Stadiums – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Vikings’ Brian Flores Might Be Next Mike Tomlin

Posted on October 12, 2026October 12, 2026 by David Shama

Vikings’ defensive coordinator Brian Flores plays to rave reviews locally and nationally. He’s revered by Purple fans for his coaching prowess that has mostly wowed since coming to Minneapolis before the 2023 season.

He might be the best at what he does in franchise history. And Purple Nation frets about how long the Vikings can retain him, with a (small?) part of the fanbase hoping ownership will promote him to head coach replacing Kevin O’Connell.

The situation has a Vikings historical rub from about 20 years ago when Mike Tomlin, as a first-year defensive coordinator, directed a unit that was the No. 1 rushing defense and No. 8 in total yards yielded among NFL teams. The 2006 season was Tomlin’s only one with the Vikings who had a 6-10 record.

Still, he was a fan favorite and there’s been lamenting over the years that the Wilf ownership group should have dumped head coach Brad Childress in favor of Tomlin. That didn’t happen because Childress, never that popular with the fanbase, had only coached one season. Plus, Tomlin had no head coaching experience.

Tomlin departed the Vikings to become head coach of the Steelers where his tenure lasted 19 seasons. His teams made the playoffs 13 times. The Tomlin era’s highlight was winning Super Bowl XLIII in 2009.

Flores, 45, has been a head coach before and seems positioned to be one again. In three seasons with the Dolphins, 2019-2021, he had a 24-25 record with no playoff appearances.

Brian Flores, Vikings defensive coordinator, image by David Shama — Brian Flores

His was a controversial tenure in south Florida with issues that included reported strained relationships with management and ownership. After his firing, he brought a lawsuit against the NFL and multiple teams alleging systemic racial discrimination in coaching and executive hiring practices, and also retaliation for refusing to “tank” games. Litigation is still pending.

A former front office executive with NFL teams, communicating with Sports Headliners on condition of anonymity, offered perspective on Flores in a text message. “I think he will be a very good head coach (he’s learned how to better get along with all players compared to his Miami years) if he gets the opportunity with his lawsuit against the NFL and several teams—which is likely a potential stumbling block with some owners. But I think he’ll get a head job soon especially if the Vikings are a playoff team and win a playoff game or two.”

After yesterday’s 23-13 win over the Saints, the defense leads the NFL in fewest points allowed with 64. The unit is also tops in takeaways with six, third in yards allowed at 259.8 and tied for third in sacks with 17, per ESPN.com. The Vikings have the second-highest pressure rate (47.8 percent) of any defense through Week 5 since 2018, according to Next Gen Stats.

With Flores and his defense playing a major role, the Vikings are 5-0 this season and 9-0 dating back to last season.

In Flores’ first three seasons leading Minnesota’s defense (2023-25), the Vikings limited their opponents to 19.2 points per game (second-fewest league wide) and 317.1 yards per game, including 5.1 yards per play (ranking fourth).

What makes Flores so effective at what he does? “Flores is very creative and extremely aggressive with his blitzes, and he has smart players with experience in his system who can play multiple spots as rushers or droppers into coverage (such as Andrew Van Ginkel, Kyle Van Noy, Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson),” the source wrote. “He confuses QBs and o-linemen who don’t know who is rushing and who is dropping so he can scheme their best pass rusher, Dallas Turner, into sometimes being unblocked or one-on-one versus a tight end (as at the end of the win in Chicago).

“He’s certainly one of the two or three best DCs in the league today.”

Worth Noting

The same source offering his view on the Vikings trading quarterback J.J. McCarthy for a fifth-round draft choice to the Giants: “…I think they should’ve kept him this season as insurance if (Kyler) Murray and/or (Carson) Wentz gets hurt—then McCarthy is a much better option (with 10 starts and a 6-4 record) than (Max) Brosmer.

“They probably could’ve gotten a fifth for him at the November trade deadline or after the season. And they should’ve gotten an upgraded (contingent) draft pick if he starts and is successful with Giants, but they probably asked for the upgrade and were turned down… .

“McCarthy has the talent to be a good NFL QB, but he needs to become a much more accurate passer and prove he can stay healthy.”

The passing of former Bears tight end great and head coach Mike Ditka is a reminder about his dislike of the Metrodome. As Chicago’s coach in the 1980’s he reportedly said: “I just don’t like indoor domes,” Ditka said. “They weren’t meant for football. Football is meant to play it outside and on grass… .Indoor domes should be useful for roller rinks. That’s all they should be for. Roller skating.”

Vikings general manager Mike Lynn trolled Ditka by sending him a pair of roller skates which he wore in the Bears’ office.

Deep condolences to family and friends of Dick Hunegs, from St. Louis Park, who passed away at age 95 on September 27. A terrific trial lawyer, Dick was a passionate Golden Gophers football fan. He died at home watching his beloved team on TV playing the Washington Huskies.

Ironically, as a nine-year-old he attended his first Gopher game on September 28, 1940, watching Minnesota defeat the Huskies in Minneapolis.

The 2026 Gophers, who defeated the Huskies last month and were awful in their most recent game last Saturday against Purdue, are 4-2 on the season and 2-1 in Big Ten games. Minnesota has defeated one team with a winning record, Michigan, 3-2. The combined record of Minnesota’s six opponents is 16 wins and 18 losses.

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100 Special Number as U Gets Jug Win over Michigan

Posted on October 4, 2026October 4, 2026 by David Shama

Minnesota scored a win for the history books yesterday with its 20-14 victory over Michigan in the 100^th game to determine possession of the Little Brown Jug. The victory also gave P.J. Fleck his 100^th career (Gophers and Western Michigan) coaching win.

Gopher football coach P.J. Fleck — P.J. Fleck

The Gophers defeated the Wolverines at home for the first time since 1977 and only third time this millennium. An emotional Fleck said other than marrying his wife and birth of his children, Saturday may have been “the best day” of his life.

Fleck crowd surfed on the set of Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff” prior to the 11 a.m. game. After the game, as usual following a victory, the exuberant 45-year-old did his surfing routine in the locker room with his jubilant players.

Thousands from the delirious sellout crowd stormed the field in celebration following the nationally televised game. Stadium speakers blasted “Mr. Brightside” by the Killers. It was a troll on the visitors with the song being a favorite at Michigan Stadium.

The Gophers, 4-1 overall, have started the Big Ten season 2-0 for the first time since 2019. That team finished 11-2 including a bowl win over Auburn and excelled at one score wins.

The 2026 Gophers had a big three-point win at Washington last weekend and sustained success against the Michigan team ranked top 25 earlier in the year.

Minnesota’s program has a long history of losing games following quality upsets against prominent foes. That was the case in 1977 when Minnesota defeated No. 1 Michigan 16-0 at old Memorial Stadium. The next two Saturdays the Gophers lost Big Ten games.

But yesterday for Gopher fans was a time to savor a Jug triumph and remember the best of the past in the series. Minnesota not only has the win in the 100^th matchup but also won in the 50^th meeting when the Gophers upset No. 5 Michigan in Minneapolis in 1953.

The all-time record in battles for the Jug stands at 73-24-3 in Michigan’s favor. The rivalry wasn’t always so lopsided in the battle for possession of college football’s oldest travelling trophy that had its inception after the 1903 tie between the two schools. The Gophers beat Michigan nine consecutive times from 1934-1942. And took three straight from 1960-1962.

The old-timers reveled in the Michigan rivalry. Mike Wilkinson, now in his 80s and author of the biography on former Gophers’ coach Murray Warmath, posted this on the Sports Headliners website last week: “My old man used to say that if…(Minnesota) lost every game and its lone victory was against Michigan then the season was a success.”

Well, the Gophers will get more wins than the Little Brown Jug triumph this year but the victory will stand close or at the top of 2026 highlights. Wouldn’t it be something if for the first time since Warmath’s 1967 team the Gophers swept all three of their most historic and important rivalry trophies, adding Floyd of Rosedale and Paul Bunnyan’s Axe to the showcase?

Worth Noting

Sailgating on Lake Washington was a hit with Gophers fans who arrived at the Husky Stadium docks after partying and prior to kickoff for last weekend’s game with Washington. The stadium not so much. It is over 105 years old and needs upgrades such as lighting, signage and video boards.

In a cool tie to the past Sports Headliners reader Steve Hunegs reported via email he stayed at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel in Seattle. That’s the same place (then the Olympic Hotel) the 1941 Gopher team stayed when Minnesota’s defending national champions won 14-6 on their way to a second consecutive title.

The 2026 Gophers stayed in a Seattle suburb.

A total of 19 former men’s Gopher hockey players were on opening night NHL rosters when the season began last week. No NCAA program has more all-time NHL alums than the Gophers with over 130.

Minneapolis-based attorney, sports historian and Sports Headliners advertiser Marshall Tanick will be the keynote speaker next Sunday (October 11) for a program at the Brookview Recreation Center in Golden Valley. Tanick’s presentation is “Jews in Baseball” and will be a highlight of the annual meeting of the Jewish Historical Society of the Upper Midwest (JHSUM).

Tanick’s presentation will include legendary pitcher Sandy Koufax’s famous absence in the 1965 World Series of his Dodgers against the Twins when he sat out a game because of Yom Kippur. Also, insights on Hank Greenberg’s pursuit of Babe Ruth’s single season home run record, All-Star catcher and World War II spy Mike Berg, the Jew who wrote “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” (before he ever attended a game) and the Jew who fixed the 1919 World Series. More information is available at https://www.jhsum.org/.

It will be stunning if Ryan Jeffers returns to the Twins next season. There’s no strong indication from the front office or ownership the Twins intend to give the free agent starting catcher a multi-year deal to lock him up.

The 29-year-old Jeffers is among MLB’s best at his position and at his age he may never again have the opportunity to land a career best contract. The Twins would be smart to at least offer him a one-year $23 million deal that guarantees the franchise a compensatory draft pick if Jeffers signs elsewhere.

The Twins will have a gaping hole in the lineup without the catching and hitting prowess of Jeffers. Owner Tom Pohlad is on record with intending to expand the team payroll, but it looks like the club prefers to spend the money elsewhere.

The view here is the team would be better off parting with the 32-year-old often injured Byron Buxton and use some of that money to sign Jeffers. He has a no-trade $100 million contract with the Twins that runs through 2028. The pros outnumber the cons for huddling during the offseason and figuring out a new home for the long-time fan favorite.

Tim Connelly, the basketball boss of the Timberwolves who open their season later this month, said last week he believes his team is championship caliber. BetMGM agreed last week listing the Wolves odds of +2500 (same as the Cav’s and Nuggets) as tied for sixth best among NBA contenders.

The top five are the Thunder and Spurs (tied at +260), Sixers (+850), Knicks (+900) and Celtics (+1400).

Connelly said Wolves Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett, now a team ambassador, will not have a “day to day role” with the club, perhaps indicating he won’t be a prime decision maker on personnel.

Comments Welcome

Better Hurry for Minnesota-Iowa Tickets at the Bank

Posted on September 18, 2026September 18, 2026 by David Shama

As of this week, the University of Minnesota is projecting the Iowa game as the lone sellout for the 2026 home football schedule.

The October 24 game not only matches the Golden Gophers against a historic neighboring rival, but it’s also Homecoming for the U. Many of the single game tickets will be purchased by Iowa fans, with the Hawkeyes expected to bring the largest contingency of out of state fans to Huntington Bank Stadium in 2026.

Single game tickets start at around $100 and range much higher. With the Athletic Department projecting a reported $9 million deficit for the school year per the Pioneer Press, extra revenue will be welcome.

Sports Headliners received extensive football ticket sales information this week from the University through the public records process. As of September 12, a total of 22,174 public season tickets had been sold. The total in 2025 was 23,084.

This is the fourth consecutive year of decline in public season tickets purchased. The 2024 total was 23,592, and 25,396 tickets were sold in 2023. That’s a 12 percent decrease in four years from a ticket stream expected to fill half or more of the 50,805-seat stadium.

The U report said lifestyle changes such as health and age, preferences to purchase single game or mini-plans tickets, and cost of living were common reasons for not renewing season tickets this year. Less frequently cited were “team performance, transfer portal, campus issues, etc.”

Gophers football stadium celebration after defeating Badgers — Gophers-Badgers 2021 game at Huntington Bank Stadium photo by Marshall Tanick

The 25,396 total in 2023 is a record for public season tickets during the head coach P.J. Fleck era that began in 2017. The 2022 and 2021 teams both won nine games with winning records in Big Ten games, while memories were more recent than of the 2019 squad that was 11-2 overall, 7-2 in the Big Ten and No. 10 in the final Associated Press national poll.

The last three seasons the Gophers have twice had 8-5 overall season records, while going 6-7 in 2023 (a total of 13 wins and 14 league losses during the span). Disappointment has settled in now after a walloping at home by Mississippi State last Saturday, 38-13.

The announced average attendance for home games last season was 46,512. For this season the projection is 46,000.

The definition of announced attendance is tickets distributed. Turnstile count gives a more accurate figure as to people in the stadium.

The total turnstile count in 2025 was 261,694. That’s a seven-game average of 37,385.

The U is projecting a turnstile total of 260,000 in 2026. (The total in 2024 was 258,570).

Ticket pricing from last year has changed only in that sales tax is added to the total. In the past it was netted out of the price. Before taxes and fees, season tickets range from $310 to $1,500.

The public season tickets total includes the Gopher Pass and faculty-staff purchases. The Gopher Pass is a mobile ticket allowing fans access to all home games with either a seat or standing room if the game is sold out. The Gopher Pass costs $249 before tax and fee.

One public ticket category that has increased is mini-plan (multiple games) ticket sales—1,717 versus 1,136 last year. Public group ticket sales are 5,960 versus 7,615 in 2025.

Student season ticket sales are 7,106 after totaling 7,978 a year ago. That is the fourth consecutive year of decline with the highest total in 2023 with 8,545 sold. The 2024 total was 8,013.

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