Getty
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach candidate Brian Flores signed a contract extension with the Minnesota Vikings according to multiple NFL insiders.
It’s not often a head coach candidate will sign a contract extension with his former team while still remaining a contender for another NFL job. But that appears to be what Brian Flores is now trying to do.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported Wednesday night Flores signed a contract extension to remain Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator. But when Pelissero reported the news on social media, he also wrote the Vikings DC remains in contention to replace either Mike Tomlin with the Pittsburgh Steelers or John Harbaugh with the Baltimore Ravens.
“Flores is still a candidate with the Steelers and Ravens head coaching jobs,” Pelissero wrote on X. “But if he doesn’t land one of those, he’ll stay in Minnesota.”
The Vikings have signed defensive coordinator Brian Flores to a new contract, sources tell me and @RapSheet.
Flores is still a candidate with the Steelers and Ravens head coaching jobs. But if he doesn’t land one of those, he’ll stay in Minnesota.
Flores met with the Steelers for an in-person interview Tuesday, which was a little more than 24 hours before his contract extension with the Vikings.
Is Brian Flores Still in Contention for Steelers Job?
NFL insiders tried to push the idea that Flores’ new contract extension with the Vikings doesn’t change anything for with his head coaching candidacy.
But it’s worth wondering if that’s the case, then why sign the extension to stay in Minnesota?
In Pelissero’s defense, who first pushed the narrative Flores is still a candidate for the Steelers, the NFL insider explained the Vikings are now guaranteed to keep Flores unless he becomes a head coach elsewhere.
Flores has been interviewing not just for head coaching opportunities this week but also defensive coordinator openings.
For Flores, he now has the security the Vikings won’t fill his old position while he searches for a head coaching job.
“Flores is one of the NFL’s top defensive minds,” Pelissero wrote. “With his contract up, he had interest from numerous teams as a DC and interviewed with the Commanders.
“Now, the only way to get him out of Minnesota is as a head coach.”
Flores Falling out of Favor Among Steelers HC Candidates?
The logic makes sense. But the extension will do little but cast doubt publicly on Flores’ chances of landing a head coaching job elsewhere.
If Flores was confident he was about to be hired as a head coach, he wouldn’t need the Vikings extension.
“I get the play by Flores. Don’t fall into the Matt Nagy trap of missing out on a HC offer *and* having your old position filled,” wrote Steelers Depot’s Alex Kozora.
“It just doesn’t seem like a sign he’s going to get an offer from the Steelers.”
Some pundits have considered Flores the favorite to be Pittsburgh’s next head coach. It will be interesting to see if those opinions change with Flores’ new Vikings contract.
On Wednesday, the Steelers interviewed another former head coach — Mike McCarthy. On Friday, the team plans to meet with former Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver.
Los Angeles Rams assistants Chris Shula and Nate Scheelhaase have been hot names on social media surrounding the Steelers head coach opening. The Steelers virtually interviewed both assistants. The team can’t meet with them in person, though, until after the NFC championship game.
Flores posted a 24-25 record in three seasons as the Miami Dolphins head coach from 2019-21. He then spent the 2022 campaign on Tomlin’s coaching staff with the Steelers.
Flores joined the Vikings as a defensive coordinator in 2023. Before Miami, he was a Bill Belichick assistant and/or scout with the New England Patriots for 15 years.
Dave Holcomb is a sports reporter covering the NFL and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions. Originally from Pittsburgh, Holcomb has covered college and professional sports for outlets including FanSided, Rotowire and Yardbarker. More about Dave Holcomb
More Heavy on Steelers
Loading more stories