Story byNov 16, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; A Pittsburgh Steelers helmet before a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium. (Barry Reeger/Imagn Images)Colin KeaneMon, January 19, 2026 at 8:48 PM UTC·1 min readAccording to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Pittsburgh Steelers are scheduled to meet this week with former New England Patriots defensive coordinator Brian Flores about Pittsburgh’s head coaching vacancy, following Mike Tomlin‘s decision to step down. Flores has built a respected NFL coaching career marked by defensive innovation and steady progress. He began with the Patriots from 2008 to 2018, rising from special teams assistant to linebackers coach under Bill Belichick, contributing to multiple Super Bowl-winning staffs. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementFlores earned his first head coaching role with the Miami Dolphins (2019–2021), posting a 24-25 record while transforming their defense from league-worst to consistent top-10 unit in key metrics. After a brief stint as senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach with the Steelers in 2022, Flores joined the Minnesota Vikings as defensive coordinator in 2023.
