New Steelers assistant coach Brian Flores called Mike Tomlin last Thursday looking for some guidance on his career. The call ended with Tomlin offering Flores a job.
At least that's what Flores told Bryant Gumbel on HBO's Real Sports show that will air for the first time at 10 p.m. Thursday night in his first interview since he was announced as the Steelers' senior defensive assistant/linebackers coach.
Flores, who was fired after three years as head coach of the Dolphins in January, filed a class-action lawsuit against the NFL and the Dolphins, Broncos and Giants for what he claims are racist hiring practices. He also claims that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross offered to pay him bonus money for each additional loss the team suffered in 2019 in an effort to improve the team's draft ranking.
"I actually was, you know, calling Coach -- Coach T. really to get some counsel," Flores told Gumbel. "I was thinking about, the next steps for me just from a coaching standpoint. And then that conversation turned into an opportunity there in Pittsburgh."
Gumbel asked if Flores felt Tomlin, who had just elevated former senior defensive assistant Teryl Austin to defensive coordinator, was "throwing him a lifeline?"
"I'm a very -- capable coach in this league," Flores said. "But I do feel like he saw a situation where there was -- a very-- experienced coach -- who could help his staff, who was also a Black coach in the league. And I think -- I think that -- that kind speaks to what we're talking about."
Tomlin, who has been with the Steelers since 2007, is currently the longest-tenured Black coach in the NFL and the winningest Black coach in NFL history with a 154-85-2 record.
Flores spent three seasons with the Dolphins, leading them to winning records in 2020 and 2021. But he was fired after the 2021 season for reportedly clashing with general manager Chris Grier.
Prior to joining the Dolphins, he was a longtime scout and assistant coach with the Patriots. That involvement led to part of Flores' lawsuit.
According to the suit, the Giants had contacted Flores to interview regarding their open head coaching opening after he had been fired by the Dolphins. But they had first interviewed Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, who had also been on staff with Flores in New England.
Daboll's interview took place days before that of Flores, and according to the lawsuit, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick texted Flores mistakenly -- thinking he was sending a message to Daboll -- to congratulate him on getting the job with the Giants.
Flores went through with the interview with the Giants, but claims that it was a "sham" interview held to take comply with the NFL's Rooney Rule obligations. He made similar claims about an interview in 2019 with the Broncos.
Flores said he and Belichick have not spoken since the mistaken text. Daboll was indeed hired to be head coach of the Giants.
"I mean there's potential that we could -- we could run into each other," Flores said when asked if he would speak to Belichick. "I mean I'd be open to a conversation. ... We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."
As for the hiring of Flores, the Steelers were happy to add an assistant coach with his experience both as a coach and as a scouting. Flores began his career with the Patriots as a scout, rising to linebackers coach, while also calling defensive plays in his final season in 2018, though he did not hold the title of defensive coordinator.
But, according to general manager Kevin Colbert, the decision to hire Flores, despite the lawsuit, was made by Tomlin, though team president Art Rooney II had to sign off on the move.
"Coach Tomlin makes every coaching hire, and he will come to me at different times and say, ‘Hey, I'm interviewing so and so. Do you know anything about him? Or could you find out some things about him?’" Colbert said Monday. "When he brought Coach Flores’ name up as a potential, I was excited about it because Coach Flores is a successful defensive coordinator and head coach.
"The thing that's really intriguing about Brian is he's also had a background, he started off in the personnel world. So, I'm excited to get with him and see what kind of ideas he can bring us both from a coaching viewpoint as well as a personnel viewpoint."
