Steelers May See Nightmare Scenario Occur With Coaching Trouble In Baltimore

The Pittsburgh Steelers are always looking for ways to one-up their most hated rivals, the Baltimore Ravens. In recent years, they have done that by signing numerous players that have worn the purple and black to try and gain an edge in that way, and recent trends show that that could continue into the 2026 offseason. Pittsburgh keeps playing the game within the game to make sure it keeps up its dominance in the rivalry from the early 2020s. The goal is to not let what happened at the end the 2024 campaign happen again. 

Once the season ends, the Steelers may make a major change on the coaching staff. Teryl Austin's contract expires with Pittsburgh at season's end, and there have been no reports of him getting a new contract anytime soon. There is a strong likelihood that the team is searching for new defensive play-callers in January, although whichever team misses the playoffs will get a head start. 

Former Steeler coach Brian Flores is also on an expiring contract. While the Minnesota Vikings are trying to get a deal done with him, they are running out of time to do so. This could be their chance to bring him back and make even more improvements to a strong defensive unit. 

The hope is that the Steelers could get him back, but that is very unlikely based on the situation. Pittsburgh insider Brian Batko does not foresee Flores coming back to the Steel City; istead, he sees the Ravens stealing him away if they decide to fire John Harbaugh.  

The Ravens will get a massive upgrade on defense and in player relations if they manage to land Flores in 2026. His man-blitz schemes have confused many high-end quarterbacks in the past, so he would be a problem to their division rivals, especially if the Steelers opt to draft and start a rookie passer. That would be one edge for the purple and black that signing many former Baltimore players would likely not be able to fix. 

Many Steelers fans were upset that the team opted to keep Austin around and let Flores get poached by another team, as opposed to firing Austin to promote the former head coach. If the Ravens do hire him, that would only fuel that sense of regret from the fan base, especially since Pittsburgh's defensive coordinator has reportedly been a yes-man for Head Coach Mike Tomlin, even though Baltimore could still poach him of that coaching staff as well.

Austin has mainly called the defense that Tomlin wants him to, which numerous Steelers have called out over the last couple seasons. Meanwhile, Flores has his own scheme that has been proven to work, at least with the Vikings. There is likely no one outside of the Steelers' facilities that would take Pittsburgh's defensive coordinator over Minnesota's at this point. There is no doubt that he is one of the brighter defensive minds in the league.

Steelers' Other Potential Defensive Coordinator Options

If the Steelers do lose out on Flores, it would get a lot harder to find a capable one that could be an upgrade over Austin. One idea would be another reunion, however, as they could nab Aaron Curry back from the New York Jets, who stole him from Pittsburgh in 2025. Curry has been a great linebackers coach, so it wouldn't hurt to see how he does with a whole defense.

Many fans fear that the Steelers will just do what they have done a lot in the past that has not worked: promote someone from within to just call Tomlin's plays for him. He was eager to bring Gerald Alexander back to coach defensive backs, so it would not be shocking to see him obtain the role of defensive coordinator and continue with this cycle.

What do you think about the Ravens possibly landing Flores? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

#SteelerNation