Mike Tomlin Endorses Former Steelers Coach For HC Job

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a tough test ahead of them in Week 4 against the Minnesota Vikings' defense, which is led by a familiar face in Brian Flores.

Flores spent the 2022 campaign with the Steelers as a senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach after being fired by the Miami Dolphins following the 2021 campaign after serving as the franchise's head coach for three seasons.

Mike Tomlin had plenty of good things to say about him before their reunion at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland, and he believes Flores would succeed if given another opportunity to lead an NFL team after doing an admirable job his first time around.

"You know, I think he did a successful job of it the first time around, to be quite honest with you," Tomlin said. "His willingness to learn is a really attractive component of Coach Flores. We had some awesome discussions during our time together. He certainly has opinions, schematic opinions, strategic opinions, personnel opinions, but his openness to differing thoughts or viewpoints, I think is a weapon for him as a coach.

"I think that's why you oftentimes see them do a wide variety of things schematically. I think it first starts with an attitude or an openness to new things, or to learning and discovering."

Flores went 24-25 during his three years with the Dolphins and largely overachieved after the organization entered a sweeping rebuild upon hiring him in 2019.

In Flores' only season with Pittsburgh after being let go by Miami, the team's defense tied for the 10th-fewest points allowed per game at 20.4 and the 13th-fewest yards per contest at 330.4.

Jun 9, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers senior defensive assistant/linebackers coach Brian Flores (left) and offensive coordinator Matt Canada (right) participate in minicamp at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

After making a big impression with the Steelers, Flores was hired by the Vikings as their new defensive coordinator ahead of the 2023 season.

Minnesota's defense was among the top-performing units in the league last season, giving up the fifth-fewest points per game (19.5) while the team finished with a 14-3 record. The group has remained stout through the first three weeks of the 2025 campaign as well, ceding the sixth-fewest yards (271.3) and tying for the ninth-fewest points (18.7) allowed per game.

When asked what the Steelers' offense can do to minimize the different looks Flores will throw at them, Tomlin stated that getting into favorable down-and-distance situations will be key.

"I think a key component of it is staying on schedule," Tomlin said. "When he gets you behind the sticks, often times he'll play second down like third down, second-and-long, so being in second-and-manageable is a major component of that."

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