The Washington Commanders have made their ambitious pitch to Brian Flores about being their new defensive coordinator. Whether it comes off is another matter, but head coach Dan Quinn deserves credit for going after the best candidates available.
Flores is in high demand. The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers have or will interview him for their head-coaching vacancies, and many around the league believe this is the year where he could get his second shot. If not, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell is supremely confident that the NFC North club has a package in place to retain his expertise.
The Commanders will be hoping Flores chooses them. They probably got a good indication of whether that was possible during their meeting, and his previous connection to general manager Adam Peters from their time together on the New England Patriots won't be enough to pull off this monumental coup.
Brian Flores could be using the Commanders for leverage, but Dan Quinn is covering his bases
Factoring this into the equation, one has to wonder why Flores would seriously consider a lateral move to the Commanders. This became a subject of fierce debate on 106.7 The Fan, with one host proclaiming that it was nothing more than a leverage play from the aggressive coordinator to drive up the price in Minnesota while waiting for confirmation on his chances of becoming a head coach.
Why would Brian Flores take the DC job with the Commanders? pic.twitter.com/0iRJOKnjYH
— 106.7 The Fan (@1067theFan) January 14, 2026
It's a fair assumption, and this sort of thing happens all the time.
Flores may not have been expecting a call from the Steelers while he was speaking to Quinn. That's changed the landscape considerably, so if he did give the Commanders some inkling that he would consider taking the place of Joe Whitt Jr., they may be willing to sit tight. Even if that means possibly losing other targets.
At the same time, the Commanders are interviewing other candidates. Seattle Seahawks' defensive backs coach/pass game coordinator Karl Scott and former Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon were the latest. Flores would be the biggest prize by a considerable margin, but there is just no telling for sure if Washington can pull it off.
Leverage is everything. Flores has it all, and he is making the most of it.
The Vikings won't want to lose Flores, so they'll move heaven and earth to get a deal done if the Ravens and Steelers go in different directions. There are many unknowns, which is unsettling. But the fact that he was willing to hear Quinn and Peters out is the one positive fans are clinging to until the next move arrives.
Flores is in a good spot, and the Commanders have alternatives to ensure they aren't caught on the back foot. But for fans, it's a waiting game for now.