put Flores in the mix. That success helped fuel a 14-3 finish for the Vikings, who play at the Los Angeles Rams in an NFC wild-card round game on Monday night. That’s where Flores is solely focused, of course. NFL rules prevent him from taking virtual interviews until next week and in-person meetings until Jan. 20, unless the Vikings reach the NFC championship game. In that case, in-person interviews would have to wait until Jan. 27.
Six teams are currently in search mode for a coach: the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints and New York Jets. The Bears and Jets have requested interviews with Flores, according to a person with knowledge of the situation who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because those teams were not making their process public. The Jaguars announced a list of eight candidates they’ve targeted, meanwhile, and Flores was not on it. Asked specifically about the Patriots, Flores acknowledged his interest in returning to his original organization.
“Any time you’re mentioned in these head coaching conversations or receiving requests, it’s an honor. I definitely don’t take that lightly. … But I also kind of pride myself in being able to compartmentalize and really lock in or prioritize the different things that are happening in my life,” Flores said. “I think everyone in this profession does the same thing, because we all have a lot of different things going on, and this is part of that. I can tell you this: I’m certainly locked in on the Rams and all of the things that they do.”
Flores was criticized last summer by Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for the way he coached him, a rebuke that stung Flores but compelled him toward personal growth and improvement. He described his time working with Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell and supervising a close-knit defense with three Pro Bowl picks and an NFL-leading 24 interceptions this season as two of his most rewarding years in the game.
“It’s been a great group. It’s a group that really came together quickly,” Flores said. “We have a good time. But we also work very hard, too.”
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