Dolphins to Minnesota - Homecoming of Sorts

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Mark H. Stowers | Last updated Sep 30, 2026 11:38 PM ET

For three seasons, Brian Flores tried to right the ship in Miami. From 2019 to 2021, Flores compiled a 24-25 record and couldn’t turn his Super Bowl resume from the New England Patriots into South Beach gold. Flores did find a way to rally the troops late in each season but the early season losses made it difficult to find consistent success. His firing led to multiple lawsuits and now he’s the Defensive Coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings, where the Dolphins travel in a Week 4 regular-season matchup on Sunday, October 4, 2026, at 4:05 p.m. at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

Matchup Overview


Team	Record	Points Per Game	Yards Per Game
Minnesota Vikings	3-0	23.7	238.3
Miami Dolphins	0-3	12.0	290.7

Key Storylines

Undefeated Vikings: Minnesota sits at 3-0 under head coach Kevin O’Connell, driven by an elite defense led by coordinator Brian Flores.
Flores Reunion: Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores faces the Miami franchise where he served as head coach from 2019 to 2021.
Winless Dolphins: Miami enters at 0-3 under quarterback Malik Willis and has lost star running back De’Von Achane to a season-ending torn ACL.
Injury Watch: Vikings star wide receiver Justin Jefferson avoided long-term damage from a Week 3 ankle sprain and has a chance to play.

The Dolphins’ defense is ranked last in sacks as they have none. The Vikings are first with 14 so Malik Willis and the Miami Offensive Line will have their work cut out for them from the first to the final whistle. Oddsmakers have Miami as +10.5 underdog and a sure bet for their fourth consecutive loss as their second strongest schedule in the league is bearing its weight on the franchise.