MINNEAPOLIS — Before the kickoff between the Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings, former Dolphins coach Brian Flores, who is now Vikings defensive coordinator, spent time interacting with several coaches and staff who remain with Miami since his days at the helm.

Flores had a lengthy conversation with Dolphins defensive line coach Austin Clark, who was brought to the team during Flores’ tenure and has held the same title since 2021, Flores’ final season as Dolphins head coach, through three different head coaches.

Later on the U.S. Bank Stadium field as players warmed up, Flores hugged and caught up with Dolphins legend Nat Moore, who serves as senior vice president for special projects, alumni relations and as an advisor to the CEO.

The leader of the Minnesota defense, who went 24-25 as Dolphins coach from 2019-2021, had another interaction with Lemuel Jeanpierre, who is currently Miami’s assistant tight ends coach. Jeanpierre has been assistant offensive line coach with the Dolphins every previous season since 2020 aside from 2021, when he rose to the primary offensive line coach role under Flores.

Flores detailed this past week to Vikings reporters what his first shot at calling defensive plays against the Dolphins since his firing will feel like.

“Every game’s important to me and I really attack the week the same way each week, trying to put our players in the best position,” Flores said, before pivoting to the human side.

“When I think about the Dolphins coming in, I’m actually kind of excited to see some people. They’ve actually got a great support staff. I think it’s right up there with the top support staffs in the league.”

Staff members Flores said he was looking forward to seeing: vice president of sports medicine Kyle Johnston, associate head athletic trainer Troy Mauer, equipment manager Joe Cimino, whom Flores touted as “one of the top equipment guys in the league” and head of team security Drew Brooks, among others.

Flores also noted being familiar with new Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley. Hafley echoed the sentiment this past week, getting to know Flores from coaching in the NFC North as Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator the past two seasons. On top of that, Hafley spent four seasons as head coach of Boston College. Flores is a BC alum.

The only Dolphins players who remain form the Flores days are defensive tackle Zach Sieler and right tackle Austin Jackson. Neither Jackson nor Sieler were on the field during Flores’ first round of pregame interactions Sunday.

As far as Flores’ blitz-heavy defensive scheme, he brought the blitz on the third-down stop on Minnesota’s first stop against the Miami offense. But when the Vikings picked up their first sack Sunday, it was South Florida product Dallas Turner beating right tackle Austin Jackson on a traditional four-man pressure.

Flores is suing the Dolphins and the NFL in a lawsuit filed in 2022 shortly after he was fired. He alleged the league is “rife with racism” and claimed Dolphins owner Steve Ross offered him money to intentionally lose games, or “tank,” during the 2019 season.

Starting RB decision

The Dolphins started Jaylen Wright on Sunday in the backfield, in the first game without star speedster De’Von Achane. Wright got the first two carries Sunday on the opening drive, picking up just a yard.

Wright was back in the lineup in Minnesota after missing last week’s loss to the Chiefs with a foot injury. Without Wright and with Achane going down early last week, Ollie Gordon II took 17 carries for 41 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, Miami started in the nickel package, with Chris Johnson, Jason Marshall Jr. and JuJu Brents the cornerbacks and Michael Taaffe and Dante Trader Jr. the starting safeties. Fellow safety Zayne Anderson entered twice in the first quarter in three-safety third-and-long packages.

First sack

After failing to sack the opposing quarterback once in the first three games, the Dolphins sacked Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray on the first play from scrimmage Sunday.

Defensive tackle Zach Sieler was the one to record Miami’s first sack of the season in Week 4.

Early in the second quarter, edge rusher Josh Uche picked up the Dolphins’ second sack on a third down that led to a Vikings punt.

Inactive list

Healthy Dolphins inactive players against the Vikings were tight end Justin Joly, cornerback Marcellas Dial Jr., guard DJ Campbell, tackle Chukwuebuka Godrick and quarterback Brady Cook, who was available as an emergency third quarterback.

The Dolphins already had wide receiver Caleb Douglas (ankle) and defensive end Rob Beal Jr. (hamstring) ruled out Friday, along with cornerback Storm Duck, who remains on the physically-unable-to-perform list as he is back at practice from his offseason knee rehab.

While Douglas was ruled out for the second consecutive game with his ankle injury, he traveled to Minneapolis with the team and was seen on the field pregame, although not actively going through any warmups.

With Douglas out, Miami again kept veteran wide receiver Jalen Tolbert active on game day, but Joly, active last week against the Kansas City Chiefs, was again inactive.

For the Vikings, rookie safety Jakobe Thomas, who was with the Miami Hurricanes last year, was a healthy scratch, along with defensive lineman Elijah Williams and quarterback Max Brosmer, their third quarterback.

Wide receiver Justin Jefferson was already ruled out Friday with his ankle injury, along with cornerback Charles Demmings and punter Brett Thorson. Without Thorson, Minnesota elevated punter Johnny Hekker from the practice squad Saturday.

This story will be updated.