NFLPA Survey: Ex-Steelers Assistant among Top Defensive Coordinators

Former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive assistant Brian Flores is in his first year as the defensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings, but he is already drawing rave reviews for his performance.

According to an anonymous survey conducted by the NFLPA, Flores is the No. 4 defensive coordinator in the NFL this season.

The union anonymously surveyed every NFL player on a number of issues, for its second NFLPA Player Team Report Card. It is releasing the results of the top coordinators, which were based on a 0-10 scale rating of their own coordinators, ahead of time, so that the data is available for NFL teams during the hiring process this winter.

Flores was ranked fourth among the league’s defensive coordinators by his players. No Steelers coordinator was ranked among the top five.

NFLPA 2023 TOP COORDINATORS

Frank Smith, Miami Dolphins
Thomas Brown, Carolina Panthers
Brian Schottenheimer, Dallas Cowboys
Brian Callahan, Cincinnati Bengals
Kellen Moore, Los Angeles Chargers

Defensive Coordinators
Aaron Glenn, Detroit Lions
Steve Wilks, San Francisco 49ers
Dan Quinn, Dallas Cowboys
Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings
Raheem Morris, Los Angeles Rams

Special Teams Coordinators
John Fassel, Dallas Cowboys
Chris Tabor, Carolina Panthers
Matt Daniels, Minnesota Vikings
Dave Fipp, Detroit Lions
Darren Rizzi, New Orleans Saints

Of course, you don’t have to take the players’ word for it that Flores is doing a nice job in Minnesota.

The Vikings are 12th in points allowed, 16th in yards allowed, seventh in yards per play and 12th in turnovers. Last season, they finished 30th in points allowed, 31st in yards, 29th in yards per play and 10th in turnovers.

Flores, 42, spent one season as the Steelers’ senior defensive assistant in 2022. Before that, he was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2019-21. He was fired by the Dolphins in January 2022 and subsequently sued the Dolphins and the NFL, alleging racial discrimination in hiring practices, among other things.

The Steelers hired Flores when it seemed like no other team was willing to give him a chance. He quickly rebounded his perception around the league, and was a candidate for multiple defensive coordinator jobs last season, and has already been touted as a head coaching candidate again the offseason.