The Detroit Lions faced their share of internal problems that contributed to a disappointing 2025 campaign. Despite all the internal issues, there was one team that gave them fits in both of their meetings: the Minnesota Vikings.
The Vikings went 2-0 against the Lions last year, and that result had little to do with J.J. McCarthy and Max Brosmer. Detroit had a chance to come away with the win in both matchups due to Minnesota’s subpar play at quarterback, but ultimately were foiled thanks to a pair of strong performances by Brian Flores’s defense.
Those two games may have been the difference between heading to Cancun early or winning a third straight division title. But the Lions’ problems with Minnesota may be clearing up based on Alec Lewis of The Athletic’s latest report on the future of Flores and assistants Daronte Jones and Mike Siravo.
Vikings’ Trio Could Give Lions Big Advantage Heading Into 2026
Lewis’s report centered around changes to the Vikings’ staff, and while the dismissal of Chris Kuper was a big development over the weekend, so is the status of Flores. After allowing his contract to expire at the end of the season, Flores has already interviewed with the Washington Commanders for their defensive coordinator position. However, Lewis added that Flores is also under consideration for the head coach position with the Pittsburgh Steelers, with Mark Maske of The Washington Post adding that he “is believed to be a serious contender” for that job.
“[Flores’s] relationship with former Steelers coach Mike Tomlin and his familiarity with the organization (where he coached in 2022 as a senior defensive assistant) make him a viable candidate,” Lewis wrote. “Pittsburgh is expected to be methodical in its process.”
Jones serves as the defensive passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach for Minnesota and is considered by some to be the successor to Flores, should he leave for another job. But he is also a hot commodity, interviewing with the Green Bay Packers for their open DC job on Tuesday, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, and holding previous interviews with the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets.
“Jones’ reputation is positive among players, coaches and executives throughout the league,” Lewis continued. “His departure would leave the Vikings short of the reinforcements needed to coach the secondary.”
The candidacy of Flores and Jones has been known for a while, but Siravo, who serves as the Vikings' linebackers coach, is more of a surprise. While Lewis didn’t have a specific team that was interested, he did note that “he could also be sought elsewhere,” giving Minnesota’s defense a rapid brain drain that could lead them no choice but to go with Plan D at defensive coordinator.
Of course, this is music to the ears of Lions fans. Flores unleashed a scheme centered around a cross blitz in a Week 9 meeting against Detroit, and it helped Minnesota come away with a 27-24 victory. The Christmas Day rematch saw Jared Goff get sacked five times, while the Lions coughed up six turnovers in a 23-10 loss that officially eliminated them from playoff contention.
While the Vikings could find a suitable replacement, it’s unlikely to have the same impact that Flores has had, producing a top ten defense in each of the past two seasons despite not having drafted a starter since GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah arrived in 2021. It could swing the pendulum back in Detroit’s favor and give them the advantage needed if any of the Vikings assistants leave in the coming weeks.