Dolphins Notebook: The Lowdown on the New Players, Flores Back in the NFL

Brian Flores indeed will be coaching in the NFL in 2022.

The former Miami Dolphins head coach has been hired by the Pittsburgh Steelers as senior defensive assistant/linebackers coach.

"I am excited about Brian Flores joining our coaching staff given his history of developing and teaching defensive players during his time in the NFL," Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said. "Brian's resume speaks for itself, and I look forward to him adding his expertise to help our team."

With the Steelers, Flores will work closely with 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt.

The Steelers defense obviously also includes safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who the Dolphins traded two games into the 2019 season amid reports of a conflict between coach and player.

Flores, of course, was fired by the Dolphins on Jan. 10 after three seasons as head coach and later filed a lawsuit against the NFL, Dolphins, Broncos and Giants alleging systemic racism in the league's hiring practices.

One of Flores' lawyers, Douglas Wigdor, said the lawsuit will continue despite Flores being hired by the Steelers.

Below is a statement from Douglas H. Wigdor and John Elefterakis, attorneys for Brian Flores, regarding Coach Flores' new position with the @steelers.#BrianFlores #NFL pic.twitter.com/g31dNJPxZW
— Wigdor LLP (@WigdorLaw) February 19, 2022

Flores was a finalist for head coach openings with the Houston Texans and New Orleans Saints before those teams hired Lovie Smith and Dennis Allen, respectively.

It should be noted that the Steelers are scheduled to play at Hard Rock Stadium in 2022.

THE LOWDOWN ON THE NEW PLAYERS

The Dolphins announced the signing of two new players Friday, the second and third additions since Mike McDaniel was hired as head coach.

The two signings Friday were those of fullback John Lovett and defensive end Daeshon Hall.

Lovett was a two-time All-American tight end at Princeton, but was signed to play fullback, a position the Dolphins did without the past two seasons except for those few snaps when Christian Wilkins lined up in the backfield.

Given the 49ers offensive scheme, the addition of a fullback was a given and Lovett almost certainly won't be the last addition at that position.

As for Hall, he joined new wide receiver River Cracraft as newcomers who have spent time with McDaniel.

Hall never played a regular season game for the 49ers, but spent the end of the 2020 season on their practice squad and was with them last offseason before being released last July.

The 6-5, 265-pound Hall has played 13 games in the NFL for Carolina and Philadelphia after being a third-round pick of the Panthers out of Texas A&M in 2017.

Cracraft played 15 games for the 49ers the past two seasons, mostly as a returner. He also played nine games with Denver in 2018-19 after entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Washington State.

Cracraft has seven career receptions, including six for the 49ers in 2020. He has 17 career punt returns with a long of 21 yards and three kickoff returns, all in 2018.

Lovett's NFL resume features three rushing attempts for 6 yards the Packers in 2020. Lovett was out of the NFL in 2021 after being released by the Packers in March.