’ next defensive coordinator, while the Titans will interview him for their head coaching position on Sunday. If the 43-year-old ends up in Dallas or Washington, it would give him a second chance as an NFL defensive coordinator and a return to the NFC East. He led the Eagles’ defense from 2021-22, and the unit’s elite performance helped the team win the NFC in the second of those seasons. Gannon left for Arizona after a Super Bowl LVII loss to Kansas City.

Either Jones or Parker would be a first-time professional D-coordinator in Dallas, though the former was in charge of LSU’s defense in 2021. Jones has spent the past three seasons under Vikings DC Brian Flores, whose contract expired earlier this week. The Vikings aim to re-sign Flores, but if he departs (perhaps for a head coaching job), Jones has come up as a potential successor. Jones is also on the Jets’ radar, having already interviewed for their DC role.

Parker, 34, began his pro coaching career as a defensive quality control assistant with the Packers in 2019. He spent two seasons in Green Bay before coaching Denver’s defensive backs from 2021-23. Parker just wrapped up his second year on Vic Fangio‘s defensive staff with the Eagles, who ranked No. 1 against the pass during a Super Bowl-winning 2024 campaign. The eliminated Eagles didn’t enjoy the same success in 2025, but their pass defense still ranked eighth overall. It’s now possible they’ll lose Parker to a familiar foe.

Regardless of which candidate takes over as the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator, owner Jerry Jones and head coach Brian Schottenheimer will expect far better results in 2026. The Cowboys’ offense was among the game’s best in 2025, but a poor defensive performance doomed the team to a 7-9-1 record. Eberflus’ group allowed the most points in the league and the third-most yards.

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Wink Martindale, Jim Leonhard, DeMarcus Covington Among Jets’ DC Interviewees

By | at January 16, 2026 3:31 pm

The Jets’ defensive coordinator search has flown under the radar during a frenzied HC carousel, but it has taken shape Friday. The team announced eight candidates for the job.

In addition to interim DC Chris Harris, seven others received interviews. Don Martindale (Michigan), Jim Leonhard (Broncos), Ephraim Banda (Browns), Jim O’Neil (Lions), DeMarcus Covington (Packers), Daronte Jones (Vikings) and Mathieu Araujo (Dolphins) interviewed for the position.

Harris was reported as being likely to interview to keep the job, one he took on after the Steve Wilks firing, and Martindale came up as a candidate as well. The Jets submitted an interview request for Jones. Otherwise, their actions have been pretty quiet on this front.

Entering his rookie season as a head coach, Aaron Glenn tapped the experienced Wilks as his first defensive coordinator. The decision worked out so poorly that Glenn gave Wilks the ax in mid-December. Wilks lost his job the day after a 48-20 blowout loss to the Jaguars in Week 15.

The results didn’t necessarily improve in three games under Harris, who opened 2025 as the team’s defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator. With Harris taking over for Wilks, the Jets surrendered a combined 106 points in losses to the Saints, Patriots and Bills.

Although Buffalo rested most of its key offensive players in Week 18, its Mitchell Trubisky-quarterbacked offense still teed off on the Jets for 470 total yards and 35 points. The Jets didn’t pick off Trubisky in that game, clinching an interception-less season for their defense. They became the first team to achieve that ignominious feat. While Harris is at least receiving consideration for a promotion to the full-time job, it would be a surprise to see the Jets choose him over the rest of the field.

Nobody from this octet carries more experience than the 62-year-old Martindale, most recently a D-coordinator at Michigan over the past two seasons. He has been a DC in the NFL for three teams – the Broncos (2010), the Ravens (2018-21) and the Giants (2022-23). Martindale’s Giants tenure ended after a rift with then-head coach Brian Daboll. The two got into a fiery confrontation before parting ways.

O’Neil and Covington join Martindale as former D-coordinators in the NFL. A defensive assistant in Detroit since 2024, O’Neil handled DC duties in Cleveland from 2014-15 and in San Francisco in 2016. He’s also a former Jets coach, having worked in multiple roles under Rex Ryan from 2009-12. Covington was the Patriots’ DC in 2024 under one-and-done head coach Jerod Mayo. He’s now the Packers’ defensive line coach and run game coordinator.

An NFL safety from 2005-2014, Leonhard spent three seasons as a member of Ryan’s defense in New York. The 43-year-old started his coaching career with Wisconsin in 2016. He worked as the Badgers’ DC from 2017-22.

Leonhard is now in his second season with the Broncos, who hired him as a defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator last year. Sean Payton promoted Leonhard to assistant head coach this season.

With the top-seeded Broncos chasing a championship, Leonhard may be a few weeks away from earning a Super Bowl ring as a key part of their staff. He’s also on the Cowboys’ radar as they search for a new D-coordinator.

Banda and Jones are also in the mix for the Dallas job. Previously a college DC at Miami and Utah State, Banda has been the Browns’ safeties coach since 2023. He fulfilled his interview request with the Cowboys today, too, according to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.

Jones, LSU’s coordinator in 2021, has coached in the pros with the Dolphins, Bengals and Vikings since 2016. He started his second Vikings stint in 2022 and has worked as a defensive pass game coordinator under DC Brian Flores since 2023. Flores, whose contract has expired, could leave for another job as a head coach or an assistant. If that happens, the Vikings may promote Jones to replace Flores.

Araujo was on the Yale staff before then-Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel hired him as an assistant DBs coach in 2022. He spent the past two seasons as Miami’s cornerbacks coach, but Araujo’s future is uncertain in the wake of McDaniel’s firing. If the Jets don’t hire Araujo and the Dolphins’ next head coach doesn’t retain him, he’ll have to look elsewhere in 2026.

Along with failing to record an INT, the Jets finished the year a lowly 25th in total defense and 31st in scoring. Their next defensive coordinator will have his work cut out in improving the unit, especially after the Jets traded cornerstone lineman Quinnen Williams and cornerback Sauce Gardner before the Nov. 4 deadline. The Jets received a haul of picks in those deals, though, and they’ll enter the offseason with a hefty amount of cap space. Between their draft capital and spending room, Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey will be in position to give the team’s next defensive coordinator more to work with in 2026.

Connor Byrne contributed to this post.

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Cowboys Denied Request To Interview Falcons DC Jeff Ulbrich; Matt Patricia On Radar?

By | at January 9, 2026 9:33 pm

JANUARY 9: According to Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News, the Cowboys concluded their interviews with Jones and Banda today, and Leonhard’s interview will take place tomorrow.

JANUARY 8: Now in the market for a defensive coordinator to replace the fired Matt Eberflus, the Cowboys struck out in their attempt to interview Falcons D-coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. The Falcons denied their request, Jordan Schultz reports.

The firing of head coach Raheem Morris has left Ulbrich and Atlanta’s other assistants in limbo. It’s unclear if any of them will return, but Falcons owner Arthur Blank has made it clear he doesn’t want to lose Ulbrich.

If Blank has his way, Ulbrich will remain the Falcons’ defensive coordinator under their next head coach, per Schultz. However, Blank will leave Ulbrich’s future up to Morris’ successor. If that individual doesn’t want to retain Ulbrich, he may end up with the Cowboys or another team in the next few weeks.

While Ulbrich is not a candidate for Dallas right now, other possibilities have emerged. The Cowboys have also requested interviews with Vikings defensive pass game coordinator Daronte Jones, Broncos assistant HC/pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard and Browns safeties coach Ephraim Banda, according to Todd Archer of ESPN. The team has since received permission to interview Leonhard, per Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette. The Cowboys’ list of potential Eberflus replacements will extend beyond those names, Archer adds.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Wednesday that the team would consider hiring a first-time defensive coordinator (via Archer). It so happens that nobody from the Daronte Jones-Leonhard-Banda trio has held that position in the NFL. However, they’ve all worked as college D-coordinators.

Jones, LSU’s coordinator in 2021, has garnered pro coaching experience with the Dolphins, Bengals and Vikings since 2016. He began his second Vikings stint in 2022, the first year of the Kevin O’Connell era, and has worked under DC Brian Flores since 2023. The 47-year-old Jones interviewed with the Bears and Saints for their DC openings last winter, but those teams passed. He’s now regarded as a potential replacement for Flores, whose contract is up. Flores could leave for another DC job (perhaps in Dallas, which is reportedly interested) or a head coaching gig.

Leonhard, a former NFL defensive back, coordinated Wisconsin’s defense from 2017-22. He made his pro coaching debut in joining Sean Payton‘s staff in Denver a year ago. The 43-year-old Leonhard aided a Broncos defense that finished the 2025 regular season seventh against the pass.

Banda, the former co-DC at Miami and ex-DC at Utah State, has been the Browns’ safeties coach since 2023. The Browns fired head coach Kevin Stefanski, which leaves the 44-year-old’s Banda’s future murky. However, Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is in the running to take over for Stefanski. If that happens, it may give Banda a better chance of remaining in Cleveland.

While the Cowboys would like to meet with Banda, they could also turn their attention elsewhere in the state of Ohio. Matt Patricia, Ohio State’s DC, is a name to watch in the Cowboys’ search, Albert Breer of SI.com relays.

Patricia, who’s coming off his first year with the Buckeyes, was Bill Belichick‘s defensive coordinator in New England from 2012-17 before a rough three-year run as the Lions’ head coach. He most recently worked in the NFL in 2023 as a senior defensive assistant with the Eagles.

Hiring Patricia would give the Cowboys a sixth straight DC with previous NFL head coaching experience. Before Eberflus’ one-year stint, Mike Zimmer, Dan Quinn, Mike Nolan and Rod Marinelli (another ex-Lions HC) held the role for various periods.

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Jets Request DC Interview With Vikings’ Daronte Jones

By | at January 8, 2026 9:23 pm

Chris Harris replaced Steve Wilks as the Jets defensive coordinator late in the season and will have an opportunity to retain his role. However, that won’t stop Aaron Glenn from considering other options for the job. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Jets have requested an interview with Vikings passing game coordinator/DB coach Daronte Jones.

[RELATED: Jets Unlikely To Fire OC Tanner Engstrand; Chris Harris Keeping DC Job In Play]

The 47-year-old coach has bounced around a bit in recent years. He had two-year coaching stints with the Dolphins and Bengals before his first stint in Minnesota in 2020. After serving as the Vikings defensive backs coach under Mike Zimmer for one season, Jones left to become LSU’s defensive coordinator in 2021.

Brian Kelly ended up not keeping him around for a second season, and Jones ended up returning to the Vikings on Kevin O’Connell‘s staff. Jones spent one year as the DBs coach before earning a promotion to defensive pass game coordinator in 2023.

The coach has been involved in the DC cycle for the past few offseasons. He interviewed for the Giants job in 2024, and he was a candidate for the Bears, Jaguars, and Saints gigs in 2025. We heard earlier tonight that the Cowboys had also requested permission to interview him for their defensive coordinator job, and there have been rumblings that he could just earn a promotion to the role in Minnesota if Brian Flores ends up leaving.

Harris only had a brief stint as the Jets interim DC, and he didn’t build much of a case to keep the job in 2026. The Jets gave up 35 first-half points to the Patriots in Week 17 before allowing a Bills team without Josh Allen to score 35 in the regular season finale.

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Brian Flores Addresses Vikings Future

By | at December 30, 2025 2:59 pm

With his contract set to expire at the end of the season, the Vikings are at risk of losing defensive coordinator Brian Flores in the coming weeks. Hoping to prevent Flores from joining another coaching staff, the Vikings are discussing a new deal with him. Head coach Kevin O’Connell said Monday that “[Flores] enjoys being here.” Flores confirmed as much on Tuesday (via Kevin Seifert of ESPN).

“I love Minnesota. I love this team. I love working for and with KO,” said Flores, who went on to compliment ownership, the players and the coaching staff.

While it’s clear Flores wouldn’t have a problem staying in Minnesota for a fourth season in 2026, he acknowledged there’s a “business part of this.” That suggests the money will have to line up for Flores to re-sign, which is hardly surprising.

Whether he re-ups with the Vikings or heads elsewhere (the Cowboys are reportedly interested), Flores figures to be among the NFL’s highest-paid defensive coordinators next year. His defense, which ranks fifth in yards and 10th in points, has lifted the Vikings to an 8-8 record this season despite a bottom-of-the-barrel offense.

Even if a new contract materializes with the Vikings, there’s no guarantee Flores will remain in Minnesota next year. It’s likely the 44-year-old has done enough to garner interest from teams searching for a head coach, as he did last winter in interviewing with the Bears, Jaguars and Jets.

During the upcoming hiring cycle, Flores would be one of the most established defensive coaches available as part of a market that won’t feature many high-end offensive-minded candidates. It should help Flores’ cause that he isn’t a neophyte as an NFL head coach. Flores went 24-25 with the Dolphins from 2019-21, a three-year span in which he guided them to two seasons over .500.

After Miami cut ties with Flores, he filed a civil suit against the league and multiple teams alleging racial discrimination in their hiring practices. Flores hasn’t gotten another chance as a head coach since, but that could change over the next month.

A potential Flores exit may lead to an in-house promotion for the Vikings, who could select passing game coordinator Daronte Jones as his successor. Executives around the league expect Jones to take over the Vikings’ defense if Flores leaves, Mike Sando of The Athletic reports. Jones “made a strong impression” interviewing for multiple D-coordinator openings last offseason, according to Sando. The 47-year-old is in his second stint with the Vikings and has been part of their O’Connell-led staff since 2022.

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