Kevin O’Connell highlighted the process of prioritizing Isaiah Rodgers after historic day ‘It starts with Brian Flores’

Identifying free agent talent has been a huge positive for this regime.

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
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Sep 21, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings cornerback Isaiah Rodgers (2) prepares to punch the ball out as Cincinnati Bengals tight end Noah Fant (86) runs after the catch during the first half at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Vikings got their second win of the season, and it wasn’t even close, beating the Cincinnati Bengals 48-10. It was a complete destruction in every aspect of the game, with the Vikings leading 34-3 at halftime.

A major reason why the Vikings had such a big lead going into halftime was the presence of Isaiah Rodgers. The Vikings added Rodgers in free agency with the idea being that he would be a quality starter opposite of Byron Murphy Jr. They have been rewarded in his third game with a historic performance. Rodgers became the first player in NFL history to score two defensive touchdowns and force two fumbles in the same game, and he did it in the first half.

Brian Flores identified Isaiah Rodgers early on in free agency

Rodgers was the Vikings’ first signing in free agency, agreeing to a two-year deal worth over $11 million. It’s a common tactic the Vikings have taken with other free agents they believe to have potential much higher than their current value.

Head coach Kevin O’Connell was asked about why they targeted Rodgers, and he was very straightforward with his answer: Defensive coordinator Brian Flores.

“Well, it starts with [Brian Flores],” said O’Connell about prioritizing Rodgers in free agency. “I can remember vividly the conversation with Flores about him, and the vision pairing him with Murph [Byron Murphy Jr.], and what we thought that could be like. Flo, I don’t want to go through the time we’ve been together, and those types of names, when he’s got that tone in his voice, when he brings it to me, and we collaborate with the personnel side.

“But Isaiah is on that list of guys, and the other ones that he’s mentioned have turned out pretty darn well here. So I think it’s a matter of Flo’s impact and his ability to have vision for players like we’ve seen here with two free agencies now, where there’s been an immediate impact on our team and end up being great Minnesota Vikings for us.”

It’s no surprise that Flores was behind it. During training camp, Flores told reporters that Rodgers has been on his radar since his playing days at UMass, and it makes sense. Rodgers is a great fit for what Flores wants to do on defense, and it helps that the Vikings aren’t concerned about his smaller stature (5-10, 175 pounds).

The historic performance isn’t something we can expect to be duplicated, but his positive play over the first three games is a good sign for the unit. Rodgers will continue to find more difficult tests during the season, but passing this one against Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins is a great start.

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