Brian Flores Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

What Brian Flores' departure means for the Steelers

By Aaron Becker | Last updated 2/7/23

Steelers senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach Brian Flores is headed to Minnesota to be the defensive coordinator of the Vikings. It's a tough loss for Pittsburgh, and there are both good and bad that comes with his departure.

First and foremost, the Steelers lost a great coach whom many of the players on both sides of the ball respected and loved playing for.

Brian Flores was well-liked and well-respected in his short stint with the Steelers.

Chris Wormley: "We just were excited to have him. We knew that he was kind of a steal. Coach Tomlin and his ways allowed him to come here and be a big part of our success and the defense."
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) February 6, 2023

However, it was always very likely that Flores' time in Pittsburgh would be a short one-year stint. His resume speaks for itself, and it was a steal that the Steelers were able to land him for the year in the first place.

Pittsburgh will also not receive any compensatory picks for losing Flores, as some had hoped, because he would have had to be employed by the team for at least two years.

With some chatter of Brian Flores being a potential head coaching candidate in the offseason for teams, the Steelers would not receive a pair of third-round compensatory picks if he is hired away, per the diversity rule. Must be employed by the team for 2 years to be eligible.
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) December 28, 2022

There is a silver lining for Pittsburgh: The Steelers showed their willingness to sign a big-name, free-agent coach to their staff. With Pittsburgh's recent struggles on the offensive side of the ball, it gives fans hope the Steelers will do it again this offseason.

President Art Rooney II was already asked about possibly bringing in a senior offensive assistant during his end-of-year news conference.

"I wouldn't take anything off the table," Rooney II said.

It's an important offseason in Pittsburgh, and one of its biggest signings may turn out to not even be a player — but a big-name coach in the same vein as the Flores hire last year.

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