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 playcaller 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.
The NFL has hired a law firm that includes former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch to defend against Flores’ claims.
Despite the Steelers’ hiring of Flores, his lawyer, Douglas H. Wigdor, issued a statement Saturday indicating the lawsuit against the league would proceed.
“While Coach Flores is now focused on his new position, he will continue with his race discrimination class action so that real change can be made in the NFL,” said Wigdor.