When Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop missed a would-be game-winning field goal in the waning seconds of Week 18, the Pittsburgh Steelers got the last laugh as they snuck into the playoffs. Not only was Mike Tomlin's job potentially spared, but the Ravens relieved 18-year head coach John Harbaugh of his duties on Tuesday.
As the Steelers prep for playoff football against the Houston Texans, the Ravens begin their hunt for a new head coach... and the candidate they're set to bring in feels like the ultimate low blow to the Steelers.
On Thursday, the Ravens requested to interview Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
If the name sounds familiar, it's because Flores was a former senior defensive assistant for the Pittsburgh Steelers before landing the DC job in Minnesota. But there's a much deeper reason why this stings.
Brian Flores could get his revenge on the Pittsburgh Steelers if hired as the Baltimore Ravens' head coach
We don't want to put the cart before the horse here; the Ravens are still early in the hiring process, and there are sure to be other legitimate candidates for the vacant head coaching job. However, Flores would be a strong pick, and he would have a chance to get his revenge on the Steelers for years to come.
After the Steelers moved on from former DC Keith Butler following the 2021 season, the team promoted Teryl Austin from within to take his place as the new defensive coordinator. Less than two weeks later, the Steelers hired Flores as a defensive assistant.
But after an underwhelming 2022 season with Austin running the defense, the Steelers chose to let the Vikings poach Flores as Minnesota's new DC. The better option was staring Pittsburgh in the face: fire Austin and promote Flores. They didn't... and Steelers fans have had regrets ever since.
Since then, the Vikings have had a better defense than the Steelers. In 2025, Minnesota finished third in total defense and seventh in points allowed, while being the third-ranked defense in DVOA, per FTN Fantasy.
Not only that, but many Steelers fans argued that Flores could have been the heir apparent to head coach Mike Tomlin. Flores is nearly a decade younger, and his ameba-blitz defense offers more aggressiveness and creativity than the underwhelming combination of Tomlin and Austin.
The Baltimore Ravens would be getting back to their hard-nosed defensive roots if they hire Brian Flores as their next head coach, and this would be the ultimate payback to a Pittsburgh Steelers team that missed a golden opportunity with Flores in 2023.