Former Steelers Assistant among Favorites to be Next Chargers Head Coach

A former Pittsburgh Steelers assistant coach is among the frontrunners to be the next head coach of the Los Angles Chargers

Former Steelers senior defensive assistant Brian Flores is among the favorites to be the next full-time Chargers head coach, according to odds posted by SportsBetting.ag this week.

Flores worked for the Steelers in 2022, signing up to be the Steelers’ senior defensive assistant after he was fired as Miami Dolphins head coach at the end of the 2021 season. Flores sued the Dolphins and the NFL, alleging racial discrimination in hiring practices and that the Dolphins encouraged him to lose on purpose.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin didn’t hesitate in adding Flores to his staff when he became available. The longtime New England Patriots assistant moved on in 2023 to become the defensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings, the job Tomlin held before he became Steelers head coach.

RELATED: Brian Flores Credits Mike Tomlin for Development as Coach

Flores’ Vikings are fifth in points allowed, 10th in yards allowed and tied for fifth in yards per play against this season. He has 9/1 odds to become the next Las Vegas head coach, per SportsBetting.ag, which are tied for the sixth-best odds. 

Current New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is the favorite at 3/1 odds, followed by Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith and Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore at 4/1, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson at 7/1 and Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik at 8/1. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh is tied with Flores at 9/1.

The last former Steelers assistant coach to become an NFL head coach was Bruce Arians, who was wide receivers coach and then offensive coordinator for the Steelers from 2004-11 and then became the Arizona Cardinals head coach in 2013.

The Chargers fired head coach Brandon Staley after the team’s embarrassing performance on Thursday Night Football. The Las Vegas Raiders set a franchise by scoring 63 points in a 63-21 rout of the Chargers. Staley was fired on Friday. He was the third head coach fired this season so far, joining Raiders coach Josh McDaniels and Carolina Panthers head coach Frank Reich. Vegas interim head coach Antonio Pierce is making his case to stay on the job with performances like Thursday’s.