Steelers' Mike Tomlin explains Brian Flores hire amid lawsuit

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The Pittsburgh Steelers’ decision to bring Brian Flores onto the coaching staff as a senior defensive assistant while he is suing the NFL and three other teams came as a bit of a shock last month.

Flores accused the parties of racial discrimination after he was fired by the Miami Dolphins, missed out on getting the New York Giants job and felt he had been wronged by the Denver Broncos in 2019 during his interview process with them before eventually getting the Dolphins’ gig. While tension began to heat up, Flores was hired to serve under Mike Tomlin.

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Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin looks up from the sidelines during an AFC wild card playoff game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs on Jan 16, 2022 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Tomlin, who is among the few minority head coaches in the NFL, explained the decision to hire Flores.

"I wanted to stay close to Brian when his legal issues started. I just didn’t want him to feel like he was on an island. From a coaching fraternity standpoint, I owed him that. … I was in position to provide that," Tomlin said, via ESPN.

Tomlin added: "There’s so many ways that he’s going to help us and help me. His contributions are going to be significant."

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Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores talks to the media before practice at Baptist Health Training Complex in Hard Rock Stadium on Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021 in Miami Gardens, Florida, in preparation for their game against the Atlanta Falcons at Hard Rock