Brian Flores loves the phrase, “Not every meal is a banquet.”
“That’s from Mike T.,” Flores said in September 2024. “That’s completely stolen.”
Mike T., as in Mike Tomlin, who stepped down after 19 years as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ head coach this offseason. Tomlin hired Flores after the Miami Dolphins fired him following the 2021 season.
Flores went 24-25 in three seasons with Miami, including 9-8 in 2021 after the team started 1-7. In a lawsuit, Flores alleges that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross offered him $100,000 per game to tank that season, hoping to get a better pick.
He also accused multiple teams of hosting sham interviews to satisfy the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview at least one diverse candidate before hiring a head coach. Since filing the lawsuit, teams hesitated to interview Flores for head coaching positions, despite his success as the Minnesota Vikings’ defensive coordinator.
The league named the Rooney Rule after Dan Rooney, the late Steelers owner. So it was fitting that Pittsburgh was the first team to hire Flores after he filed the lawsuit. There, he acted as a senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach under Tomlin, who regularly imparted wisdom onto Flores.
“Mike T., every meeting you get a nugget,” Flores said last year, reflecting on his experience in Pittsburgh. “I’m in there every day writing notes. It was a great experience. And, yeah, I would say I’ve sampled a few of his nuggets since being there.”
“Not every meal is a banquet” is particularly fun. It’s a little confusing at first, but it makes sense the more you think about it.
“Not every play is going to be a sack,” Flores explained. “A tipped ball in a situation is a very good play as well. You can’t get a tipped ball if you’re driving to get the quarterback, so there are some instances where you get your hands up.”
Tomlin’s phrase highlights Flores’ defensive philosophy. Create confusion at the line and execute your job. It often won’t result in a sack, but it’ll create chaos and stall the opposing offense.
Minnesota fired Kevin O’Connell’s first defensive coordinator, Ed Donatell, after one season and hired Flores in 2023. On Wednesday, Flores signed an extension with the Vikings after interviewing with the Washington Commanders for their defensive coordinator position.
Flores can still interview for head coaching positions because teams can hire coaches under contract if they’re promoting them. However, they cannot offer coaches under contract a lateral position. For example, Jerry Jones cannot offer Flores the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive coordinator position now that the Vikings have extended him.
However, Pittsburgh or the Baltimore Ravens could still hire Flores as their head coach. Flores has interviewed with both teams in person, meaning he still could leave Minnesota this offseason. He could interview with other teams, but owners may be wary of hiring Flores because of the ongoing lawsuit, and Flores has said he will only leave the Vikings for a premier job.
It seems unlikely that he’d land in Baltimore. The Ravens are one of the more stable organizations in the NFL. They fired John Harbaugh after 18 seasons, a lifetime in professional football.
However, one reason they fired Harbaugh was that his relationship with Lamar Jackson had soured. Therefore, they may be reluctant to hire Flores, who apparently had a tenuous relationship with Tua Tagovailoa in Miami.
Still, the Steelers might be a perfect fit for Brian Flores. He could become Tomlin’s heir apparent, maintaining Pittsburgh’s reputation as a defensive team. Flores could also choose their next franchise quarterback, knowing that player will be receptive to his coaching.
It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to coach the Steelers. They’ve only had three head coaches since 1969: Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher, and Tomlin. Assuming Pittsburgh is interested in Flores, it’s a difficult opportunity to pass up.
But Flores has it pretty good in Minnesota. He worked for the New England Patriots when they drafted Kevin O’Connell in 2008, and they formed a close bond. Vikings ownership spends money on the roster and will take care of him.
The grass always appears greener. Coaches often leave coordinator jobs with good teams for head coaching positions, even if they have to work for lousy organizations. Brian Flores won’t do that again. Defensive coordinators don’t have the power that a head coach does, but he’s learned that not every meal is a banquet.
