Brian Flores landed a new job in the NFL, less than three weeks after he filed a lawsuit seeking class-action status against the league and three teams alleging discrimination in their hiring practices.
The ex-Dolphins coach will join the Steelers as a senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach, the team announced on Saturday.
The opportunity is quite the turnaround for Flores, who was relieved of his duties in Miami after the 2021 season. He posted a 24–25 record in three years with the Dolphins.
At the time of Flores‘s firing, many found the move surprising. The 40-year-old is widely considered to be one of the brightest defensive minds in football and had achieved quite a lot in Miami, with an understocked roster.
As a result, NFL fans, media members, and former players alike were pleased to see Flores get another opportunity in the NFL with an organization like the Steelers.
PITTSBURGH — Former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores has a new home.
The Pittsburgh Steelers announced the hire of Flores, who is suing the NFL and three teams, as a defensive assistant and linebackers coach Saturday.
“I am excited about Brian Flores joining our coaching staff given his history of developing and teaching defensive players during his time in the NFL,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said in a news release. “Brian’s resume speaks for itself, and I look forward to him adding his expertise to help our team.”
Flores’ hire significantly boosts a defensive unit that recently saw the promotion of Teryl Austin to defensive coordinator following the retirement of Keith Butler, who also coached the team’s outside linebackers.
Flores spent the past three seasons as Miami’s head coach, compiling a 24-25 record before he was fired last month. And prior to that, he was the defensive play-caller for the New England Patriots, including in Super Bowl LIII.
Flores, 40, filed a lawsuit against the NFL and the Giants, Dolphins, and Broncos this month, alleging discrimination in the interview process with New York and Denver and in his firing by Miami.
In the lawsuit, Flores alleged, among other things, that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross offered him $100,000 for every loss in 2019 in an effort to tank for a top draft pick.
Flores also claimed the Giants only interviewed him for their head-coaching vacancy in January to comply with the Rooney Rule, and he said a similar scenario played out in 2019 during an interview process with the Broncos.A
