EAGAN, Minn. — The embrace was emphatic, a ground-shaking symbol of the Minnesota Vikings’ unlikely emergence as a Super Bowl contender. Late last month, just inside the visitors’ locker room at Lumen Field, two brash, muscular, headstrong men wrapped up each other in the wake of the Vikings’ 27-24 victory over the Seattle Seahawks, provoking knowing smiles from witnesses conscious of their budding bromance. A feel-good moment featuring Brian Flores and Ryan Grigson might not be on the bingo cards of most NFL fans, let alone either man’s former coworkers. Yet seeing Flores, once a Boston College linebacker, and Grigson, an ex-Purdue offensive tackle, lock arms while flashing massive smiles made total sense to the people who now interact with them on a daily basis.
“Yeah, I wouldn’t want to be in the middle of that hug,” said Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell, who laughed before extolling the virtues of Flores and Grigson, each best known for experiencing high-profile firings traced partially to abrasive behavior. “But I think it’s awesome. I have really enjoyed getting a chance to be around them every single day. They’ve helped set a standard that has led to us winning a lot of football games. Those guys have been huge pillars of what we’ve been able to accomplish for sure, both on and off the field. It’s a real thing.”
As surreal as it may seem, Flores, Minnesota’s cunning defensive coordinator, and Grigson, its senior vice president of player personnel, are outwardly expressing joy amid the NFL’s most surprising postseason push. The Vikings, who went 14-3 and lost out on an NFC North title after falling to the Detroit Lions on Sunday, earned the NFC’s fifth seed and will face the fourth-seeded Los Angeles Rams in a wild-card playoff game on Monday night. While each man is generating buzz as another hiring cycle commences — Flores will interview with the New York Jets and Chicago Bears about their head-coaching openings and is expected to be a candidate for the Las Vegas Raiders’ job; Grigson will talk to the Jets about their vacant GM post later this week — they’re serenely content in their current gigs and intent on enjoying the ride.
Most people don’t know them like this.
Eight years ago, Grigson was ingloriously dismissed as the Indianapolis Colts general manager, stigmatized by some high-profile personnel whiffs (most glaringly a trade for running back Trent Richardson), a perceived failure to protect franchise quarterback Andrew Luck and a gruff interpersonal style that alienated some people in the organization. Despite his obvious successes — instantly turning around a 2-14 team to earn NFL Executive of the Year honors from The Sporting News and going 52-34 over five seasons, including two division titles, three playoff trips and an AFC Championship Game appearance — Grigson was viewed as somewhat of a pariah.
Flores, more than most people in football, can relate. Three years ago, he was an out-of-the-blue casualty, fired as the Miami Dolphins coach after going 24-25 in three seasons, with winning records in the latter two. Owner Stephen Ross cited the lack of a “collaborative” environment in the organization, one of many indications that the move was made because of Flores’ coarse leadership approach and his inability to get along with others. Reportedly, the Dolphins had a secret plan that involved replacing Flores by prying then-Saints coach Sean Payton from New Orleans and luring Tom Brady out of retirement to play quarterback; it fell apart after Flores, alleging racial discrimination in hiring practices for head coaching jobs, filed a federal civil lawsuit against the NFL and three teams (the Denver Broncos, New York Giants and Houston Texans) that is still being litigated.
The court of public opinion — in and out of league circles — still finds both men guilty as charged. And yet, in their new environment, Grigson and Flores have been rehabilitated, re-energized and revered. Minnesota general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah views Grigson as a vital part of his operation, crediting the tenacious talent evaluator’s penchant for “looking under every rock” to find players and lauding his team-centric ethos. Flores, whose unit was the league’s fifth-stingiest in terms of points allowed (19.5 per game), is praised by Vikings defenders for his schematic acumen and interpersonal skills.
Pro Bowl defensive end Jonathan Greenard even described Flores as a “players’ coach” because of “the open dialogue that we have,” something which caused the second-year coordinator to break out in appreciative laughter.
“Oh my God,” Flores said. “OK — I think I’m a players’ coach in that, you know, all guys want someone who’s going to push them to be their very best. And we have a good time, too. There’s a lot of laughs in the room. So, you know, players coach who’s demanding, who has a high standard? I’ll take that.”
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Both Flores and Grigson say they’ve evolved, clinging to their core principles — an insistence on being driven and exacting — while smoothing out their messaging styles and broadening their perspectives. For Flores, a year on Mike Tomlin’s Pittsburgh Steelers staff (as senior defensive assistant/linebackers coach) and two on O’Connell’s have been formative experiences. Before getting the Dolphins job, his primary influence had been Bill Belichick, who while guiding the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl victories (three with Flores on his defensive staff) was never known for his warmth or people skills.
“When you’re in one place, you hear one way, and that’s how you deliver a message,” Flores said. “You go to some other places, you hear it delivered a different way, and you kind of pick and choose. And because the delivery is different, it hits the players a different way.
“For instance, Bill will say, ‘You can’t win until you keep from losing.’ Which is a little bit of a riddle, and it takes a little while for some guys to kind of put all that together. But Mike T. will say, ‘In order to kick ass, don’t kick your own ass.’ It’s the same thing. That one hits a little bit differently.”
Working for O’Connell, one of the sport’s most personable head coaches, has further impacted Flores — even on the home front. He has three kids between the ages of 7 and 11, and his parental phrasing mirrors that of his exhortations in the workplace.
“We all have to be flexible and adjustable,” Flores said. “Honestly, my kids have been a big part of that. So now I ask them if it’s a reasonable thing for them to clean their room. I mean, ‘You like these video games? You want these V-Bucks for Fortnite?’ I think that’s a reasonable ask.
“I say the exact same thing to a player: ‘I think it’s reasonable that we don’t jump offsides because it ultimately hurts our team.’ And they’re like, ‘You know what? It is reasonable for us not to jump offsides, because it is hurting the team, and dammit, I’ve got to be better than that.’”
The Vikings are very good defensively, and some of that is systemic. Flores, known for creative blitzes and disguised coverages that keep opposing offenses off balance, prizes versatile players and empowers them to play free and fast. Safety Camryn Bynum calls Flores a “mastermind” and champions his “unorthodox” schemes.
Brian Flores’ group is kicking ass and taking names 🗣️ @vikings pic.twitter.com/GFqt7HLHXE
— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) September 24, 2024
“Man, there’s so many different looks,” said running back Aaron Jones, who signed with Minnesota last March after seven seasons with the rival Green Bay Packers. “It’s hard to prepare for, because you don’t know what looks you’re getting. You see (safety) Harrison Smith down at the line, so you think they’re in that coverage; you look to your right, and when you look back to your left, now he’s back 20 yards. And you’re like, What? In training camp, it was like, ‘This guy can call anything — literally — and it’ll work.’ To see the belief and trust his players have in him, it’s amazing.”
Flores solicits ideas from his players, frequently incorporating their suggestions into the gameplan. One blitz is named after a Vikings defender who wishes that weren’t the case. “He’s a humble guy,” Flores explained.
“He doesn’t care where good ideas come from,” defensive tackle Harrison Phillips said of Flores. “And I think that’s one of his strengths. He always tells us, ‘It’s not my defense, it’s your defense.’”
Phillips was one of numerous Vikings who came to Flores’ defense last August, after Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sharply criticized his former head coach on “The Dan LeBatard Show,” calling him a “terrible person.” Shortly thereafter, Phillips and safety Josh Metellus flanked Flores at a news conference as the coach responded, attempting to take the high road while owning his behavior. “I’ve done a lot of reflecting on the situation,” Flores told reporters. “I think there (are) things that I could do better for sure, and I’ve grown in that way.”
“He evolved,” said Minnesota linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel, who played for Flores in Miami and who last week earned his first career Pro Bowl selection. “The journey he’s had, being with (O’Connell) and Tomlin, I think he learned a lot from them. It was a journey, and ultimately he became a better coach, and a better man. I think he’s learned from his past. He grew.”
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Veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore, who played for Flores in New England, said the coach known as “Flo” has “evolved in the right ways. He should be a head coach. He holds you accountable and shoots you straight. And he’s very smart.”
To Metellus, Flores’ attractiveness as a second-time head coach transcends brainpower.
“F— scheme,” Metullus said. “As a leader, someone in front, pushing your guys, someone you would follow — that’s your guy. He’s an exceptional leader, and he shows heart and passion. Flo is who he is.”
Brian Flores’ players in Minnesota believe in him as a leader and a coach. (Stephen Maturen / Getty Images)
In Grigson, Flores found a kindred spirit and an important ally. They didn’t know each other when Flores arrived in Minnesota two years ago but bonded quickly. Grigson told Flores how impressed he’d been by the Dolphins’ refusal to quit after starting 1-7 in 2021; Miami won seven consecutive games to get back into playoff contention before finishing 9-8. A week later Flores, who began his career by spending four years in the Patriots’ scouting department, walked into a personnel meeting and told the Vikings’ scouts how much he appreciated their efforts.
Soon after, the two began collaborating on player acquisition strategies. “We have a lot of dialogue about different players, thought processes, schematics (and) talent evaluation,” Flores said. “And he’s really good at what he does. He’s worked hard to kind of get a feel for the types of guys that I like, which is maybe a little bit different than some other people — just because I like guys who have versatility. But I think we were both in the same world of, ‘What does the player do best, and can we get him to do those things and stay away from the things he doesn’t do well?’”
Grigson has long been what people in the business call a “positive rater.” Yet he is a much different executive than he was during his time in Indy, when he felt a need to compensate for what he believed were head coach Chuck Pagano’s deficiencies in imposing organizational discipline. Because of his size (he’s 6 foot 6 and north of 300 pounds) and brusque bedside manner, Grigson intimidated a lot of coworkers.
In the ensuing eight years, he has made a point of trying to change for the better. He sandwiched stints with the Cleveland Browns by spending two years as a senior football consultant for the Seattle Seahawks, all of which took him out of his comfort zone. In Cleveland, Ivy League graduates Andrew Berry (the current Browns GM) and Adofo-Mensah favored data-driven evaluations and inclusive decision-making processes. In Seattle, general manager John Schneider provided an immersive and energizing experience for even his entry-level staffers.
“It was going a more unfamiliar route versus a familiar route,” Grigson said, “because even though you’re drawn to being around similar ways of thought and similar type of people, I knew that in order to grow, you’ve got to learn some different things. You kind of got to get outside your comfort zone. There’s a willingness to, you know, ask a dumb question. There’s a lot of vulnerability in that, because you’re venturing into an area that you don’t have any background in, and you’re actually trying to learn it, and it takes some time.”
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While still prone to giving strong opinions, Grigson is much more intentional now.
“You’re not really allowed to be reactionary (here), because you have to go through a process,” he said. “And by doing so, you’re going to collaborate, you’re going to hear other opinions, and it forces you to slow down. I find myself actually stepping back and then kind of taking myself out of the moment and thinking through things more. And I think you come to better decisions that way.”
Like Flores, Grigson has greatly improved his delivery.
“He’s just a big-hearted person,” Adofo-Mensah said of Grigson. “That’s the one thing that I think I’m almost mad at him (for), now that I know him so well: ‘Why weren’t you this person your first time around?’ What I’m passionate about is if I had to bet on him, I would so bet on him for the next job. As good as he was the first time around, I think he’s going to be so much better.”
If and when Grigson gets that opportunity — and if and when there’s an accompanying head coaching vacancy — Flores would likely be on his short list of candidates. The two men have had conversations detailing how they erred in their past jobs and assessing what they wish they’d done differently, and they’ve discovered plenty of parallels.
“There are just little things that we find common ground in,” Grigson said. “Some of the things we laugh about now — and I’ve shared this with him before: Like, culturally in this league, if you’re supposed to be a leader, you don’t want to show vulnerability, because you don’t want anyone to see you not up to snuff in an area.
“So, you just want to try to figure it out yourself. And that’s not real smart, at the end of the day. You’ve got to be vulnerable and open-minded enough to be like, for the greater good, I need to go grab someone that’s really good in this area, because it’s not one of my best areas of my skill set.”
In Flores’ eyes, those strategies can be incorporated without surrendering one’s essence.
“I think I’m always going to be demanding,” he said. “There’s always going to be a high standard. I don’t think you can win in this league if that’s not the case.
“When I think back on the experience in Miami, there were certainly some mistakes that I made as a young coach, as a young leader, that I think I’ve grown from. I think I’ve evolved and learned from those mistakes. And I think I’m a lot better coach now than I was three or four years ago. And I think we’re seeing a lot of that kind of manifest itself here in Minnesota.”
Grigson and Flores may each get another chance to put those lessons to use at the highest levels of their profession — perhaps even together. In the meantime, the bromance continues, and no one is getting in the middle of those postgame hugs.
“I feel like it’s a good story, because we both know that if we could go back, there (are) certain things we would do differently,” Grigson said. “But we were both very young in the jobs, and there was still a lot of ceiling left. Both of us (could) grow and learn to be better versions of ourselves, if there ever was a second time. And I think that that’s the American way.”
(Top photos of Brian Flores and Ryan Grigson: Stephen Maturen / Getty Images and Nick Cammett / Diamond Images via Getty Images)
