The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the middle of conducting the organization's first head-coaching search in nearly two decades. Team President and Owner Art Rooney II has already said that the franchise is going to take its time when it comes to hiring someone, and that might be the only choice the team has as some of its top candidates are still coaching in the playoffs and cannot be hired yet. However, Pittsburgh has done some thorough research on a few candidates while also meeting with them on multiple occasions, and Brian Flores is a candidate that fits into that category.
Kirby Lee / Imagn Images
Vikings Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores stands on the sideline during a game in London in the 2024 season.
Flores has spent three seasons as a head coach in the NFL before, and that came with the Miami Dolphins from 2019 through 2021. His time there was messy, and it is certainly something Pittsburgh has looked into. He was never on good terms with Tua Tagovailoa, who was the undisputed starting quarterback entering his final season as the coach in Miami. However, Flores also had a rough go of it with the ownership group in Miami. Stephen Ross wound up being fined for having illegal contact with both Sean Payton and Tom Brady during Flores' tenure, which cost the organization some money and a first-round pick.
It was also reported that Miami wanted Flores to intentionally tank, and he would not do it. He was never really on good terms throughout his entire tenure with the Dolphins, but the most concerning part of that for any team considering hiring him was his relationship with Tagovailoa and other players. He is now the defensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings, and his former colleague Mike Pettine was asked about his thoughts on Flores during an appearance on the Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show.
"Uh, probably not many that I would prefer to share," Pettine said. "I mean, we didn't see eye to eye on a lot of things. That's why I spent this past year on offense. I was there in '23 and '24 on defense. You know, I'll take the high road on that one."
Pettine is a well-respected coach in the NFL, and he announced his retirement following the 2025 season. The last three seasons of his career was spent alongside Flores in Minnesota, and Pettine was a defensive coach during both the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Due to his not seeing eye to eye with Flores, he switched to the offensive side of the ball in 2025, which is another instance where someone doesn't have the best things to say about Flores.
AP photo
Former Steelers coach Brian Flores during practice with the team in 2022.
Flores spent the 2022 season in Pittsburgh as a defensive assistant. He was beloved in Pittsburgh and didn't seem to have any issues like he did in Miami or with Pettine in Minnesota. The issue with the Vikings might just be two coaches not getting along, but it seemed like there was more to it than that based on Pettine's comments about taking the high road.
Franchises should want their head coaches to have a little bit of an edge to them, but it is important not to go overboard. Maybe that is something that Flores learned with the Dolphins and as a first-time coordinator in Minnesota. After all, he did coach under Bill Belichick for 11 years who is a fairly intense and off-putting individual.
Mark J. Rebilas / Imagn Images
Brian Flores on the sideline coaching with the Vikings during the playoffs at the end of the 2024 season.
Steelers Must Be Careful Bringing Brian Flores In
Flores is considered one of the favorites to land the head-coaching job in Pittsburgh. He would bring a ton of intensity with him, and the franchise just has to be careful. He already rubbed a bunch of players the wrong way in Miami, and now it has become evidently clear that he did not get along with some of his colleagues on the coaching staff. That could be dangerous and create some tension in Pittsburgh.
Would you be concerned about Pittsburgh hiring Flores? Let us know in the comments below!
#SteelerNation