Much to the chagrin of the Pittsburgh Steelers and their fans, Brian Flores has accepted the offer to be the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings after spending one season as the linebackers coach and defensive assistant for the Steelers. There was some hope that the NFL wouldn't let their grudge go, allowing Pittsburgh to keep Flores, but it did not end up that way.
Photo Credit: SI.com
The Minnesota Vikings fired their previous defensive coordinator, Ed Donatell, after their defense underachieved during the 2022 season. Kevin O'Connell made the right move to let him walk and bring in Flores. The Vikings are a team that's looking to prove that last year was not a fluke, and getting a major upgrade with defensive coaching should help them take a step forward instead of backward. As long as Kirk Cousins doesn't fall off too hard in 2023, the Vikings will be a legitimate threat in the NFL, with many thanks to Flores.
How Big Of An Impact Would The Loss Of Flores Be For The Steelers?
Chris Wormley recently spoke up about Brian Flores, claiming that he was the reason for the run defense improving as much as it did, while he didn't mention or credit Teryl Austin or Mike Tomlin. With the Steelers known for penny-pinching with assistant coaches, the odds of them finding someone to fill Flores' shoes is slim to none.
If Flores was truly as responsible for fixing the run defense as Wormley claimed, the defense could be in for some rough times in 2023 and beyond, especially with many defensive linemen and linebackers leaving in free agency.
Photo Credit: Steelers.com
The Steelers might shift their focus into fixing the front seven since many players are leaving in free agency and Flores won't be there to help the new players. As opposed to looking at cornerback or offensive line for re-signs and free agency, defensive line and linebacker could become the focal point.
Montravious Adams is a good depth piece, but he likely won't be able to be the main guy at nose tackle. Bringing back Larry Ogunjobi would be key for the Steelers. As opposed to bringing in someone like James Bradberry for the secondary, the Steelers might go for someone like Tremaine Edmunds or Lavonte David for an immediate boost.
Steelers defensive lineman, Montravius Adams warms up on the field at Acrisure Stadium before a 2022 regular season matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Photo Credit: (@JKSO_PHOTO)
Flores was also a finalist for the Arizona Cardinals head coaching gig, as well as defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos under their newly acquired coach, Sean Payton. The fact that Flores took the Vikings DC job this early most likely means that Arizona was planning to hire one of their other two finalists. Many coaches seem to not want to coach in Denver, so it makes sense that Flores also didn't want to go there.
Some Steelers fans are curious as to why Flores would leave to take a defensive coordinator role when he will most likely be a head coach in 2024. The most obvious reason is that it is an upgrade from assistant DC and linebackers coach and that in case he doesn't get an HC job, he still has that upgraded job running the whole defense. Moving to DC also makes it more likely that he would get an HC job elsewhere since it's easier to know what he's doing right and wrong.
Either way, this is a major blow to the Steelers in more ways than one, and the Steelers will have to find a way to fill the void that he left.
What do you think about Brian Flores going to the Minnesota Vikings to be their defensive coordinator, and the hole that's now left in Pittsburgh? Let us know in the comments.
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