Flores headed to the Vikings
Steelers assistant coach moves on after one season
Steelers senior defensive assistant Brian Flores has agreed to become the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings, team sources have confirmed to the Post-Gazette.
Flores, 41, spent one season with the Steelers as their linebackers coach after his three-year stint as Miami’s head coach ended after the 2021 season. Flores’ name had been mentioned many times since the end of the season for vacant coordinator and head coaching positions.
He recently interviewed for the head coaching position with the Arizona Cardinals.
Even though Flores spent less than a year in Pittsburgh, Steelers players said he played a big role in the team improving its run defense from last in the league in 2021 to ninth last season.
“He brought a sense of more attention to detail when it comes to certain things,” defensive end Chris Wormley told the Post-Gazette last month. “He allowed us to, I think, play the run a lot better, not just from a [ defensive]- line aspect, but from a team aspect — knowing where guys are gonna fit. I think he had a big part in that [improvement].”
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin reached out to Flores last winter after his dismissal in Miami and the subsequent lawsuit he filed against the league.
After discussing with team president Art Rooney II Tomlin created a position on his staff for Flores, who became a senior defensive assistant in addition to his job as linebackers coach.
Tomlin had not made any changes to his coaching staff since the end of the season, but he’ll have to hire a linebackers coach to replaces Flores.