What’s Subsequent: Is Brian Flores the Clear Option to Change Mike Tomlin as Steelers HC?

[ad_1] There's a profile for the Steelers and hiring head coaches, should you can say that about one thing that occurs each 19 years.

Three coaches in 57 years is superb. The Vatican has twice as a lot turnover. The Supreme Courtroom has swapped out six of 9 justices — all on lifetime appointments — because the Steelers final employed a head coach.

However should you have a look at their historical past, all with the Rooney household guiding the franchise, it is a clear sample:

Chuck Noll was 37 and the Indianapolis Colts' defensive coordinator when Pittsburgh employed him in 1969. Invoice Cowher was 35 and the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs' defensive coordinator when Pittsburgh employed him in 1992. Mike Tomlin was 34 and the Minnesota Vikings' defensive coordinator when Pittsburgh employed him in 2007. Younger, defensive minds who've by no means been a head coach. All three received Tremendous Bowls with the Steelers, so it is exhausting to query their judgment or the longevity that comes with the job. Noll went 1-13 in his first 12 months and had a dropping report his first 4 seasons, however there was persistence. Neither Cowher nor Tomlin required any, discovering fast, sustained success.

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In case you're attempting to observe that sample to the letter, the reply might be Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, a bit older at 42, but it surely looks like Minter has a historical past with the Ravens, the place he coached from 2017-20. Possibly it is Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula, 39, whose title and roots may lead him, in sheer poetry, to the Dolphins.

However should you'll drift a bit from that profile, the candidate who makes essentially the most sense could be Brian Flores.

Flores is 44 and has been the Vikings' defensive coordinator for the final three years. Minnesota has had a top-10 protection every of the final two years. It was tied for second within the NFL with 60 sacks this season, and his contract is up, making him out there and coveted by many groups.

Mike Tomlin steps down as Steelers HC Flores spent a 12 months on Tomlin's employees in 2022 as linebackers coach and senior defensive assistant, and Pittsburgh completed that season by profitable six of its final seven video games and holding all seven opponents to 17 factors or fewer. This 12 months's Steelers had simply 5 such video games, holding groups to 17 or fewer all season.

The state of affairs with Fores is a bit sophisticated, although, as a result of in 2022, he filed a lawsuit in opposition to the NFL and three groups, citing racial discrimination. The go well with remains to be lively, however should you have been in search of the proper place to land, why not Pittsburgh, the place the Rooney household that owns the staff has its title on the league rule requiring groups to interview minority candidates earlier than making main hires?

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Flores received 4 Tremendous Bowls as a New England Patriots assistant, so he is aware of how championship groups are constructed. The final time the Steelers made the AFC Championship Sport — that is again within the 2016 season — they bumped into New England and the protection Flores helped coach, holding Pittsburgh to 9 factors till the ultimate 5 minutes in a 36-17 rout. Flores was underwhelming as a head coach in three seasons with the Dolphins, going 24-25 and lacking the playoffs yearly.

However Flores' abilities as a defensive coach are clear. His Vikings have been seventh in scoring, third in whole protection, fourth on third down and second within the crimson zone. Minnesota received its final 5 video games, holding opponents to 10.4 factors per sport in that ultimate push, barely lacking the playoffs at 9-8 regardless of beginning three completely different quarterbacks.

Brian Flores was the Steelers' linebackers coach for a season in 2022. (Photograph by Joe Sargent/Getty Photographs)

Star edge rusher T.J. Watt is 31 and veteran defensive lineman Cam Heyward is 36, however Pittsburgh's high two defenders in sacks — Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig — are 28 and 24, respectively, nonetheless very a lot of their prime. There are younger gamers to construct round, and the Steelers have two further third-round picks this 12 months — one from buying and selling George Pickens and the opposite as a compensatory choose, giving them 5 picks within the high 100.

The Steelers have many vital points past simply discovering a head coach. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is 42, his future unsure, and a brand new coach will wish to know whether or not he has to inherit him as a part of his new staff. Since Ben Roethlisberger's retirement 4 years in the past, Pittsburgh quarterbacks have mixed for 72 landing passes (solely the New York Giants and Tennessee Titans have fewer), and people two groups have mixed for 41 wins, barely greater than Pittsburgh's 39 in that span. In these 4 years, the Steelers have scored 30 or extra factors simply 9 instances. Solely 4 groups have fewer such video games, and groups just like the Detroit Lions and Buffalo Payments have 35 every.

The Steelers may also have to exchange Aaron Rodgers at quarterback this offseason. (Photograph by Joe Sargent/Getty Photographs)

It is unfair to count on Pittsburgh's subsequent coach to reside as much as the ridiculously excessive requirements they've set. Two hires in the past, they wanted a cellphone line to search for coaches on the Web, however Flores would give them an opportunity to reset as a franchise with the identical excessive expectations the franchise has all the time had on protection.

The AFC North as an entire has a full reset this offseason, with the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns additionally trying to find new head coaches and the Cincinnati Bengals coming off a 6-11 season that was their worst in 5 years. Tomlin's legacy in Pittsburgh has been perennially good groups, avoiding a dropping report each season. However his groups even have misplaced their final seven playoff video games, so the cloud of complacency and stagnancy had hung over their middling success lately.

Except they discover a actual reply at quarterback this offseason, Pittsburgh may need to take a step again earlier than they re-establish themselves as a menace past the primary spherical of the playoffs. Flores is the type of coach who may construct the Steelers again as a defensive energy, and that long-awaited playoff win may not be far off as soon as they get different issues solved.

Greg Auman is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports activities. He beforehand spent a decade masking the Buccaneers for the Tampa Bay Occasions and The Athletic. You'll be able to observe him on Twitter at @gregauman.

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