Although Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy is in the last year of his contract and the team is fresh off a victory over rivals the New York Giants in Week 4, there is still discussion regarding potential McCarthy replacements should Jerry Jones decide it’s time for a change. Even though Bill Belichick’s name has been on many NFL analysts’ lips, a new prospect is starting to emerge, and he is winning with defense.
In a September 26 article for Sporting News, Bill Bender explores potential coaching candidates to replace McCarthy with the Cowboys, highlighting Brian Flores, the Minnesota Vikings’ defensive coordinator, as a compelling option. With the Vikings holding a perfect 4-0 record heading into Week 5, Flores is gaining significant attention.
Bender points out, “Flores, who was with the Steelers in 2022, has become one of the hottest coordinators due to his impressive work with the Vikings this season.” He also mentions that hiring Flores could be beneficial for Dallas if owner Jerry Jones is looking for a coach with a defensive focus.
Other analysts have also recognized Flores’s rising profile, with ESPN NFL reporter Dan Graziano calling him “the buzziest” name among coordinators seeking head coaching roles after this season.
Graziano remarked, “Based on performance alone, he’s undeniable.” The Vikings have conceded just 30 points this season against teams like the Giants, 49ers, and Texans, and Flores is receiving praise for his ability to disguise pressures and confound quarterbacks. While his innovative strategies began last season, players are executing them even more effectively in the second year of the system.
However, Graziano notes that the question surrounding Flores as a head coaching candidate is his ongoing lawsuit against the NFL, which alleges racial discrimination in the league’s hiring practices.
In a September 29 feature in Vikings Territory, Adam New wrote that after the Vikings defeated the Texans in Week 3, “there was talk of the Vikings being one of the best-coached teams in the league, of O’Connell and Flores being the best offensive and defensive play-caller duo in the league, and even of Flores’ stock rising in league circles that another chance at a head coaching gig could be on the horizon.” Flores receives added praise for this achievement.
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton, who was an offensive assistant for the Cowboys from 2003 to 2005, has a history with the team.
Bender writes, “Payton is a proven winner, boasting a .617 winning percentage from his time with New Orleans, where he won Super Bowl XLIV, and now with Denver, where he’s developing first-round pick Bo Nix.” He adds that acquiring Payton would likely require trading draft picks, especially since he appears to be guiding Denver in the right direction. Bender also questions whether a collaboration between Jones and Payton would work, though Jones has expressed admiration for Payton, suggesting it could be worthwhile if the timing aligns.
Bender also highlights other potential candidates, including Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, and Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, though he considers Kingsbury a longshot compared to the others. Additionally, he mentions some college coaching options, like USC’s Lincoln Riley and Georgia’s Kirby Smart.
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