Mike Tomlin explains decision to hire Brian Flores

The Pittsburgh Steelers surprised many by hiring Brian Flores as an assistant coach despite Flores’ ongoing lawsuit against the NFL. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin admitted that he felt a certain responsibility to make sure Flores had an opportunity.

Tomlin revealed that he had reached out to Flores to talk about the former Miami Dolphins coach’s situation in the midst of his racial discrimination lawsuit against the league. That conversation, which Tomlin felt he “owed” Flores, turned into a job offer.

“I just didn’t want him to feel like he was on an island,” Tomlin said Sunday, via Brooke Pryor of ESPN. “From a coaching fraternity standpoint, I owed him that. I was in position to provide that. I think that started our interactions and conversations.

“Over the course of those discussions, particularly when it became evident he was not going to get a head job, then I think the natural discussion began. It really ran its course rather quickly, to be quite honest with you. Because it doesn’t require a lot of time to come to the realization that you can use a Brian Flores on your staff.”

Flores will serve as a senior defensive assistant for the Steelers. He would have preferred a head coaching job, but after filing his lawsuit, it appeared he might wind up completely unemployed. Tomlin does not seem to have been trying to hire Flores at first, but that is how things ended up playing out.

Photo: Nov 21, 2021; Inglewood, California, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin reacts before the Steelers play against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports