The Pittsburgh Steelers will have a new head coach for the first time in forever next year, as Mike Tomlin stepped down after 19 consecutive winning seasons. While Tomlin’s teams plateaued in recent seasons, he was one of the game’s better coaches, and replacing him will not be easy. After all, nine teams are currently looking for a new head coach, and the pool of potential candidates is mostly comprised of unknown coordinators and coaches who were just fired by a different organization.
With this in mind, Bleacher Report‘s Kristopher Knox believes the Steelers could look to a familiar face when hiring their next head coach. In a recent article, the NFL analyst explained why he thinks former Steelers linebackers coach and current Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores could be the right man for the job.
“Snagging Flores before Baltimore can sign him would be a brilliant move for the Steelers,” Knox writes. “The 44-year old has previous head coaching experience, having led the Dolphins for three seasons. He also has experience in Pittsburgh, having served as a senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach in 2022.”
NFL Analyst Believes Brian Flores Will Be Steelers Next Head Coach
Brian Flores is one of the better candidates out there, and it’s easy to see why the Steelers could want him as their next head coach. The most important thing is the track record of success, and the defensive guru has been successful throughout his time in the league. Flores won a Super Bowl as New England’s linebacker coach and de facto defensive coordinator in 2018, posted respectable records with subpar Dolphins teams, and found a way to win nine games with J.J. McCarthy and Max Brosmer at quarterback in 2025.
Flores first became Miami’s head coach in 2019 and inherited a horrible roster that most believed would be in contention for the first-overall pick. He squeezed five wins out of that roster before going 10-6 and 9-8 over the next two seasons despite not being the biggest fan of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Ownership ultimately chose Tagovailoa over Flores and fired him after the 2022 season.
As it turns out, Flores was correct to doubt Tagovailoa’s abilities. While he put up respectable numbers with former head coach Mike McDaniel and superstar wide receiver Tyreek Hill, he was never anything more than a mediocre starter, and his current contract is one of the worst in football. Brian Flores deserves another chance as a head coach, and he should do well with a stable organization like the Steelers.
Developing A Quarterback
Of course, the biggest red flag with Flores is his lack of success at the quarterback position. The Steelers do not have a short- or long-term answer at the game’s most important position, and finding a franchise passer must be the team’s top priority. Brian Flores knows how to build a competitive defense, but the Steelers might want their next head coach to focus more on the offensive side of the ball. If they wanted to tread water indefinitely with a good defense and a questionable offense, they would have found a way to convince Mike Tomlin to return for one more season.
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