{"id":417103,"date":"2026-01-20T03:09:23","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T03:09:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/417103\/"},"modified":"2026-01-20T03:09:23","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T03:09:23","slug":"brian-flores-moves-one-step-closer-to-hc-job","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/417103\/","title":{"rendered":"Brian Flores Moves One Step Closer to HC Job"},"content":{"rendered":"

The NFL coaching carousel is getting down to the nitty-gritty, and if Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores<\/a> plays his cards right, he might be the new boss of the Pittsburgh Steelers, securing a second interview from the team that recently cut ties with Mike Tomlin<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Flores earned a second Steelers interview, meaning the Vikings might be forced to find a replacement coordinator after all. <\/p>\n

Flores also has his name in the hat for the Baltimore Ravens, but the Steelers seem like Flores\u2019s one big chance at a promotion this cycle.<\/p>\n

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Brian Flores Lands a Second Steelers Interview<\/p>\n

Flores\u2019s fate rests with the Steelers\u2019 hiring process.<\/p>\n

\"Steelers<\/p>\n

Pittsburgh Steelers helmets rest along the practice field as organized team activities continue at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, with May 24, 2022, captured mid-session in Pittsburgh while players moved through drills, offering a quiet look at offseason preparation and the routine infrastructure behind NFL spring workouts. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports.<\/p>\n

Second PIT Interview Incoming for Flores<\/p>\n

It\u2019s on to the second round for Flores.<\/p>\n

NBC Sports\u2019 Josh Alper wrote Monday<\/a>, \u201cThe Steelers are starting to set up a second round of interviews for their head coaching job. Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that they will have an in-person interview with Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores. He spent the 2022 season as a defensive assistant on Mike Tomlin\u2019s staff. Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver is also expected to have an in-person interview with the team.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cThere was also word this weekend that the Steelers are going to meet with former Cowboys and Packers head coach Mike McCarthy. They have also met with Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula, Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, and 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pittsburgh is six days removed from Tomlin\u2019s resignation<\/a>, evidently hellbent on a swift replacement.<\/p>\n

Familiarity with the Organization<\/p>\n

After the Dolphins controversially fired Flores in 2022 \u2014 Miami reportedly asked him to tank games, and he refused \u2014 one team gave him a chance. That was Tomlin\u2019s Steelers.<\/p>\n

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Flores coached the Steelers\u2019 linebackers for a season, which turned out to be the springboard that propelled him to his current job as the Vikings\u2019 defensive coordinator.<\/p>\n

In that regard, Flores in Pittsburgh is a natural fit. He knows the Steelers, and more importantly, their brass knows him. Flores is not a little engine that could during this interview process.<\/p>\n

Set for Life if He Lands the Job<\/p>\n

Pittsburgh hires coaches \u2014 and keeps them. It\u2019s just the way that franchise does business, and snatching the Steelers\u2019 head coaching job is the arguably most stable \u2026 thing \u2026 in all of sports.<\/p>\n

For Flores, if the second interview goes smoothly, he\u2019ll earn the job and likely stay there for 15+ years. Tomlin stuck around for 19 years. Bill Cowher was there for 15 seasons. The Steelers have not built a Dynasty in 50 years, but they hire coaches for the long haul.<\/p>\n

\"Brian<\/p>\n

Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores watches closely as players cycle through drills at the team\u2019s training facility, with June 10, 2025, marking a focused minicamp session in Minneapolis as Flores guided a veteran-heavy defense through structured work during a pivotal offseason phase. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.<\/p>\n

And this would feel like justice for Flores, who is suing the NFL<\/a> for unfair hiring practices, a case that has remained in the legal system for almost 3 years. Flores is 44. He could be hired in Pittsburgh and stay there until he\u2019s 64.<\/p>\n

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Chris Shula the Frontrunner?<\/p>\n

That does not mean Flores is the frontrunner, however.<\/p>\n

The betting market favors Chris Shula, who runs the Los Angeles Rams\u2019 defense. Shula is actually the overwhelming favorite, with Flores in second, and former Green Bay Packers + Dallas Cowboys skipper Mike McCarthy in third place.<\/p>\n

Still Curtain\u2018s Shayne Kubas<\/a> noted on Shula this week, \u201cShula checked all the right boxes even before his impressive coaching job on Sunday. He is a young (39), defensive-minded coach coming from an established coaching tree, having been with Sean McVay in LA since the beginning of McVay\u2019s career there back in 2017. He has risen through the ranks all the way to being the DC the past two seasons, where he has taken a flawed defensive roster and coached them into a solid unit.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cForcing turnovers has been what Shula\u2019s defenses have been best at in his two seasons as DC, forcing 46 combined over that time. The Steelers\u2019 defense<\/a> has put a premium on forcing turnovers as well, making him a seamless fit. Some fans may want to focus on playing lockdown defense, opposed to just gunning for turnovers, but they don\u2019t have to be mutually exclusive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Rams<\/p>\n

Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula stands on the sideline as game action unfolds at State Farm Stadium, with December 7, 2025, set in Glendale during a matchup against the Cardinals, capturing an in-game moment tied to defensive adjustments and situational awareness. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.<\/p>\n

So, while the smoke for Flores to Pittsburgh is real, oddmakers believe Shula, not Flores, probably has a fast track to take over. If that happens, and Flores does not land the Ravens\u2019 vacant head coaching job, he would presumably return to Minnesota for a fourth season.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s worth noting that if Shula is \u201cthe guy,\u201d the process will linger until the Rams\u2019 season concludes. Los Angeles will play the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship<\/a> this weekend.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The NFL coaching carousel is getting down to the nitty-gritty, and if Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":417104,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[377],"tags":[18708,2078,52174,52175,7210,47036,5045,5,793,17990,11289,4627,41898,5046,1469,14758,17256],"class_list":{"0":"post-417103","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-hockey","8":"tag-49ers","9":"tag-baltimore-ravens","10":"tag-brian-flores","11":"tag-chris-shula","12":"tag-cowboys","13":"tag-defensive-coordinator","14":"tag-green-bay-packers","15":"tag-hockey","16":"tag-los-angeles","17":"tag-los-angeles-rams","18":"tag-mandatory-credit","19":"tag-miami","20":"tag-mike-tomlin","21":"tag-minnesota-vikings","22":"tag-pittsburgh","23":"tag-pittsburgh-steelers","24":"tag-seattle-seahawks"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nhl\/115925232958416125","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/417103","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=417103"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/417103\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/417104"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=417103"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=417103"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=417103"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}