Team president Art Rooney II told reporters the Pittsburgh Steelers don’t have any internal candidates to replace Mike Tomlin. But the Steelers will interview one of their former assistants — Brian Flores.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported Wednesday the Steelers requested to interview the Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator. Flores served as a senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach under Tomlin in 2022.
Flores spent a year on Mike Tomlin’s staff before landing in Minnesota. Now he’ll interview to replace Tomlin.
Flores was the Miami Dolphins head coach from 2019-21. He joined the Steelers staff the following season after getting fired.
The past three years, Flores has been the Vikings defensive coordinator.
Most of Flores’ NFL experience came as a defensive assistant under Bill Belichick with the New England Patriots.
Flores was one of five coaches the Steelers have requested to interview for their head coach opening. Tomlin announced Tuesday he was stepping down as Pittsburgh’s head coach after 19 seasons.
Steelers to Interview Vikings DC Brian Flores: Report
Flores was one of several former coaches Tomlin hired as an assistant after a failed head coach stint.
When Flores arrived in Pittsburgh, he was a controversial figure because of a class-action lawsuit he filed against the league and three teams. In the lawsuit, Flores alleged racial discrimination.
Flores couldn’t find even a defensive coordinator role after filing the lawsuit. But Tomlin created a position on his staff for the defensive coach.
The opportunity allowed Flores to jumpstart his career again. He landed in Minnesota as a defensive coordinator the next offseason.
In each of his three seasons with the Vikings, his defense has finished in the top half of the league in yards and points allowed. During 2025, the Vikings were third in yards allowed and seventh in points yielded.
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