Fresh Nopedy Nopes are alive and well for the 2026 Minnesota Vikings , as the calendar has flipped to the offseason. Minnesota ended the 2025 campaign with a winning record , though it did so in the least exciting way imaginable.
Three offseason takes are on repeat: Flores to Dallas , a "broken" cap, and the COTY curse.
Our Nopedy Nopes do not rest, and these are items in the Vikings' current orbit that are strange, wrong, and too bombastic to believe.
The following Vikings-themed theories are nothingburgers or just not accurate.
Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores watches from the sideline during an NFC wild card matchup against the Los Angeles Rams on Jan 13, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale. Flores remained focused as Minnesota's defense battled through a high-pressure postseason environment with the season hanging in the balance. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Nopedy Nope: Brian Flores will leave the Vikings to become the Dallas Cowboys ' defensive coordinator.
Last week, NBC Sports ' Mike Florio floated the Cowboys as a potential landing spot for Brian Flores in 2026, framing him as a defensive coordinator option worth monitoring.
This time, The Athletic' s Jon Machota echoed the idea : "Why would he leave the Minnesota Vikings' top defense to coach Dallas' struggling group? It's a fair question. Flores wants to again be an NFL head coach."
"Fixing the Cowboys' defense would likely have the same impact it had on Dan Quinn . Turn it around and your name is right back near the top of the head-coaching candidates list. Flores' defenses do exactly what the Cowboys were missing this season. They're aggressive and great at disguising their intentions."
Dallas fielded a respectable defense before trading pass rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers four months ago, a move that stripped the unit of its anchor and later sunk the Cowboys' dreams of a winning season.
Machota added, "Whoever Dallas picks, those two traits should be exactly what they're seeking. Flores was on the New England Patriots coaching staff from 2008-2018 before becoming Miami Dolphins head coach in 2019. During those 11 seasons in New England, the Patriots went to five Super Bowls, winning three."
With that, two separate national voices have now connected Flores to a defensive coordinator role in Dallas.
There is no reason whatsoever for Flores to move laterally around the league. It just doesn't make sense, unless one assumes that the Vikings' owners will suddenly get cheap and refuse to pay Flores.
The Verdict: Nopedy Nope on Flores taking defensive coordinator jobs not in Minnesota. Why on earth would he do that?
The Nopedy Nope: The Vikings' cap space problem at the moment is debilitating.
Staring at a salary cap deficit projected between $30–$40 million entering the offseason, the Vikings don't appear to be frazzled. The Athletic' s Alec Lewis reported this week , "Minnesota's brass is not sweating the cap situation, even if they know there's not as much flexibility as last year."
"This is also a major reason the Vikings accumulated draft capital for 2026, with at least nine picks projected once compensatory selections are awarded."
Minnesota entered last year's draft with just five selections. This time, the organization has positioned itself to rely more heavily on youth, which is needed given that some of the roster is aging.
Lewis then outlined where meaningful savings could come from: "Cutting ties with both players would create almost $20 million in cap space. Running back Aaron Jones and tight end T.J. Hockenson are also expected to be the subjects of meaningful internal conversations."
"Separating from them would free up about $17 million more in cap space. Combined, these four decisions would bring the Vikings close to the black. Extensions and restructures are expected, too. O'Neill is entering the final year of his deal. Signing him to an extension would allow the Vikings to shrink his $23 million cap number."
Outlined like that, it seems the Vikings had this scenario planned all along.
Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah addresses the media at the NFL Scouting Combine on Feb 25, 2025, speaking at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. The appearance came as Minnesota evaluated draft prospects and weighed long-term roster decisions during a pivotal offseason window. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Lewis concluded, "Linebacker Blake Cashman is in a comparable position, as his contract is set to void after the 2026 season. The Vikings also have levers to pull with the following players to convert base salaries to signing bonuses, creating money for the present: receiver Justin Jefferson , edge rusher Jonathan Greenard , edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel , cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. , tight end Josh Oliver , Darrisaw and Fries."
The options are there for salary cap relief.
The Verdict: Nopedy nope on salary cap panic; Minnesota can pull a few levers and be cap compliant in a jiffy.
The Nopedy Nope: Kevin O'Connell is a Coach of the Year winner, and his job security is safe for the foreseeable future.
These are the last several COTY recipients:
2018: Matt Nagy ( Chicago Bears
)
2019: John Harbaugh ( Baltimore Ravens
)
2020: Kevin Stefanski ( Cleveland Browns
)
2021: Mike Vrabel ( Tennessee Titans
)
2022: Brian Daboll ( New York Giants
)
2023: Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns)
2024: Kevin O'Connell (Minnesota Vikings)
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell stands on the field before kickoff on Sep 15, 2024, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis ahead of a matchup with the San Francisco 49ers. O'Connell surveyed pregame activity as Minnesota prepared for an early-season test against a top NFC opponent. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
This is a disturbing pattern and a bad omen for O'Connell. He must win a playoff game in 2026 to avoid the fate of his COTY predecessors.
The Verdict: Nopedy nope on O'Connell's infinite job security just because he won a coach award. The thing may actually be a curse.
