Although Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles has come under fire for an ill-timed blitz with less than a minute left in Tampa Bay’s 30-27 stunning loss to the Los Angeles Rams, that apparently hasn’t hurt his head coaching candidacy in Minnesota. According to a report from Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson, Bowles is “firmly in the mix” for the Vikings job. The report went on to say that his candidacy was “very real.”

According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, the Vikings’ internal search team has already conducted interviews with Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell, 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans and Bowles. Ryans was the most recent interview.

Minnesota will begin conducting a second round of interviews soon and it is believed that Bowles will be in the mix for one of those, according to Wilson’s report.

The Vikings are currently interviewing candidates for the general manager position. Bucs vice president of player personnel John Spytek was among the early candidates, but didn’t make the follow-up round. Those candidates are Browns vice president of football operations Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Chiefs executive director of player personnel Ryan Poles. Both of whom will interview this week.

The Vikings’ new general manager will have a hand in choosing the franchise’s 10th head coach. However, candidates from remaining playoff teams, including Ryans, O’Connell and Morris, can’t be interviewed again until after the conference championships.

Minnesota has had two defensive-minded head coaches back-to-back. The tenures of Leslie Frazier (2010-13) and Mike Zimmer (2013-21), spanned the last 12 years.