For years, the Pittsburgh Steelers have struggled to surround Head Coach Mike Tomlin with elite coaching talent. Part of it is Tomlin's fault, as he has a say in the team's hires. For the most part though, opposing teams don't go to Pittsburgh to find their next head coach. After a debacle with the Miami Dolphins though, Brian Flores was looking for a new home in the 2022 offseason.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Brian Flores (left) and Mike Tomlin (right) after a game at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA.
He called Tomlin seeking advice, and in the meantime, the Steelers coach offered Flores an opportunity. Sure enough, the Steelers hired him as the linebackers coach. Right away, it was clear that he wouldn't be in Pittsburgh long, as he would likely get a chance for a promotion elsewhere. He provided a ton of leadership in 2022, as TJ Watt spoke at length about the impact that Flores had on the 2022 team. It went a long way for the young guys in the linebacker room, particularly Mark Robinson.
Pittsburgh could have moved on from Teryl Austin in order to give the former Dolphins head coach a defensive coordinator role. That didn't happen, as Flores was hired by the Minnesota Vikings for the same role. The NFC North squad has seen some bright spots from their defense led by their new DC. They've excelled at stopping the run thus far, while being middle of the pack in other statistical categories.
Austin has done a fine job in Pittsburgh, but many still feel as if the defense would be in even better shape under Flores. Now, the former Steelers linebacker coach is one of the favorites to become the Las Vegas Raiders' next head coach. SportsBetting places his odds at 12/1, which is tied-for-seventh. Just days ago, the Raiders moved on from Head Coach Josh McDaniels, as well as their general manager and offensive coordinator.
Matt Freed / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers former senior linebackers coach smiling at a training camp practice at St Vincent College.
Antonio Pierce, the Raiders' linebackers coach, has since been named as the interim head coach. He's seen as just that, at least for now, a temporary replacement. Pierce played nine years in the NFL as a linebacker, and he is actually tied with Flores at 12/1 odds to be the Raiders' next official head coach. This situation isn't anything new for the Raiders though, as they have struggled to have a mainstay there for years now.
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They haven't been too kind to interim coaches in the past either, most specifically Rich Bisaccia in 2021. He was able to lead that squad to the playoffs, and many felt as if he had done enough to become the full-time guy. Instead, the team opted to move on from him and hire McDaniels. McDaniels has now had multiple unsuccessful stints in the NFL as a head coach, so his time may be done there. Flores could bring some stability to that Las Vegas locker room though, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.
Silver and Black Nation
The Steelers were able to defeat Josh McDaniels and the Raiders in 2023, which was one of his last straws as head coach of the AFC West squad.
Even if the Steelers would have promoted Flores to the defensive coordinator position after just one season, he would be in the same position as now. He will be looking for head coaching vacancies this offseason, and rightfully so. His situation with Miami was unfair, and he deserves another shot. Still, it probably wasn't worth it for the Steelers to promote him just for him to possibly leave within a year or two.
Do you think the Steelers should have held onto Flores? Would he be a better defensive coordinator than Teryl Austin? How do you think Austin has done with the defense in 2023? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, as well as on our social media sites, yinz!
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