Connect with us
DAPA Banner

Sports

Brian Flores Is Set to Have a Rare Perk This Offseason

Published

on

Advertisement

Brian Flores on the sideline during a Vikings playoff game against the Rams.
CSR:
Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores watches from the sideline during the NFC Wild Card matchup against the Los Angeles Rams at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, as the postseason unfolded on Jan. 13, 2025. The moment captured Flores overseeing Minnesota’s defensive adjustments amid playoff pressure, with communication and situational control at a premium throughout the game. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.

Brian Flores will return to the Minnesota Vikings in 2026 as the defensive coordinator, and while he cooks that meal on defense, he might just get to buy the groceries. With general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah out as general manager, Flores is expected to have a significant personnel impact in free agency and the draft.

If Minnesota leans defense early, Flores’ fingerprints could be all over the March plan and April board.

Minnesota signed Flores to a monster extension and will have to earn it by obtaining the right players.

Advertisement

Brian Flores Could Wield Rare Roster Influence in 2026

Rejoice: Flores is back — with more power.

Brian Flores on the sideline during Vikings-Jets game in London. Brian Flores Vikings power.
Minnesota defensive coordinator Brian Flores tracks the action from the sideline during the second half as the Vikings faced the Jets at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Oct. 6, 2024, managing calls and communication in a rare London setting while Minnesota navigated crowd noise, travel fatigue, and the challenges of an international regular-season game environment. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Kwesi Disharmony

Star Tribune‘s Ben Goessling noted on Adofo-Mensah last weekend, “Adofo-Mensah’s background led some around the NFL to view him with skepticism, and he acknowledged several times during his tenure that he was learning on the job, in everything from player evaluation to leading his front-office staff.”

“Rob Brzezinski stepped in to assist in some trade negotiations, while coach Kevin O’Connell served as an emissary during tense discussions such as Danielle Hunter’s 2023 hold-in. Sources spoke of frustration from the team’s scouting staff and from defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who let his contract expire before signing a new deal Jan. 21.”

Advertisement

Folks had wondered for months why the Vikings hadn’t signed Flores to an extension. It now appears that he wasn’t necessarily fond of Adofo-Mensah.

Goessling added, “The Vikings’ lack of draft success seemed to be a constant stressor, leaving the roster without the depth it needed to weather injuries and forcing Brzezinski to cover draft mistakes with cleverly structured contracts that were lucrative enough to woo players to Minnesota without putting the Vikings back in cap purgatory.”

Adofo-Mensah did not draft well, the Vikings must hit on rookies as soon as this April, the team will not hire a new general manager until after the draft, and Flores might be the last man standing to make the call when Minnesota is on the clock.

Think about it: Who else would it be?

Advertisement

Flores a De Facto Defensive GM?

Without the buck-stops-here guy — Adofo-Mensah from 2022 to 2025 with his general manager title — drafting defensive players or finding them in free agency is now up to Brzezinski, O’Connell, and Flores. Well, take one wild guess who’s the best defensive mind of the trio. It is, of course, Flores.

Brzezinski does not have an advanced personnel background, at least compared to his capologist magic. O’Connell will presumably run the show on offense, and that leaves Flores for defense.

It’s actually a coach’s dream — the ability to pick his players for his scheme. While other coordinators might have input, Flores may now has the keys to the city. No wonder he returned to Minnesota.

Advertisement

Follow the Money

How is this theory plausible? It’s the money. Minnesota will pay $6 million per year, a record-shattering sum and one deserved for a coach who habitually fosters Top 3 defenses. Why would a coordinator get so much? Foremost, there’s the production. He immediately transformed Minnesota’s defense into a contender from the jump when hired in 2023.

Then, it just makes sense that the guy who’s pulling down the supreme coordinator contract would take on quasi-general manager responsibilities. He probably loves it, but think about it: if the franchise needs Flores to determine the right players from free agency and the draft, shouldn’t he be paid extra handsomely for his services? That’s how the world works.

Flores’ new giant contract reflects that of a man who is about to lead a Top 5 defense and choose the right players from free agency and the draft.

Advertisement
Brian Flores coaches on the sideline during the AFC Championship.
New England linebackers coach Brian Flores patrols the sideline during the AFC Championship matchup against Jacksonville at Gillette Stadium on Jan 21, 2018, observing defensive alignments and situational responses as the Patriots battled for a Super Bowl berth in a tense, weather-influenced postseason environment with constant pressure from a physical Jaguars offense throughout the night. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

NBC Sports‘ Mile Florio noted on Flores’s salary: “Because coaching pay lacks the transparency of player pay, it’s impossible to know with certainty how much anyone makes. It was reported that Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly received $6 million per year. Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio makes $4.5 million annually.”

“With Kelly now fired, those numbers would make Flores the highest-paid coordinator in the league. Minnesota’s willingness to spend that much on Flores may help explain the reluctance of the Cowboys to enter the bidding. Yes, we’d be surprised by the amount of the check that owner Jerry Jones would write to guarantee a Super Bowl win. We’d be surprised, because it’s so small.”

Translation to … Who in the Draft?

Let’s pretend that Flores gets his way, and the Vikings spend their 1st-Round pick — No. 18 — on a defensive player. Flores will have options. These players might blend the best player available at No. 18 and the club’s long-term roster need:

  • CJ Allen (LB, Georgia)
  • Caleb Banks (DT, Florida)
  • Brandon Cisse (CB, South Carolina)
  • Mansoor Delane (CB, LSU)
  • Colton Hood (CB, Tennessee)
  • Kayden McDonald (DT, Ohio State)
  • Jermod McCoy (CB, Tennessee)
  • Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (S, Toledo)
  • Sonny Styles (LB, Ohio State)
  • Aveion Terrell (CB, Clemson)
  • Dillon Thieneman (S, Oregon)
  • Peter Woods (DT, Clemson)
Mansoor Delane celebrates during LSU vs. Clemson game.
LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane celebrates following a second-half play against Clemson at Memorial Stadium on Aug 30, 2025, reacting to a pivotal moment as the Tigers tested coverage discipline, composure, and athleticism during an early-season road environment charged with intensity and momentum swings from both sidelines under national attention and crowd noise pressure applied. Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Cornerbacks, especially, will be plentiful at Minnesota’s spot, and the franchise hasn’t successfully drafted one in 11 years.

Perhaps GM Flores will snap the naughty streak.

Advertisement

avatar

Source link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Sports

Giants reportedly trade disgruntled DT Dexter Lawrence to Bengals for No. 10 overall pick

Published

on

Dexter Lawrence wasn’t happy with the New York Giants, and now he’s on the move.

The Giants traded the Pro Bowl defensive tackle to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for a package that includes the No. 10 overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Advertisement

Lawrence will reportedly be receiving his desired extension with his new team.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Michael Carrick was reminded of a reason to thank Ruben Amorim in Man United win vs Chelsea

Published

on

Man Utd produced a gutsy performance to beat Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge in a result that could be huge for Michael Carrick.

You could call it a tale of two left-wingers. One who sees it as his favourite position but whose questionable commitment was again on show at Stamford Bridge. The other would rather be centre stage, but rather than retreating to the margins, he put the work in to make sure he got the headlines anyway.

Advertisement

Alejandro Garnacho might be unpopular with Chelsea fans, but he is despised by United supporters. They would have been all too familiar with his half-hearted attempt at stopping Bruno Fernandes’ run that led to Matheus Cunha’s goal.

It took some finishing from Cunha, who busted a gut to get in the box from his wing. It was the eighth goal of the season for a player who has put in the work down the left since replacing Patrick Dorgu in January.

Click here to find out the latest Manchester United news in our daily newsletter

Cunha should be able to reflect on a good first season at Old Trafford after his £62.5million from Wolves in the summer, even if there is a sense of more to come. He was part of a summer of recruitment that looks like being a roaring success, with character and quality added to the squad.

Advertisement

Garnacho’s cameo role in United’s success was a reminder that the former hasn’t always been a given in recent years. He didn’t come on at Old Trafford in September, but he would have left Manchester under no illusions that he had burnt his bridges at United. His first taste of action against his former club only reinforced that view.

If there was one legacy of the Ruben Amorim era, it is the way he so ruthlessly discarded bad apples. It meant Carrick has inherited a much more unified dressing room, one that is pulling in the same direction, and that was evident in the way United dug deep in the second half to hold on to their advantage.

That togetherness wasn’t the case 18 months ago, and Garnacho had already been mercilessly abused even before he was sent to warm up when Estevao went down injured. His foray towards those superb away fans produced the expected reaction. Amorim’s decision to discard him for a Manchester derby in December 2024 and then cut him adrift completely last summer has the backing of the supporters, even if they once thrilled to his talents.

Despite being forced into that early change that saw Garnacho enter the fray, it was Chelsea who had shaded most of the first half, with Cole Palmer at the heart of it. Nominally playing behind Liam Delap, his positioning meant United could never get a handle on him. Often, Palmer would drop deep and drift to the left, sometimes standing next to Pedro Neto to find space and get on the ball, and when he had it, you sensed danger.

Advertisement

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Content Image

Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

If Palmer ever decided to try to force a move back to Manchester, United would be foolish not to try to make it happen. He would be the perfect replacement for Fernandes, but that doesn’t yet look like being a dilemma for the Old Trafford decision makers, and he proved his worth again just before the break.

Chelsea hadn’t capitalised on the quality of Palmer, but when Fernandes created a chance for United, they did. He wriggled away from a weak attempt at a tackle from Garnacho and his cross found Cunha, whose first-time finish was unstoppable.

Advertisement

The Brazilian had a similar chance earlier in the half, when his attempt at controlling Bryan Mbeumo’s pass was clumsy and resulted in a booking when he lunged in to try and retrieve the situation. This time, he left nothing to chance with his first touch.

The game should have been set up for United at that point, and they wasted a couple of opportunities to break with poor decisions as Chelsea tried to build a head of steam. Delap’s header against the crossbar from 10 yards was a warning sign, and Palmer side-footing wide when unmarked from a similar distance was a let-off. Another Chelsea cross then hit Noussair Mazraoui as he tried to clear and bounced back off the bar.

United were living on the edge and failing to put the game to bed, thanks to their decision-making in the final third. At times, it was too intricate, with Fernandes and Casemiro guilty of overplaying when they should have taken the shot on.

It didn’t matter in the end, with a diligent defensive display securing United a fourth win against a side in the top six since Carrick replaced Amorim in January. Complete the set with victory against Liverpool in May and his claims to keep the job will be impossible to ignore.

Advertisement

But this was a night when he might just thank his predecessor as well. It can be easy to look back on the Amorim era with regret, but not everything that happened in those 14 months was bad.

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Zhao Xintong kicks off World Championship defence by edging past Liam Highfield

Published

on

Zhao Xintong made a scrappy start to his Halo World Snooker Championship defence before putting away qualifier Liam Highfield 10-7 at the Crucible.

Zhao triumphed in Sheffield a year ago but was at risk of following in the footsteps of Luca Brecel and Kyren Wilson, who fell at the first hurdle when defending their crown in 2024 and 2025 respectively.

At the end of the opening session he had a wafer thin 5-4 lead over Highfield, who has never won a match in the main draw but soon found himself level-pegging with the world number four.

Zhao’s rough edges continued but he turned the tide by claiming a pivotal 11th frame and wrapped up the best-of-19 clash after a courageous long plant on his first red, opening up the table for a match-winning century.

“Tonight was pressure, it was very difficult for me,” he told BBC Sport.

Advertisement

“Two days ago I thought I could control that, not now. I just tried to control myself and enjoy the table, but tonight I didn’t do it well. Hopefully next round I can do it.”

A blockbuster second-round match against Chinese compatriot Ding Junhui awaits on Friday, should the latter beat David Gilbert first, and Zhao added: “If I play Ding, everyone keeps eyes on us. If I play with Ding, I’ll feel good.”

Zhao had kicked things off by taking the first two frames of the day, which began with a minute’s applause for John Virgo, the much-loved former player and commentator who died in February.

Breaks of 124 and 128 suggested he was finding some rhythm, but he made a series of uncharacteristic mistakes to let the Englishman back in and would have welcomed the break in play to compose himself.

Advertisement

When the contest resumed he drew gasps from the crowd when he went in off the pink, Highfield drawing level to bring the upset closer. With the pressure on, Zhao picked the perfect moment to pick up three successive frames, reeling off some outrageous long pots to put move 8-5 ahead.

A horrible miss on a simple black could have cost him the 14th, but a series of errors from both men eventually saw him pick off green and blue to nick a messy frame and go within touching distance. Highfield did not give up, taking the next two, but Zhao’s willingness to take on a low percentage red settled matters.

Barry Hawkins, the 2013 runner-up, took a dominant 7-2 advantage over Matthew Stevens. He was 2-1 down after a slow start but shut out the Welshman for the remainder of the evening, with a top break of 99.

Mark Williams took a 6-3 lead over Polish qualifier Antoni Kowalski but there was little to pick between Xiao Guodong and Zhou Yuelong, with the former edging it 5-4 in the afternoon’s play.

Advertisement

In the morning session, 14th seed Mark Allen went 5-3 down to Zhang Anda with the Northern Irishman losing three in a row before halting the momentum just before the interval.

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Manchester United Edge Chelsea as Cunha Strike Boosts Champions League Hopes

Published

on

Manchester United moved closer to Champions League qualification after Matheus Cunha’s first-half goal helped them beat struggling Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea’s poor run continued as they suffered their fourth straight Premier League defeat, a streak they have only matched once this century. They have not scored in any of those games and last found the net on 4 March.

Despite the loss, Chelsea will feel unlucky. They hit the woodwork three times through Estevao Willian, Liam Delap, and Wesley Fofana. Willian also had to go off early with another hamstring injury after just 16 minutes.

Advertisement

Chelsea dominated much of the game, having more possession, more shots, and more shots on target. Their expected goals (xG) was also higher, but they failed to convert their chances.

United, however, took their moment. Bruno Fernandes set up the goal with a smart cut-back, and Cunha finished first time to score the winner. It was Fernandes’ 18th league assist of the season, just two short of the Premier League record.

The win was only Manchester United’s second league victory at Stamford Bridge since 2002, and their fans celebrated loudly.

Advertisement

There were mixed reactions in the stadium. United supporters booed Alejandro Garnacho on his return to face his former club, while Chelsea fans voiced their frustration, chanting “we want our Chelsea back.” Mason Mount’s late introduction also drew jeers from the home crowd.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

Matt Fitzpatrick has flipped script on Scottie Scheffler at RBC Heritage

Published

on

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

James Toney predicts Jaron Ennis vs Xander Zayas: “He’s about to get ruined”

Published

on

James Toney has predicted a devastating outcome for one half of Xander Zayas vs Jaron Ennis, questioning what the result would mean for his future in the sport.

The pair will collide for Zayas’ WBO and WBA world super-welterweight titles on June 27, headlining a card at the Barclays Center, Brooklyn.

Despite him being a unified champion, many are wondering whether this is a step too far for the Puerto Rican, who comes off a split decision victory over Abass Baraou.

Advertisement

Regardless of the scorecards, Zayas was able to dominate large spells of their encounter in January, before adding the WBA strap to his collection.

Against Ennis, though, the 23-year-old is set to face his toughest opponent by some distance, hoping to pull off what would be a sizable upset.

Having previously unified the welterweight division, orchestrating an emphatic sixth-round finish over Eimantas Stanionis, Ennis is certainly no stranger to a challenge of this nature.

While considering this, and indeed the overall skillset of ‘Boots’, Hall of Famer Toney finds it difficult to envision Zayas retaining his titles.

Advertisement

In fact, the former three-weight world champion has told MillCity Boxing that Ennis could even harm the promising career of his opponent.

“‘Boots’ [is] a bad motherf**ker. This kid [Zayas] is about to get ruined. He ain’t ready. He’s a good fighter, but he’s not there yet.”

This represents Ennis’ second outing at 154lbs, following his first-round demolition job against Uisma Lima in October.

Zayas, on the other hand, is a fully-fledged operator at the weight, having crafted a 23-0 (13 KOs) record with his sharp footwork and prolific jab.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

3 moments that generated a buzz among fans in Match 27 ft. Abhishek Sharma 

Published

on

SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) beat Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 10 runs on Saturday, April 18, in match 27 of the ongoing IPL 2026. SRH posted 194/9 in 20 overs after being put to bat first at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.

Opener Abhishek Sharma led the charge with a blazing 59 off 22 at a strike rate of 268.18. Heinrich Klaasen also slammed a half-century, contributing 59 off 39. However, the hosts lost momentum in the death overs, scoring just 17 runs while losing four wickets in the last three overs. Anshul Kamboj and Jamie Overton took three scalps each.

CSK’s batting let them down in the run chase. Matthew Short was the top run-scorer with 34 off 30 at an underwhelming strike rate of 113.33. Chennai needed 18 runs from the final over with three wickets in hand. Praful Hinge bowled the crucial over and gave just seven runs while taking one wicket.

Eshan Malinga was the pick of the SRH bowlers. The Sri Lankan pacer was named the Player of the Match, recording excellent figures of 4-0-29-3. Hyderabad moved to the top four following the win.

The Ishan Kishan-led side are currently fourth in the table with three wins and as many losses in six matches. CSK, on the other hand, occupy the seventh spot after two wins from six fixtures.

Here, we look at three moments from the clash that generated a buzz among the fans.

Advertisement

#3 Abhishek Sharma launches onslaught against Matthew Short

Abhishek Sharma took Matthew Short to the cleaners in the powerplay to get SRH off to a flying start. Travis Head took a single on the first ball of the fifth over, getting Abhishek on strike against the part-time off-spinner.

The southpaw slammed a hat-trick of fours to put the Australian all-rounder under pressure. Short failed to bounce back as Abhishek’s onslaught continued. The hard-hitting batter hit back-to-back sixes in the remaining two deliveries.

Abhishek completed a 15-ball half-century with his six on the final ball of the over. He slammed the fastest fifty by an SRH player in IPL history, bettering his 16-ball half-century against Mumbai Indians (MI) in 2024.


#2 Mukesh Choudhary’s twin strikes to end SRH’s powerplay

Left-arm seamer Mukesh Choudhary was added to CSK’s playing XI with Khaleel Ahmed ruled out due to injury. He made an early impact in the game, taking two important wickets in the powerplay.

Advertisement

He dismissed Travis Head with a full-toss while bowling from around the wicket. The opening batter hit it down the ground but miscued it. Ruturaj Gaikwad completed a brilliant diving catch to end the hard-hitting batter’s knock.

Choudhary struck again on the very next delivery, sending back Ishan Kishan for a golden duck. The SRH skipper was caught by Gaikwad at mid-off while looking to clear the in-field.


#1 Heinrich Klaasen takes a blinder to dismiss Ayush Mhatre

Ayush Mhatre gave CSK some hope with a quick-fire cameo. The youngster scored 30 off 13 before perishing to Nitish Reddy in the fifth over. He attempted to clear mid-off on the fourth ball.

However, he ended up mistiming it and didn’t get enough distance. Heinrich Klaasen ran towards his left and jumped in the air to pluck out a stunning catch. Watch the video:

Advertisement