New Minnesota Vikings Coaches?

Brian Flores deserves another shot at being a head coach of a team. As a Minnesota Vikings fan, I don’t want to see him get one. If I had my way, Flores would be the Vikings defensive coordinator for as long as he’s able to coach. It’s selfish but Flores coordinating the Vikings defense is so comforting. 

Looking at things realistically rather than selfishly, I believe that Brian Flores will be the Vikings defensive coordinator for at least another season. With a robust 10 head coach vacancies, it’s insane that he’s only had two interviews. The first was with the Baltimore Ravens. The second was with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Those are two of the league’s most stable franchises. The Ravens parted ways with Jim Harbaugh after 18 years of sustained success and a Super Bowl title. Mike Tomlin stepped away from the Steelers after 19 years of sustained success and a Super Bowl title. My hunch is that each team is going to choose a coach that fits the mold of their previous successful choices. The Ravens won a Super Bowl with a rising first-time head coach in Brian Billick. They repeated that success with Harbaugh. The Steelers have been making strong head coach choices since 1969. It’s a ridiculous run. In 1969, the Steelers hired a rising first-time head coach in Chuck Noll. 4 Super Bowl titles. He held the job for 23 years. In 1992, the Steelers hired rising first-time head coach Bill Cowher. 2 Super Bowl appearances, 1 win. He held the job for 15 years. In 2007, the Steelers hired rising first-time head coach Mike Tomlin. 2 Super Bowl appearances, 1 win. He held the job for 19 years. That successful 57-year run with only three head coaches is truly ridiculous. It can be considered a strong move to stick with a successful process. For that reason, I’m of the opinion that the Ravens and Steelers will each go with a rising first-time head coach. I have the Ravens hiring Joe Brady. I have the Steelers hiring Chris Shula. Unless new entrant Buffalo Bills in the annual head coach churn bring him in for an interview, I believe that Flores returns to the Vikings. 

While Brian Flores staying in Minnesota is a wonderful thing it will probably come with a shake-up of the defensive coaching staff. Pass game coordinator Daronte Jones is getting significant attention for available defensive coordinator jobs. He’s interviewed or has had interview requests with the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, New York Jets, and Green Bay Packers. He’s also the top internal candidate for the Vikings if Flores left for a head coach job. He’s going to be a defensive coordinator next season. He’s earned it and he’s ready for it. If it’s not in Minnesota, that opportunity is going to be somewhere else. The Vikings have already lost rising safeties coach Michael Hutchings. He went back to college as the defensive coordinator at Cal. There could be a coaching void in the Vikings secondary. I have a candidate for that role. He’s also familiar with Flores. Gerald Alexander. I became aware of his coaching talents when he coached Cal’s secondary from 2017-19. That three-year stretch was the start of a stream of Golden Bear defensive backs into the NFL. He left Cal in 2020 for the defensive back job with the Miami Dolphins under Flores. Since 2022, Alexander has been with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Las Vegas Raiders, and a return to the Steelers last season. Not only did he work with Flores in Miami, he also moved to Pittsburgh with him in 2022. I’ve liked Gerald Alexander as a Vikings coach since he left Cal for the NFL. He’s terrific defensive back coach. And Flores is very familiar with him.

The Vikings also have a significant vacancy on offense. It’s been said by a few coaches that the most important hire a head coach can make is the offensive line coach. Chris Kuper has been coaching the Vikings offensive line since Kevin O’Connell was hired in 2022. It hasn’t been a very efficient group. O’Connell must get his second attempt at an offensive line coach right. I have no idea about the rising offensive line coaches around the league. I do know of one accomplished coach that’s currently available. Dwayne Ledford. He’s been coaching the offensive line with the Atlanta Falcons since 2021. He coached at the college level from 2008-2020. Over his five years with the Falcons, he’s established himself as one of the best offensive line coaches in the league. The Vikings desperately need one of the best offensive line coaches in the league. 

If the Vikings can keep Brian Flores, hire Gerald Alexander, and Dwayne Ledford, it would be an outstanding start to the offseason. 

Head Coach Churn Continues

On the day the Buffalo Bills joined the teams looking for a new head coach, two of those teams found their new head coach. The Bills stunned many when they fired Sean McDermott. It can be a handicap to join the process a couple weeks after the other teams. Perhaps the Bills did so with a coach in mind. Brian Daboll? Who knows? This year’s version of the annual head coach churn includes 10 teams. There was a time when it looked like this could be a light year. That didn’t last long as 10 is a hefty number. 

The Buffalo Bills are now looking for a new head coach. As that happened, the Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans found their new head coach. The Dolphins hired former Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. The Titans hired former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. There’s a lightly held belief that teams often hire the opposite of the coach that was fired. That’s actually the case with these two teams. The Dolphins replaced offensive-minded Mike McDaniel with defensive-minded Hafley. The Titans replaced offensive-minded Brian Callahan with defensive-minded Saleh. I saw a rumor that McDaniel could be Saleh’s offensive coordinator. 

Two weeks into the offseason and 40% of the 10 head coach vacancies have been filled.

Head Coach Churn

New York Giants

Hired: John Harbaugh

Fired: Brian Daboll

Atlanta Falcons

Hired: Kevin Stefanski

Fired: Raheem Morris

Miami Dolphins

Hired: Jeff Hafley

Fired: Mike McDaniel

Tennessee Titans

Hired: Robert Saleh

Fired: Brian Callahan

Arizona Cardinals

Fired: Jonathan Gannon

Baltimore Ravens

Fired: John Harbaugh

Cleveland Browns

Fired: Kevin Stefanski

Las Vegas Raiders

Fired: Pete Carroll

Pittsburgh Steelers 

Stepped Away: Mike Tomlin

Buffalo Bills

Fired: Sean McDermott

Here are some guesses at the head coach hires of the six teams still looking.

Arizona Cardinals: Klint Kubiak

Baltimore Ravens: Joe Brady

Cleveland Browns: Grant Udinski

Las Vegas Raiders: Matt Nagy

Pittsburgh Steelers: Anthony Weaver

Buffalo Bills: Brian Daboll

It’s probably a bit early for the 30-year old Grant Udinski. He’s been a non-play calling offensive coordinator for a single season. Just like when the Pittsburgh Steelers hired a too-young Mike Tomlin in 2006, I can see Udinski wowing the Cleveland Browns decision-makers. He’s apparently impressed enough for a second interview. Placing Anthony Weaver with the Pittsburgh Steelers might be as much about keeping Brian Flores in Minnesota. Still, Anthony Weaver feels a lot like the last three head coach decisions of the Steelers. Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher, and Mike Tomlin were young, on-the-rise defensive coaches when the Steelers hired them. Much like Weaver. I can see it. 

The NFL’s annual head coach churn continues. 

And Then There Was 10

Just when we were getting comfortable with a robust nine head coach vacancies, one more opened. After Saturday’s stunning loss to the Denver Broncos in the Divisional playoffs, the decision-makers of the Buffalo Bills decided that Sean McDermott is done. In his nine years as the head coach, McDermott guided the Bills to eight playoff appearances. This year made it six consecutive years that the Bills won at least one playoff game. In 2022 and 2024, their playoff run ended in the AFC Championship game. The only thing that McDermott didn’t accomplish as the head coach of the Buffalo Bills was make it to the Super Bowl. And, of course, win one. When it comes down to it, NFL head coaching success is really only measured by titles. Josh Allen has been one of the league’s best quarterbacks for years. If a coach can’t win the ultimate prize with one of the best quarterbacks, maybe it’s time to find a coach that can. It appears that’s the thinking of the Bills decision-makers. There will now be 10 teams with a new head coach in 2026. 

While the annual head coach churn reached 10 teams, there are presently only eight vacancies. The New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons found their new head coach. Well, each team’s new head coach is actually an old head coach. 

Head Coach Vacancies

New York Giants

Hired: John Harbaugh

Fired: Brian Daboll

Atlanta Falcons

Hired: Kevin Stefanski

Fired: Raheem Morris

Tennessee Titans

Fired: Brian Callahan

Arizona Cardinals

Fired: Jonathan Gannon

Baltimore Ravens

Fired: John Harbaugh

Cleveland Browns

Fired: Kevin Stefanski

Las Vegas Raiders

Fired: Pete Carroll

Miami Dolphins

Fired: Mike McDaniel

Pittsburgh Steelers 

Stepped Away: Mike Tomlin

Buffalo Bills

Fired: Sean McDermott

In just over a week, John Harbaugh and Kevin Stefanski experienced a firing and a hiring. Mike McDaniel has had a few head coach interviews. Even though he never reached the ultimate game, Sean McDermott had a very successful nine-year run in Buffalo. He’s joining the churn cycle late but he could get some interest from teams looking for a head coach. Maybe Harbaugh and Stefanski won’t be the only head coaches in new places next year. 

Some of the eight teams looking for a new head coach are reaching the finalist stage of their search. There could be more hires this week. 

Cal’s Coaches

Cal hired former Cal high-effort defensive lineman Tosh Lupoi  as their new head coach just over a month ago. He’s spent the time between then and now coaching the defense of the Oregon Ducks, recruiting for the Golden Bears, and putting together his first coaching staff. It’s been a busy month. No real evidence but I think he likes being busy. As a Cal fan, student, and alumnus since the mid 1970s, I can’t recall greater excitement over a new head coach. Hiring Keith Gilbertson away from Washington in 1992 was a strong move but never really brought anything near this sort of excitement. The most successful Cal coaches of my time were Bruce Snyder and Jeff Tedford. Those hires weren’t door-busters. Lupoi has been. Is it just because he’s a former Golden Bears player? Maybe. I don’t recall this level of excitement when Joe Kapp was hired. He was the last quarterback to take Cal to the Rose Bowl. That’s significant. He was the Cal coach when I was a student. That’s even more significant. In my life with Cal, the coaching thread has been Mike White to Roger Theder to Kapp to Snyder to Gilbertson to Steve Mariucci to Tom Holmoe to Tedford to Sonny Dykes to Justin Wilcox. 10 coaches. Cal football isn’t like Cal Rugby, Cal Swimming, Cal Water Polo, etc. Cal is strong in a lot of things. Since the early 1920s, football hasn’t been one of those things. Excitement around Cal football is a fleeting thing. There’s excitement around Cal football now. That’s a very good thing and it’s due to the return of Tosh Lupoi to Berkeley. And he’s brought some Bears with him. Here’s a look at Cal’s new football coaches. 

Cal’s Coaches

Head Coach: Tosh Lupoi

Assistant Head Coach/Quarterbacks Coach

Nick Rolovich

Offensive Coordinator

Jordan Somerville

Offensive Pass Game Coordinator

Pat McCann

Assistant Quarterbacks Coach

Jeff McDaniels

Running Backs Coach/Recruiting Coordinator

Keith Bhonapha

Receivers Coach/Co-Offensive Coordinator

Ike Hilliard

Assistant Receivers Coach

Geoff McArthur

Tight Ends Coach

Steve Haunga

Assistant Tight Ends Coach

Mike Saffell

Offensive Line Coach

Famika Anae

Defensive Coordinator

Michael Hutchings

Assistant Defensive Coordinator

Ryan Barry

Defensive Pass Game Coordinator

Keith Heyward

Defensive Line/Pass Rush Specialist

Darrion Daniels

Assistant Defensive Line

Eddy McGilvra

Assistant Edge Coach

Lorenzo Alexander

Inside Linebackers Coach

Bob Gregory

Assistant Inside Linebackers

Sione Ta’Ufo’Ou

Defensive Backs/Co-Defensive Coordinator 

Da’Von Brown

Safeties Coach

Connor Boyd

Special Teams Coordinator 

Zach Tinker

It’s an interesting group. One of the interesting aspects of the group is the number of former Golden Bears players. Geoff McArthur and Lorenzo Alexander were teammates of Tosh Lupoi. Bob Gregory was Cal’s defensive coordinator. Mike Saffell played for Cal more recently. The cool thing about Lupoi, McArthur, and Alexander returning to Berkeley is that the trio is among my favorite Cal football players. I’m thrilled with their return. I don’t think I’m alone.

Michael Hutchings is also of personal interest. He left the Minnesota Vikings for the defensive coordinator opportunity with Cal. He’s a coach on the rise. As a Vikings fan, I hated to see him go. As a Cal fan, I love the hire. At 30, he has a lot of coaching in front of him. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets head coach interest in a couple years. That would mean that he’s a success at Cal.

Ike Hilliard is of particular interest because of the playing career that he had. Keith Bhonapha is an interest for the running backs he’s coached. 

Welcome to Berkeley for most. Welcome back for the rest. 

Flea Flicker Divisional Round Predictions

It’s the Divisional Round and four teams remain. Here are some guesses at the games. 

Buffalo Bills @ Denver Broncos

Pick: Bills

The sooner Sean Payton is out of the playoffs the better. He and Aaron Rodgers run 1-2 or 2-1 as the most annoying people in football.

San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks

Pick: 49ers

The 49ers remarkable run continues.

Houston Texans @ New England Patriots

Pick: Texans

The Patriots remarkable run ends. 

Los Angeles Rams @ Chicago Bears

Pick: Rams

Caleb Williams runs out of miracles. Depending on miracles is never a sustainable way to play. 

NFL Head Coach And General Manager Churn

This week, the Pittsburgh Steelers joined eight teams looking for a new head coach. Mike Tomlin stepped away after 19 years of sustained winning. He started that long run with a bang as he won a Super Bowl title in his second year as head coach. After that, the Steelers were a playoff staple for 17 years. Now, nine teams are looking for a head coach. 

Head Coach Vacancies

New York Giants

Fired: Brian Dabol

Tennessee Titans

Fired: Brian Callahan

Arizona Cardinals

Fired: Jonathan Gannon

Atlanta Falcons 

Fired: Raheem Morris

Baltimore Ravens

Fired: John Harbaugh

Cleveland Browns

Fired: Kevin Stefanski

Las Vegas Raiders

Fired: Pete Carroll

Miami Dolphins

Fired: Mike McDaniel

Pittsburgh Steelers 

Stepped Away: Mike Tomlin

Unless something wild happens, there’s really only eight head coach vacancies. Numerous reports from numerous sources have John Harbaugh and the New York Giants uniting. It’s surprising that there hasn’t been an “official” announcement as those reports have been flowing freely for over 24 hours. 

The cycle is fairly light when it comes to the annual general manager churn. When the season ended, only two teams were looking for a new general manager.

General Manager Vacancies

Atlanta Falcons

Fired: Terry Fontenot

Miami Dolphins

Fired: Chris Grier

The Miami Dolphins acted fast as they hired Green Packers Vice President of Player Personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan before the first week of the offseason was complete. 

The Atlanta Falcons were perhaps lagging behind the pace of the Dolphins in their pursuit of a new general manager because of other front office business. Last week, the Falcons hired former quarterback Matt Ryan as their new President of Football. Who knows what responsibilities of that job will be? One thing that’s certain is that he’ll have a role in selecting a new general manager and head coach. 

Current Interview Requests:

Head Coach

New York Giants

Hired: John Harbaugh

I hesitate putting this one as finalized as it hasn’t been finalized. I remember a day when Josh McDaniels walked away from a supposedly done deal with the Indianapolis Colts. It was such a done deal that he’d even hired an assistant coach. Despite that, I can’t see Harbaugh pulling a McDaniels. 

Tennessee Titans

Matt Nagy - Chiefs OC

Vance Joseph - Broncos DC

Steve Spagnuoulo - Chiefs DC

Lou Anarumo - Colts DC

Raheem Morris - former Falcons head coach

Kevin Stefanski - former Browns head coach

Jason Garrett - former Cowboys head coach

Jeff Hafley - Packers DC

Arthur Smith - Steelers OC

Robert Saleh - 49ers DC

Kliff Kingsbury - former Commanders OC

Mike McCarthy - former Cowboys head coach

Mike McCoy - Titans interim head coach

Mike McDaniel - former Dolphins head coach

Jesse Minter - Chargers DC

Chris Shula - Rams DC

Brian Daboll - former Giants head coach

Jonathan Gannon - former Cardinals head coach

John Harbaugh - former Ravens head coach

Arizona Cardinals

Vance Joseph - Broncos DC

Robert Saleh - 49ers DC

Anthony Weaver - Dolphins DC

Klint Kubiak - Seahawks OC

Thomas Brown - Patriots passing game coordinator 

Matt Nagy - Chiefs OC

Raheem Morris - former Falcons head coach

Jeff Hafley - Packers DC

Thomas Brown - Patriots passing game coordinator

Atlanta Falcons

Klint Kubiak - Seahawks OC

Anthony Weaver - Dolphins DC

Vance Joseph - Broncos DC

Kevin Stefanski - former Browns head coach

Jeff Hafley - Packers DC

Robert Saleh - 49ers DC

Aden Durde - Seahawks DC

Ejiro Evero - Falcons DC

John Harbaugh - former Ravens head coach

Jesse Minter - Chargers DC

Baltimore Ravens

Vance Joseph - Broncos DC

Davis Webb - Broncos QB coach

Anthony Weaver - Dolphins DC

Klint Kubiak - Seahawks OC

Brian Flores - Vikings DC

Matt Nagy - Chiefs OC

Kliff Kingsbury - former Commanders OC

Robert Saleh - 49ers DC

Joe Brady - Bills OC

Kevin Stefanski - former Browns head coach

Mike McDaniel - former Dolphins head coach

Jesse Minter - Chargers DC

Jim Schwartz - Browns DC

Cleveland Browns 

Todd Monken - Ravens OC

Aden Durde - Seahawks DC

Dan Pitcher - Bengals OC

Tommy Rees - Browns OC

Jim Schwartz - Browns DC

Mike McDaniel - former Dolphins head coach

Jesse Minter - Chargers DC

Nate Scheelhasse - Rams passing game coordinator

Grant Udinski - Jaguars OC

Las Vegas Raiders

Vance Joseph - Broncos DC

Klint Kubiak - Seahawks OC

Davis Webb - Broncos QB coach

Matt Nagy - Chiefs OC

Jeff Hafley - Packers DC

Jesse Minter - Chargers DC

Nate Scheelhasse - Rams passing game coordinator

Miami Dolphins

Klint Kubiak - Seahawks OC

Robert Saleh - 49ers DC

Chris Shula - Rams DC

Anthony Campanile - Jaguars DC

Patrick Graham - Raiders DC

Jeff Hafley - Packers DC

Jesse Minter - Chargers DC

Kelvin Sheppard - Lions DC

Kevin Stefanski - former Browns head coach

For merely sentimental reasons, it’d be pretty cool to see Don Shula’s grandson coaching the Dolphins. 

Pittsburgh Steelers

Ejiro Evero - Panthers DC

Brian Flores - Vikings DC

Jeff Hafley - Packers DC

Klay Kubiak - 49ers OC

Jesse Minter - Chargers DC

Nate Scheelhaase - Rams passing game coordinator 

Chris Shula - Rams DC

Anthony Weaver - Dolphins DC

General Manager

Atlanta Falcons

Ian Cunningham - Bears assistant GM

Josh Williams - 49ers director of scouting football

Miami Dolphins

Hired: Jon-Eric Sullivan - Packers VP of Player Personnel

Throwback Thursday: The Summer of ‘36

This Flicker was originally posted on March 21, 2013. And a time or two since. 


Sid Gillman, Paul Brown, and Woody Hayes are three of the most influential football coaches in the history of the game. All three got their football coaching start in Ohio. All three lived together in the summer of 1936. Paul Brown had established himself as a very successful coach at Massillon High School. Sid Gillman had just started his coaching career at Dennison University. Woody Hayes hadn't settled on coaching just yet. He had enrolled in the graduate school of education at Ohio St. He had plans to become a principal or school superintendent. That summer might have gone a long way in steering him toward football. As they worked and studied, all three were housed temporarily in the Sigma Chi fraternity house on the Ohio St. campus. All would impact each other and the game of football.

Gillman and Brown had come to Ohio St. that  summer to learn from innovative Buckeyes coach Francis Schmidt. They learned from Schmidt while Hayes took his education classes. In the evening, the three would come together at the fraternity and talk football. Sometimes they would argue. Sometimes they would "steal" each other's ideas. For Hayes it was the equivalent of a football laboratory. Much of his coaching philosophy can be traced back to those evenings at Ohio St. If nothing else, Hayes dropped the education path and picked up the football path.

Many consider Sid Gillman the "father of the passing game." His innovations changed offensive football. He was the first to make significant use of game film. Paul Brown revolutionized the position of head coach. His organization, testing, and use of assistant coaches changed the game. He certainly changed the structure of coaching in the NFL. Hayes, while not the innovator of Gillman and Brown, was one of college football’s greatest coaches.

Ara Parseghian had some decent success as a football coach. He also had perhaps the best perspective on the three housemates. He played for Gillman at Miami University, played for Brown at Great Lakes Naval Training Center during World War II and with the Cleveland Browns, and coached with Hayes at Miami. He saw the three like this:

"Paul Brown was a constant organizer with a terrific ability to place the personnel, motivate the personnel, and innovate. Sid was so passionate about the game, and he was still an innovative guy. And Woody was a people person. He was a great recruiter and he could talk football stuff with anybody. I wouldn't rate him up with Brown and Sid, but he got things done with his ability to deal with people....I was the beneficiary of playing or coaching with all three of them. You talk about doing post-graduate doctoral work."

Despite spending that summer of football together in '36, the coaches didn't get along too well. More accurately, Brown and Hayes didn't get along with Gillman. With his intense focus on football and his "win at all cost" ways, Gillman pissed off a lot of people throughout his coaching career. When Gillman and Brown later faced each other as professional coaches, the games had extra meaning. They did not get along. Their families did not get along. Unfortunately, it would never change. Gillman and Hayes would become coaching rivals in the college game. Recruiting rivals too. Gillman at Cincinnati and Hayes at Miami, and later at Ohio St. Many years after the football and recruiting wars, Gillman and Hayes would make amends. They just happened to run into each other and Hayes asked his past rival to explain the Gillman passing offense. Eight hours later they left as something closer to friends, certainly no longer enemies. Hayes said later of their talk, "You know, I still don't know what the hell he was talking about."

I love hearing about the intersecting paths of influential football coaches. Most of these intersections aren't as fleeting as three coaches living together for a short while during a summer long ago. Most of these intersections involve working together for a year or more. Seeing as Brown, Gillman, and Hayes all got their coaching starts in Ohio, it shouldn't have been too much of surprise that their paths crossed. I still find it fascinating that this summer spent living together so early in their respective careers might have been the launching point for all that would come. I grew up hearing about those three coaching giants. As exciting as it was to hear of this time that they spent together it was as disappointing to learn that their continued relationships weren't exactly peachy. At least Gillman and Hayes made amends. Gillman and Brown never really tried. It seems that Paul Brown, Sid Gillman, and Woody Hayes got along well enough to live together and talk football. For a brief time in the summer of '36 the future of football was greatly impacted at a fraternity house on the Ohio St. campus.

And Then There Was Nine

About a month ago, I thought that this might be a light year in the annual coaching churn. It looked like there might be as few as four or five head coach vacancies. Nope. With yesterday’s news that Mike Tomlin was stepping away from the Pittsburgh Steelers, there are now nine head coach vacancies. That’s a lot. At least it’s a lot more than a saw coming. We’re one unhappy owner from reaching the recent high mark of 10 head coach vacancies in 2022. 

The Vacancies:

New York Giants

Fired: Brian Dabol

Tennessee Titans

Fired: Brian Callahan

Arizona Cardinals

Fired: Jonathan Gannon

Atlanta Falcons 

Fired: Raheem Morris

Baltimore Ravens

Fired: John Harbaugh

Cleveland Browns

Fired: Kevin Stefanski

Las Vegas Raiders

Fired: Pete Carroll

Miami Dolphins

Fired: Mike McDaniel

Pittsburgh Steelers

Stepped Down: Mike Tomlin

Seeing league staples John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin outside the head coach ranks doesn’t feel right. Harbaugh might not be on the outside for long. Tomlin will probably take a much-deserved break. I wouldn’t be surprised if he follows the Steelers coach he replaced, Bill Cowher, and makes it a permanent break. Tomlin is only 53. That’s five years younger than Mike Zimmer was when he was hired to coach the Minnesota Vikings in 2014. Cowher was only 49 when he stepped away from coaching. Permanently walking away a year removed from a Super Bowl win was probably a much easier thing for Cowher. Tomlin is 18 years removed from his one big win. And he has a big loss in between then and now. 

The Steelers have a fascinating head coach history. From 1933-68, the team had 16 head coaches. Pittsburgh was consistently one of the league’s worst teams. Everything changed in 1969. Since 1969, the Steelers have employed three head coaches. Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher, and Mike Tomlin. That stability reflects success on the field. Each of the three head coaches won a Super Bowl. Noll won four (four in a six-year period). Cowher and Tomlin won one each. The remarkable success of those three coaches is the reason for the stability. It’s the sort of stability that might make the Steelers head coach job the most desirable of the nine vacancies.

Here’s a ranking of the most attractive head coach vacancies.

9. Miami Dolphins

8. Cleveland Browns

7. Las Vegas Raiders

6. Tennessee Titans

5. Arizona Cardinals

4. Atlanta Falcons

3. Pittsburgh Steelers

2. New York Giants

1. Baltimore Ravens

There are only 32 NFL head coach jobs. It’s a small fraternity and that makes every job attractive. That being said, there’s little else attractive about working for the owners of the Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, Tennessee Titans, and Arizona Cardinals. Before you even get to important details like roster, draft position, cap situation, etc., the owners of those teams make those jobs a challenge before a coach even gets to football work. The top four are easily the most attractive of the this year’s cycle. The Steelers job has only come open three times since 1969. The Ravens haven’t needed a new head coach in 18 years. With the impatience of today’s NFL owners, that’s incredible. Of the top four, the Ravens and Giants have the best personnel. It’s easy to separate the top four from the rest. 

The race for the nine available head coach jobs is on. 

Minnesota Vikings Coaches

Every NFL offseason brings changes. That’s especially true for teams that didn’t make the playoffs. The first changes often involve the coaches. At least the Minnesota Vikings aren’t one of the eight teams looking for a new head coach. At a minimum, head coach Kevin O’Connell will be/is looking for a new safeties coach. Michael Hutchings was hired in 2023 to assist with the defensive backs. He was promoted to safeties coach in 2024. In three years, he’s impressed and his future is bright. It’s so bright, that Cal hired him to be the defensive coordinator for new head coach Tosh Lupoi. As a Vikings fan, I hate to see him go. As a Cal alumnus, I love the hire. It’s a fine line. If the Vikings lose only Hutchings, it will be a nice offseason. As has been the case since he was hired after the 2022 season, the annual Brian Flores watch is on. He’s been a revelation as the Vikings defensive coordinator. He’s deserving of a head coach opportunity. He’s been kept from that opportunity by a controversial three-year stint as the Miami Dolphins, a lawsuit against the league, and perhaps a splash of racism amongst a collection of rich, white owners. Personally, I want Flores to be handling the Vikings defense for eternity. Honestly, he deserves another shot at running a team. This is the third offseason that the Vikings have waited for Flores to wade through the head coach opportunities available to him. So far this year, the Baltimore Ravens are the only team that has requested an interview. He has that interview this week. If Flores does get that deserved opportunity to run a team, the Vikings top internal candidate to replace him is probably pass game coordinator/defensive backs coach Daronte Jones. The problem there is that he’s drawn the interest from a teams across the league with defensive coordinator needs. He interviewed with some teams last year and he’s getting interview requests this year. If the Vikings were to lose both, it’d create some huge defensive coaching holes. 

As for the rest of the Vikings coaching staff, it’s wait and see. Some might see needed changes with the offensive line coaches. The offensive line has been an issue for more than a decade. An overhaul of the interior of the line last offseason was a big reason for optimism going into the season. Due to a ridiculous run of injuries, they were a problem rather than a solution. Line coach Chris Kuper and assistant Keith Carter rarely knew what players would be available until a game’s first snap. It’s tough to get a group ready to play when you never know who might make up that group. The Vikings offensive line must play better. That’s obvious. My belief is that the problems this year were simply because of the injuries. While I lean towards giving Kuper and Carter a pass on this past year and an opportunity for another year, I can’t help but think of the coaches that seem to get solid line play no matter the players available. The Vikings special teams got some criticism through the season. There were some glaring mistakes but, overall, each of the groups played well and seemed to grade well. I think Matt Daniels and Dalmin Gibson are safe. 

At the moment, here’s the Vikings coaching staff. 

Minnesota Vikings Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Kevin O’Connell

Assistant Head Coach: Mike Pettine

Offensive Coordinator: Wes Phillips

Defensive Coordinator: Brian Flores

Special Teams Coordinator: Matt Daniels

Offense:

Quarterbacks: Josh McCown

Assistant Offensive Coordinator/Assistant Quarterbacks: Jordan Traylor

Senior Offensive Assistant: Chris O’Hara

Run Game Coordinator/Running Backs: Curtis Modkins

Receivers: Keenan McCardell

Assistant Receivers: Tony Sorrentino

Pass Game Coodinator/Tight Ends: Brian Angelichio

Offensive Line: Chris Kuper

Assistant Offensive Line: Keith Carter

Pass Game Specialist/Game Management Coordinator: Ryan Cordell

Quality Control: Derron Montgomery

Offensive Assistant: Ben Ellefson

Assistant to the Head Coach: Henry Schneider IV

Defense:

Defensive Line: Marcus Dixon

Assistant Defensive Line: Imarjaye Albury Sr.

Inside Linebackers: Mike Siravo

Outside Linebackers: Thad Bogardus

Assistant Outside Linebackers: Patrick Hill

Pass Game Coordinator/Defensive Backs: Daronte Jones

Safeties: ?

Quality Control: Chenzo Funari

Defensive Assistant: Charlie Frye

Special Teams:

Assistant Special Teams: Dalmin Gibson

Minnesota Vikings Free Agents

Thirty-plus years of free agency have turned every NFL offseason into a roster churn. The first decisions facing teams are whether to bring back their own free agents. The Minnesota Vikings will have some difficult decisions to make this offseason. The difficulty starts with being nearly $40 million over the estimated 2026 salary cap. The Vikings must get under the cap before they can even make decisions on their own free agents. Here’s a look at the players with expiring contracts. 

Unrestricted Free Agents

C.J. Ham, FB

Eric Wilson, LB

Jeff Okudah, CB

Tavierre Thomas, S

Justin Skule, OT

Rondale Moore, WR

Ryan Wright, P

Carson Wentz, QB

Andrew DePaola, LS

Matt Nelson, OT

Brett Rypien, QB

Ty Chandler, RB

Jalen Nailor, WR

Restricted Free Agents

Ivan Pace, LB

Ben Sims, TE

Exclusive Rights Free Agents

Bo Richter, OLB

Jalen Redmond, DT

Zavier Scott, RB

It’s a good thing that the Vikings don’t have a lot of must-sign free agents. The one player that I consider must-sign is defensive tackle Jalen Redmond and he’s an exclusive rights free agent. 

Among the unrestricted free agents, the following are the players I’d most like to see return.

Eric Wilson

Ryan Wright

It’d be nice to have Jalen Nailor return but I’m guessing he’s going to be offered a deal in free agency the Vikings can’t afford to match. He’s probably also looking for an increased opportunity that he probably won’t get behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. 

The only thing that might give the Vikings pause about bringing back long snapper Andrew DePaola is that he’s going to be 39 during the 2026 season. He’s still one of the best in the league. I don’t see that changing at the grand age of 39. 

Receiver Rondale Moore is a curiosity. I really wanted to see him get an opportunity last season. That was taken away when he tore his ACL in a preseason game. Do the Vikings bring him back? I’d be for it. 

Over the next month, the Vikings will be making decisions on their current players. Then come the decisions on the players with expiring contracts. 

NFL Head Coach and General Manager Churn

There was a moment, not all that long ago, that it looked like a light year in the NFL’s annual head coach churn. Every year, it feels like at least seven or eight teams are looking for a new head coach. This year wasn’t light for long. Two teams fired their head coach during the season. A few more seemed inevitable after the season. Having four to six teams looking for a new coach felt light. “Black Monday” should be “Black Week” as the firings kept dropping as the days passed. By the end of the week, eight teams are now looking for a new head coach.

New York Giants

Fired: Brian Dabol

Tennessee Titans

Fired: Brian Callahan

Arizona Cardinals

Fired: Jonathan Gannon

Atlanta Falcons 

Fired: Raheem Morris

Baltimore Ravens

Fired: John Harbaugh

Cleveland Browns

Fired: Kevin Stefanski

Las Vegas Raiders

Fired: Pete Carroll

Miami Dolphins

Fired: Mike McDaniel

While I thought that this might be a light churn, the John Harbaugh firing is the only that I truly found surprising. 18 consistently successful seasons and a Super Bowl title felt like strong reasons for at least another year. Perhaps swap Todd Monken for an offensive coordinator that was a better fit with Lamar Jackson. I expected tweaks to the Ravens coaches rather than kicking Harbaugh out the door. I don’t expect him to be unemployed long.

The cycle is fairly light when it comes to the annual general manager churn. There are only two teams looking for a new general manager.

Atlanta Falcons

Fired: Terry Fontenot

Miami Dolphins

Fired: Chris Grier

Since both teams are also looking for a new head coach, the general manager search, interviews, and hiring should proceed at a nice pace.

Current Interview Requests:

Head Coach

New York Giants

Mike Kafka - Giants interim head coach

Vance Joseph - Broncos DC

Kevin Stefanski - former Browns head coach

Klint Kubiak - Seahawks OC

Mike McCarthy - former Cowboys head coach

Lou Anarumo - Colts DC

Raheem Morris - former Falcons head coach

Antonio Pierce - former Raiders head coach

Darren Rizzi - Broncos assistant head coach

Tennessee Titans

Matt Nagy - Chiefs OC

Vance Joseph - Broncos DC

Steve Spagnuoulo - Chiefs DC

Lou Anarumo - Colts DC

Raheem Morris - former Falcons head coach

Kevin Stefanski - former Browns head coach

Jason Garrett - former Cowboys head coach

Jeff Hafley - Packers DC

Arthur Smith - Steelers OC

Robert Saleh - 49ers DC

Kliff Kingsbury - former Commanders OC

Mike McCarthy - former Cowboys head coach

Mike McCoy - Titans interim head coach

Mike McDaniel - former Dolphins head coach

Jesse Minter - Chargers DC

Chris Shula - Rams DC

Arizona Cardinals

Vance Joseph - Broncos DC

Robert Saleh - 49ers DC

Anthony Weaver - Dolphins DC

Klint Kubiak - Seahawks OC

Thomas Brown - Patriots passing game coordinator 

Matt Nagy - Chiefs OC

Raheem Morris - former Falcons head coach

Jeff Hafley - Packers DC

Thomas Brown - Patriots passing game coordinator

Atlanta Falcons

Klint Kubiak - Seahawks OC

Anthony Weaver - Dolphins DC

Vance Joseph - Broncos DC

Kevin Stefanski - former Browns head coach

Jeff Hafley - Packers DC

Robert Saleh - 49ers DC

Aden Durde - Seahawks DC

Baltimore Ravens

Vance Joseph - Broncos DC

Davis Webb - Broncos QB coach

Anthony Weaver - Dolphins DC

Klint Kubiak - Seahawks OC

Brian Flores - Vikings DC

Matt Nagy - Chiefs OC

Kliff Kingsbury - former Commanders OC

Robert Saleh - 49ers DC

Joe Brady - Bills OC

Kevin Stefanski - former Browns head coach

Cleveland Browns 

Todd Monken - Ravens OC

Aden Durde - Seahawks DC

Dan Pitcher - Bengals OC

Tommy Rees - Browns OC

Jim Schwartz - Browns DC

Mike McDaniel - former Dolphins head coach

Jesse Minter - Chargers DC

Las Vegas Raiders

Vance Joseph - Broncos DC

Klint Kubiak - Seahawks OC

Davis Webb - Broncos QB coach

Matt Nagy - Chiefs OC

Miami Dolphins

Klint Kubiak - Seahawks OC

Robert Saleh - 49ers DC

Chris Shula - Rams DC

For merely sentimental reasons, it’d be pretty cool to see Don Shula’s grandson coaching the Dolphins. 

General Manager

Atlanta Falcons

Ian Cunningham - Bears assistant GM

Josh Williams - 49ers director of scouting football

Miami Dolphins

Chad Alexander - Chargers assistant GM

Champ Kelly - Dolphins interim GM

Jon-Eric Sullivan - Packers VP of Player Personnel

Josh Williams - 49ers director of scouting football

The Dolphins acted fast as they found their new general manager: Jon-Eric Sullivan. 

Flea Flicker Wild Card Predictions

It’s the playoffs! Here are some guesses at the Wild Card games. 

Los Angeles Rams @ Carolina Panthers

Pick: Rams

This is the most wide open playoffs that I can remember. The Panthers are the one team I don’t see with a chance.

Green Bay Packers @ Chicago Bears

Pick: Packers

It’s the third game this season in the most contested rivalry in league history. The Bears lost the first one and got a lucky win in the second. It seems like the Bears need Caleb Williams miracles to win any game. That’s no way to be consistently successful.

Buffalo Bills @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Pick: Bills

This is more a pick of Josh Allen than anything. 

San Francisco 49ers @ Philadelphia Eagles

Pick: 49ers

This may be more wanting the 49ers to win than thinking they win.

Los Angeles Chargers @ New England Patriots

Pick: Chargers

Justin Herbert finally gets a playoff win.

Houston Texans @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Pick: Texans

The Steelers are right there with the Panthers as teams with zero chance in a wide open playoffs. 

Minnesota Vikings Futures Contracts

The first move of any NFL offseason is the signing of players to futures contracts. As a fan of a team, it’s a sad reminder that a season is over. On Monday, the Minnesota Vikings signed eight players to futures contracts. 

Dontae Fleming, WR

Kahlef Hailassie, S

Josh Ross, LB

Vershon Lee, OL

Caleb Etienne, OT

Joaquin Davis, WR

Jeshaun Jones, WR

Bryson Nesbit, TE

All eight players were on the Vikings practice squad. Their shot with the Vikings continues. Perhaps more exciting, the Vikings signed two players out of the Canadian Football League. 

Jaylon Hutchings, DL

Jacob Roberts, LB

Adding new players is always exciting. Both players played for the Calgary Stampeders. 

Jaylon Hutchings was named All-CFL in his single season with the Stampeders. With eight sacks and 39 tackles, he was one of the league’s best defensive linemen. Undrafted out of Texas Tech in the 2024 NFL Draft, Hutchings signed with the Chicago Bears but was released during roster cutdowns. Then it was on to Canada. It’s difficult to not think of Jalen Redmond when seeing the signing of Hutchings. Both probably would’ve been drafted out of college if not for health concerns. Both were signed out of another professional football league. Both play on the defensive line. Redmond started making his presence felt at the end of the 2024 season. So much so, he was one of the team’s most intriguing players going into the 2025 season. He was all set to become an important part of the Vikings defensive linemen rotation. He performed so well during training camp that Harrison Phillips was traded to the New York Jets. In his first season as a starter, Jalen Redmond became an impact player, a Pro Bowl snub, and a franchise fixture moving forward. Maybe, Jaylon Hutchings can take a similar path.

Jacob Roberts played college football at North Carolina AT&T and Wake Forest. Undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft, he headed to the CFL. He joined the Calgary Stampeders during the 2024 season. In a full 2025 season, Roberts had a team-leading 93 tackles. He also had four sacks, a forced fumble, and 10 special teams tackles. Now, he has an NFL shot with the Vikings.

Flea Flicker 2025 NFL Awards

Here’s a look at some of the best players of the 2025 NFL season. 

Most Valuable Player

Myles Garrett, DE, Cleveland Browns

This award doesn’t always have to go a quarterback. This was a year in which definitely shouldn’t go to a quarterback. 

Offensive Player of the Year

Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons

Defensive Player of the Year

Myles Garrett, DE, Cleveland Browns

Comeback Player of the Year

Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers

Coach of the Year

Mike Vrabel, New England Patriots

Offensive Rookie of the Year

Tyler Warren, TE, Indianapolis Colts

Defensive Rookie of the Year

Carson Schwesinger, LB, Cleveland Browns

All-Pro Team

Quarterback

Drake Maye, New England Patriots

Running Back

Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons

Fullback

C.J. Ham, Minnesota Vikings 

Wide Receivers

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattles Seahawks

Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams

Tight End

Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals

Offensive Tackles

Trent Williams, San Francisco 49ers

Penei Sewell, Detroit Lions

Offensive Guards

Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis Colts

Quinn Meinerz, Denver Broncos

Center

Aaron Brewer, Miami Dolphins

Defense

Edge Rushers

Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns 

Danielle Hunter, Houston Texans

Interior Defensive Linemen

Jeffery Simmons, Tennessee Titans

Leonard Williams, Seattle Seahawks

Linebackers

Zach Baun, Philadelphia Eagles

Blake Cashman, Minnesota Vikings

Devin Loyd, Jacksonville Jaguars

Cornerbacks

Derrick Stingley Jr., Houston Texans

Devon Witherspoon, Seattle Seahawks

Safeties

Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore Ravens

Jalen Pitre, Houston Texans

Special Teams

Kicker

Will Reichard, Minnesota Vikings

Punter

Ryan Wright, Minnesota Vikings

Long Snapper

Andrew DePaola, Minnesota Vikings 

Kick Returner

Ray Davis, Buffalo Bills

Punt Returner

Chimere Dike, Tennessee Titans

Minnesota Vikings 2025 Superlatives

I already miss Minnesota Vikings football. Seeing as the Vikings have never won a Super Bowl, every season has ended with disappointment. The day that it doesn’t is coming! And it’s coming soon! Anyway, that day is for another day. This day is a little look back at the season that just ended. Here are some of the Minnesota Vikings Superlatives for the 2025 season.

Most Valuable Player

Justin Jefferson, WR

The Minnesota Vikings 2025 season was frustrating. Much of those frustrations was seen weekly in the face of the face of the team. Justin Jefferson is the team’s best player. He’s the best receiver in the league and one of the best the league has ever seen. He’s a game-changer and too often this season he wasn’t given the chance to change games. The Vikings focused on fixing the offensive line in the offseason. They overhauled the interior. The five expected starters played a total of 83 snaps together. 83! That’s a robust number for a single game. It’s a tiny number for an entire season. Injuries forced the Vikings to start a different offensive line in nearly every game. Right guard Will Fries was the only offensive lineman that played every game. The offensive line injuries and the resulting inconsistencies were a big reason the Vikings offense struggled for much of the season. The quarterbacks were under siege. Starter J.J. McCarthy missed 7 games to three injuries. Backup Carson Wentz played most of his five games with a seriously injured left shoulder. It was an injury that ultimately required surgery and ended his season. Third-string Max Brosmer was forced to start two games and finish two other games. He wasn’t ready. All of those difficulties was easily seen in Jefferson’s frustrations this year. Far too often he was never given the opportunity to change games. His statistics reflected that. It’s actually remarkable that he was still able to pass 1000 receiving yards for the season. It might be more appropriate to award a defensive player the team’s MVP award. Or even the kicker. It can be argued that Will Reichard had the best season of any Vikings player. I’m going with Justin Jefferson for the leadership that he showed throughout a very difficult season.

Offensive Player of the Year

Will Fries, G

The Viking offense wasn’t good in 2025. Injuries throughout the offensive line were a big part of that. Will Fries was one of the big free agent signings of the offseason. He missed most of his final season with the Indianapolis Colts with a severely broken leg. Perhaps as a result of that, it might’ve taken a while to get his feet back under him this season. He improved with each week. Most importantly, he was the only offensive lineman that was available for every game. For that reason, he’s the Vikings Offensive Player of the Year. 

Defensive Player of the Year

Jalen Redmond, DL

As a rookie, Jalen Redmond was a revelation late last season. Going into this season, it felt like he’d have a significant rotational role on the defensive line. Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave were big free agent additions. Harrison Phillips was the team’s best run stuffer. A defensive line of Allen, Phillips, and Hargrave was expected to be a team strength. It became evident through training camp that Redmond was ready for an even bigger role. A much bigger role. He was performing so well that Phillips was deemed expendable and was traded to the New York Jets. Redmond earned a starting role. The Vikings defense eventually rounded into one of the league’s best. Jalen Redmond was a big reason for that. He was a Pro Bowl snub. Hopefully, the All-Pro voters will treat him more fairly. With six sacks, he was one of the league’s best interior pass rushers. His 62 tackles help show his impact against the run. 

Jalen Redmond has emerged as one of the team’s defensive fixtures. 

Special Teams Player of the Year

Will Reichard, K

The Vikings actually have some contenders for this award. Punter Ryan Wright had his best season. Rookie Myles Price emerged as an impact returner. Despite that, this is an easy one. Will Reichard had an absolutely ridiculous season. He was perfect on extra points. There’s an argument that he was also perfect on field goals. The record book will show that Reichard missed two field goals. His first miss of the season hit a camera wire in London. His second miss might’ve hit a camera wire. With a long of 62 yards, the Vikings are in Reichard’s range when they reach the 50-yard line. 

The Vikings have a problematic kicking history. After two seasons with Will Reichard, I no longer cringe when the Vikings kicker comes on the field. 

Rookie of the Year

Donovan Jackson, G

I thought that Donovan Jackson was terrific from the start. In reality, he had a steady rise through the season. Wrist surgery after the win over the Cincinnati Bengals kept him out of the international games. He also missed the Seattle Seahawks game. In his 14 games as a rookie, he played like the guard the Vikings have long sought.  Jackson and Christian Darrisaw will form one of the best left sides in the league. 

Offseason Addition of the Year

Eric Wilson, LB

The Vikings hit the free agency jackpot in 2024. The 2025 class didn’t have quite the impact but there are multiple contenders for this award. Running back Jordan Mason and guard Will Fries on offense. Linebacker Eric Wilson and cornerback Isaiah Rodgers on defense. The decision is actually an easy one. When Eric Wilson was signed in the offseason it made for a nice story. He started his career in Minnesota in 2017. For four years, he was a very good special teams player and reliable backup on defense. The he left for the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency and eventually found a home with a solid three-year run with the Green Bay Packers. His return to Minnesota was a nice homecoming. Blake Cashman’s injury in Week 1 put him on the field. He played so well that the Vikings couldn’t take him off. There were several games in which Wilson was the team’s most impactful defensive player. He was no longer just a reliable backup. He was an integral part of one of the league’s best defenses. His stats rank with the best off-the-ball linebackers in the league.

115 tackles

6.5 sacks

17 tackles for loss

4 forced fumbles

Signed as a supplemental player, Wilson played at a Pro Bowl/All-Pro level.

Assistant Coach of the Year

Brian Flores, Defensive Coordinator

This award is as easy as the Special Teams Player of the Year. After getting though some early injuries, the Vikings defense really hit their stride over the last half of the season. Over the past month, they might’ve been the league’s best defense. Brian Flores deserves another head coaching opportunity. My dream is that he’s the Vikings defensive coordinator for life. 

Minnesota Vikings Week 18 Superlatives

The Minnesota Vikings closed their 2025 season with a 16-3 domination of the Green Bay Packers. It really wasn’t that close. The Packers never once threatened to make it a game. Like many teams around the league, the Packers were pansies and played the Week 18 regular season like it was a preseason game. It was a pathetic look for the league. Here are some of the Vikings players that made this win over a big division rival possible. 

Offensive Player of the Game

Justin Jefferson, WR

Many of the Vikings frustrations throughout this frustrating season have been reflected in Justin Jefferson. Statistically and emotionally. For a player so capable of impacting and taking over games, it’s been a rough season. Despite those difficulties, he only needed 53 yards against the Packers to reach 1000 yards. He got 101. 

Defensive Player of the Game

Dallas Turner, OLB

A year ago, many fans and pundits were babbling about putting Dallas Turner in the bust bucket. They aren’t babbling about that now. Turner often looked like the player that he was drafted to be. Dominant. He had two sacks against the Packers. The first forced a fumble. 

Special Teams Player of the Game

Will Reichard, K

It can be argued that Will Reichard has been the Vikings Most Valuable Player this season. He’s been consistently great all season. He’s only missed two field goal attempts on the season. One of those misses hit a camera wire. The second might’ve done so. He was perfect on extra point attempts on the season. Against the Packers, he made all three field goals and the single extra point. 

Vikings - Packers

If a Minnesota Vikings season has to come to an end, it’s nice to end it with a domination of the Green Bay Packers. The final score was 16-3. The Packers closed the game with a meaningless field goal. It was meaningless in that it ultimately didn’t matter. I suppose it was meaningful for the Packers as it allowed them to avoid a shutout. 

The Vikings finished the season with a five-game win streak. The Packers are riding into the playoffs on a three-game losing streak. Good time for a lie down. 

As was the case with many of the league’s Week 18 games, the Packers essentially sat out this game. It’s pathetic that so many teams are turning the final week of the regular season into a preseason game. The league has a problem and the Packers are a part of it. Very nice. I guess it’s still a sweet thing to see the Vikings dominate the Packers. 

The highlight of this game was seeing Justin Jefferson get 100 receiving yards for the game and especially get 1000 receiving yards for the season. This has been a very difficult season. Much of the difficulties are reflected in Jefferson’s season statistically and emotionally. With all of the issues that the team encountered, it’s actually remarkable that the Vikings had a winning 9-8 record and Jefferson finished with 1048 yards. 

As for the game, the Vikings managed only 16 points. It could’ve/should’ve been so much more. They settled for three field goals. Of course those could’ve/should’ve been touchdowns. The Packers defense put up marginal resistance. They couldn’t stop Jefferson. They couldn’t tackle Jordan Mason. Jefferson was basically through when he hit 100 yards. He played three quarters. Mason only had 14 carries. The offense took a hit when J.J. McCarthy left the game after a single pass in the second half. A hairline fracture on his right hand kept him out of the Christmas Day win over the Detroit Lions. Many pundits and fans didn’t think that he should be playing in this “meaningless” Week 18 game. I’m glad they aren’t making that decision. Every opportunity McCarthy had to play this season was worth something. I don’t get how anyone would think otherwise. Before he left the game, McCarthy was playing well. He had a couple throws and a couple decisions that he might like back. Other than those instances, he played well. With 182 passing yards in essentially a half of football, he was looking to throw for well over 300 yards. The Vikings were looking to score many more than 16 points. It appeared that his hand issues returned after throwing 23 passes. Every opportunity McCarthy has to see an NFL defense, even a Packers defense simply going through the motions, has value. In my opinion, he took advantage of his final opportunity of the 2025 season. I can’t wait for his 2026 season. 

The Vikings defense was great. Again. Even acknowledging they were facing QB3 Clayton Tune, they were great. The Vikings defense has been great for well over a month. It’s surprising that this strong defensive run has been done with Jonathan Greenard and Joshua Metellus sidelined with injuries. The duo are team leaders on and off the field. In Greenard’s place, Dallas Turner has been dynamite. He sacked Tune twice. On the first sack, he forced a fumble. Unfortunately, the Packers recovered. With sack yardage factored into the passing numbers, the Packers passed for -7 yards. They gained only 121 total yards. It was a dominating performance from the Vikings defense. It would’ve been nice if it’d remained a shutout. 

It’s always a sad deal to see a Minnesota Vikings season end. There was a particular sting to this one as Harrison Smith and C.J. Ham were removed from the game with great applause and congratulations from teammates and fans. I’ve been reluctant to accept it but it feels like this was the last game of the great Vikings career of Smith. If it’s Ham’s last game, it’s nice that he got a touchdown.

Even with the frustrations of this season, it’s tough to see it end. I suppose the five-game winning streak pushes the belief that this season could’ve been so much different. They finished a half game out of the playoffs. A couple breaks here or there and the Vikings are a playoff team. They were 4-2 in the NFC North. They were 7-5 in the NFC. Those are better records than several of the playoff teams. It’s been a frustrating season and it’s frustrating to see it end. 

Up next is the offseason. 

Green Bay Packers All - Time My - Time Team

In advance of Minnesota Vikings games, I’ve been selecting an All-Time team of that week’s opponent. The Vikings play division rivals twice. To avoid doing something that I’ve already done here’s something different. This is an All-Time Green Bay Packers team made up of players that played during my time as a Vikings fan. 

Offense

Quarterback

Aaron Rodgers

Running Back

Ahman Green

Fullback

William Henderson

Wide Receivers

Sterling Sharpe

James Lofton

Davante Adams

Tight End

Paul Coffman

Offensive Tackles

David Bakhtiari

Bryan Bulaga 

Offensive Guards

Gale Gillingham

Josh Sitton

Center

Frank Winters

Defense

Defensive Ends

Reggie White

Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila

Defensive Tackles

Mike Daniels

Kenny Clark

Linebackers

Clay Matthews

Johnny Holland

Fred Carr

Cornerbacks

Charles Woodson

Jaire Alexander

Safeties

LeRoy Butler

Nick Collins

Special Teams

Kicker 

Ryan Longwell

Punter

Craig Hentrich 

Kick Returner

Randall Cobb

Is He Playing Day? Day 2

The Minnesota Vikings host the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. It’s the final game of a disappointing season for the Vikings. The Packers are headed to the playoffs. The Vikings are on a four-game win streak. The Packers have lost three straight. The Vikings are aiming for a fifth consecutive win. The Packers are starting Clayton Tune at quarterback. The Vikings appear to be the only team looking to win on Sunday. The Packers are apparently content with riding into the playoffs on the high of four consecutive losses. Nice.

The question of the week for the Vikings has been the playing status of quarterback J.J. McCarthy. He missed last week’s Christmas Day game against the Detroit Lions with a hairline fracture in his throwing hand. “Is he playing?” It’s been moving in the “playing” direction since he checked his grip strength with trainers on Tuesday. It continued moving in the “playing” direction on Wednesday when was a limited participant in the first practice of the week. Yesterday, he was listed as a full participant. Oh, he’s playing. That’s good news for plenty of reasons. One of the most significant is that receiver Justin Jefferson needs 53 yards to hit 1000 yards on the season. 53 is much more attainable with McCarthy throwing the ball than Max Brosmer. As with the team as a whole, this has been a difficult season for Jefferson. With the availability issues at quarterback and the revolving door of offensive linemen, the Vikings offense has often been terrible. It’s actually remarkable that Jefferson is even within shot of the milestone. McCarthy at quarterback is the best way for Jefferson to get there. 

Then there’s the whole deal of actually playing an NFL regular season game to win. All teams should and few teams are this weekend. Preseason-like games in Week 18 have become an annual thing since Roger Goodell forced a 17th game on the football-watching public. Is it going to be two weeks of this shit when he and the greedy owners bump it to 18? 

If the Vikings were pansies like the Packers, they’d be shutting J.J. McCarthy down for the season. There’d be no harm in it. There’d probably be no criticism either. There’d also be no honor. One more game of experience can only be a positive thing for a 22-year old rookie. Not to mention, playing to win an NFL regular season is always a good thing. 

 

Is he playing? Oh yes, he’s playing. 

Is He Playing? Day 1

The Minnesota Vikings are playing the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. It’s Week 18 of the long 2025 NFL Season. The Vikings will not be part of the playoffs. That was determined weeks ago. The Packers will be part of the playoffs. The Vikings gave them that opportunity with a Christmas Day defeat of the Detroit Lions. The Vikings are riding a four-game win streak. The Packers have lost their last three games. It’s wild that in this game between long-time division rivals, the Vikings are the team that appear more interested in winning it. 

The NFL expanded the season to 17 games in 2021. It was a money-grab. The league didn’t add an extra week of exciting professional football. If Commissioner Roger Goodell saw an extra week of division-deciding, playoff-impacting games, he was a fool. What he got, what we all got, was a week filled with games that are more like preseason games. Of the 16 games this week, a whopping three mean something to the teams playing in them. It’s been like that each season since the league moved to 17 games. There was a time when every game meant something to the teams playing in them. Teams with nothing to gain played like the games meant something. Teams played through the end of the season no matter when it came. Today, teams sit out games. Vince Lombardi is rolling in his grave. Preseason games in December and January. Thanks Roger. 

The Packers are starting Clayton Tune. CLAYTON TUNE! The Packers are playing in Week 18 like it’s Week 3 of the preseason. The Vikings are playing to win. They are playing to end a disappointing season with a winning record. Considering the disappointments, that’s remarkable. Since the Vikings are playing to win in Week 18, the question this week has been: Will J.J. McCarthy play against the Packers? Right now, I’m about 85% certain that he plays. McCarthy has a hairline fracture in his throwing hand. He left the Week 16 game against the New York Giants at the half. He couldn’t grip the ball. That was evident when an unprovoked fumble ended the half. The hand is feeling better. The swelling is down. He can grip the ball. He was listed as limited in yesterday’s practice. If he practices fully today, I’m bumping my 85% guess to 100%. Until that news hits these ears, my “is he playing” on Day 1 is likely.