As the 2025 NFL season nears its end, the Minnesota Vikings face the possibility of significant changes to their coaching staff. While the team has managed to maintain much of its coaching roster from last season into 2025—a rare feat in the NFL—speculation is mounting that their luck may soon run out. A recent ESPN feature from June 16, 2025, highlighted by a panel of experts, has pinpointed two key Vikings assistants as prime candidates for head coaching roles in the 2026 cycle, raising concerns about a potential shake-up in Minnesota.
Vikings Assistants in the Spotlight
The ESPN panel, tasked with identifying assistant coaches likely to ascend to head coaching positions in 2026, included Bears reporter Courtney Cronin and Vikings reporter Kevin Seifert, both of whom named Vikings staffers as top contenders.
Brian Flores: A Defensive Mastermind Poised for a Return?
Courtney Cronin singled out Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores as a strong candidate. She noted, “If the Vikings’ defense performs as well as it did in 2024 (tied for first in turnovers, second in EPA/play, fifth in points allowed), expect Flores’ name to once again circulate in the head coaching cycle.” Flores, who previously served as head coach of the Miami Dolphins, interviewed for head coaching positions with the Bears, Jets, and Jaguars last year. However, his ongoing lawsuit against the NFL and publicized tensions with former Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa could complicate his prospects, particularly for teams with young quarterbacks or those planning to draft one.
Josh McCown: A Rising Star Ready to Leap?
Vikings reporter Kevin Seifert highlighted quarterbacks coach Josh McCown as another name to watch. Remarkably, 2024 marked McCown’s first full season as an NFL assistant coach, yet his potential has already drawn significant attention. Seifert pointed out that McCown declined offensive coordinator interviews last offseason but still landed an interview for the New York Jets’ head coaching job. Having previously interviewed for the Houston Texans’ top job in 2022, McCown’s rapid rise suggests he could bypass the coordinator role entirely. Seifert added, “If [J.J.] McCarthy performs well in 2025, McCown might be able to skip the coordinator level altogether.”
J.J. McCarthy Under Pressure
The Vikings’ coaching speculation comes at a time when their quarterback situation is also under scrutiny. In the same ESPN feature, Packers reporter Rob Demovsky placed Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy at the top of the NFC North’s “prove-it” list for 2025. Despite the Vikings’ status as a playoff-caliber team, McCarthy, who has yet to take an NFL snap, faces immense pressure to deliver. Demovsky noted, “McCarthy should be at the top of this list because the Vikings have been—and are expected to remain—a playoff team despite turning to a quarterback who hasn’t played an NFL snap yet.” In contrast, he ranked Green Bay’s Jordan Love and Chicago’s Caleb Williams lower on the list, suggesting McCarthy’s performance could be pivotal for Minnesota’s success—and potentially for the future of its coaching staff.
A Looming Shake-Up?
While the 2026 season is still a year away, the potential departure of key figures like Flores and McCown could disrupt the Vikings’ continuity. The NFL’s annual coaching carousel is always a spectacle, with teams vying for top talent to lead their franchises. For Vikings fans, the prospect of losing two integral coaches is bittersweet—exciting for their recognition but concerning for the team’s future stability. As the 2025 season unfolds, all eyes will be on Minnesota’s performance, both on the field and in the coaching ranks, to see if this turmoil becomes reality.