Minnesota Vikings Analyst Shares Shocking 'Hot Take' for 2026 Season

It's never too early for hot takes. One Minnesota Vikings publication is making their takes known ahead of a critical offseason for Minnesota's immediate and long-term future.

At stake for Minnesota is addressing its dire need for more offense and retaining its already strong defense. If one of those things happen, it could be a long season for the Vikings. If neither of those things happen, the Vikings could be drafting in the Top 10 in the near future.

Tony Shultz of "Vikings Territory" shared a "hot take" that could change the course of the Vikings' 2026 season. He has Brian Flores returning as co-head coach and defensive coordinator.

"The boldest move the Vikings can make is not to secure a player, but a coach. Everyone has players they want to cut or others to chase in free agency or the draft who they feel could make the team suddenly exponentially better.

The Vikings need to stay great where they already are, and that’s by locking down Brian Flores as the defensive coordinator. How? Co-head coach.

If the team avoids him getting hired by another team, then they need to add a title to the money he’s owed. I see it in no way as a threat to O’Connell’s status, but rather as a way to show they respect his coaching and that the tandem of O’Connell and Flores will get the team through the playoffs.

Without proper salary cap room, the team can’t go crazy in trades or free agency, their draft picks aren’t Top 10, and trading hasn’t yielded the ultimate outcome. Be steady with players. Be bold with the coaches."

The prediction is bold on a few fronts, but the first one is that it assumes humility on the part of head coach Kevin O'Connell and defensive coordinator Brian Flores.

The title co-head coach assumes shared responsibility even if the roles don't really change and even if Flores already is that in Minnesota behind the scenes. More than that, O'Connell already is a good head coach and the title to some may undermine that. Perhaps that's making more of the move than it actually would be, but it's possible O'Connell may not be comfortable with it.

Then you have Flores, who wants to be a head coach and probably is deserving, but still would not really be one despite the title.

Then again, as Shultz shares, it comes with a pay raise for Flores and a reliable defensive coordinator for O'Connell, who would still be the leader in Minnesota.

If the Vikings are able to pull it off, the playoffs are not that far from the team's reach. Minnesota won its last five games and finished 9-8 this season. Had they defeated the Packers in the first meeting between the two teams, perhaps we have a different view of the season.

Minnesota may not be that far from contention and retaining both O'Connell and Flores could provide the boost necessary to make the playoffs next season. The Vikings front office will presumably look to make the move happen if possible, in the next few months.