As the Pittsburgh Steelers intensify their search for life after Mike Tomlin, one name continues to rise to the top: Brian Flores. The Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator is now viewed as a serious contender for the vacancy. He is scheduled for an in-person interview with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday. It will be Flores’ second meeting with Pittsburgh. That sends a strong signal that he has reached finalist status as the franchise looks for a new leader to reset its postseason fortunes.
From Minnesota’s perspective, the situation is delicate. The Vikings are working aggressively behind the scenes to keep Flores in purple. They view his return as their top offseason priority if he does not land a head coaching job. However, with Flores’ contract expired, the Vikings have no mechanism to block interviews. His leverage is substantial after engineering one of the league’s most dramatic defensive turnarounds. He helped elevate Minnesota to the No. 3 total defense in the NFL during the 2025 season.
The Vikings finished 9-8 in 2025. They placed third in the NFC North and narrowly missed the playoffs despite a late five-game winning streak. Sure, offensive inconsistency and quarterback turnover defined much of the year. However, Flores’ defense kept Minnesota competitive week after week. That helped stabilize a team that started 4-8 before surging late.
In his second season as defensive coordinator, Flores cemented his reputation as one of football’s sharpest schematic minds. Minnesota finished first in EPA per play allowed and third in total defense. That was fueled by an aggressive, league-high blitz rate that overwhelmed opponents despite limited cornerback depth. That performance has drawn interest across the league. For now, though, all eyes are on Pittsburgh and whether Minnesota can convince Flores that unfinished business remains in the Twin Cities.
