Steelers' coaching search heats up: Brian Flores' contract extension and Mike McCarthy's interview signal major developments.
An interesting development occurred on Wednesday that could affect the Pittsburgh Steelers’ search for a head coach.
The Minnesota Vikings signed defensive coordinator Brian Flores to a contract extension just a day after he had an in-person interview with the Steelers, who are looking for a replacement for Mike Tomlin. Last week, Tomlin resigned after 19 years.
Flores has spent the last three seasons with the Vikings following a one-year stint as the Steelers’ linebackers coach in 2022. He was the Miami Dolphins’ head coach from 2019-21 and compiled a 24-25 record.
Flores could presumably opt out of his Vikings contract to take a head coaching position. He has also interviewed with the Baltimore Ravens to be a possible successor to John Harbaugh.
“Brian has a unique ability to connect with players, understand their skill sets, and put them in positions to maximize their impact on the field,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said in a statement. “The identity of our defense is a reflection of his leadership and preparation. On a personal level, I’ve really valued the relationship we’ve built over the last three years, and that shared trust, alignment, and high standard will continue to be critical to our success.”
Meanwhile, former Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy was interviewed by the Steelers on Wednesday. McCarthy, 62, has been out of football this season after compiling a 174-112-2 regular-season record in 18 years with the Packers (2006-18) and Cowboys (2020-24).
McCarthy led the Packers to victory over the Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII following the 2008 season. He is a Pittsburgh native and grew up in the Greenfield section of the city.
Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver is scheduled to be the third candidate to have a face-to-face interview on Thursday.
The Steelers have held virtual interviews with six other candidates: Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak, Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator David Shula, and Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase.
Hafley dropped out of contention when the Dolphins hired him as their head coach. The Steelers won’t be able to interview Shula and Scheelhaase until next week because the Rams are playing in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.