Steelers to interview Brian Flores and Anthony Weaver in person as coaching search advances

Lead: The Pittsburgh Steelers have advanced to a second round of interviews in their head-coach search, arranging in-person meetings with two defensive coordinators, sources say. Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores will meet the team in person; Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver is expected to do the same. League rules require interviews with coaches currently employed by NFL teams to be virtual until after the divisional round of the playoffs, so logistics depend on the postseason calendar. The team has also been linked to veteran coaches and several coordinators in an expanding candidate pool.

Key Takeaways

• The Steelers are scheduling second-round interviews with Brian Flores (Vikings DC) and Anthony Weaver (Dolphins DC), according to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and NFL Media reporting.
• Flores served as a defensive assistant on Mike Tomlin’s staff in 2022; Weaver is currently the Dolphins’ defensive coordinator.
• By NFL policy, in-person interviews for coaches employed by playoff teams must wait until after the divisional round; timing will hinge on postseason outcomes.
• The Steelers have previously interviewed or met with Mike McCarthy (former Packers and Cowboys head coach) and several coordinators: Chris Shula, Nate Scheelhaase, Jesse Minter, Jeff Hafley, and Klay Kubiak.
• Chris Shula and Nate Scheelhaase are unavailable for second interviews until after the NFC Championship Game, per reporting.
• The mix of veteran head-coach candidates and young coordinators suggests the Steelers are weighing experience against schematic fit and long-term staff building.

Background

The Steelers opened a wide-ranging search that has included both experienced head coaches and promising coordinators. Pittsburgh’s approach reflects a common NFL pattern: teams often interview veteran head coaches to assess leadership and coordinators to evaluate schematic fit and developmental upside. League policy constrains the timing and format of interviews when candidates are employed on playoff teams; that rule is designed to limit disruption to teams still competing. Historically, the Steelers have balanced continuity and change when hiring coaches, weighing cultural fit within the organization against the desire to modernize schematics.

Brian Flores emerged on many radar screens after stints as a defensive assistant and coordinator, and his prior work in Pittsburgh during 2022 gives him familiarity with the team’s environment. Anthony Weaver’s work with the Dolphins defense has drawn attention for situational game plans and player development. The reported meetings with Mike McCarthy and other coordinators indicate the Steelers are conducting a comparative evaluation across backgrounds and philosophies. Availability constraints — tied to playoff scheduling — will shape when in-person interviews can occur and may elongate the process.

Main Event

According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Steelers have arranged an in-person interview with Brian Flores, who currently serves as defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings. Flores spent the 2022 season as a defensive assistant on Mike Tomlin’s staff, a detail that gives him a recent working connection to the organization. Ian Rapoport of NFL Media separately reported that Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver is expected to meet the team in person as well. Both reports indicate the team is moving beyond its initial meetings and into more detailed conversations with finalists.

The league’s protocol requires that interviews for coaches on active NFL staffs be conducted virtually until the divisional round concludes, which means the timing of any in-person meetings depends on the postseason calendar. Reporters also said the Steelers are slated to meet with Mike McCarthy, the former head coach of the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys, suggesting the team is weighing experienced head-coaching candidates alongside coordinators. Pittsburgh has already met with Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula, Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, and 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak, per reporting.

Shula and Scheelhaase are reported to be unavailable for second interviews until after the NFC Championship Game, which effectively stages them for later consideration if the Rams advance. Other candidates’ availability remains tied to their teams’ postseason status or internal scheduling. The Steelers’ second-round interview list indicates the club is narrowing its focus but still actively comparing multiple profiles—experienced head coaches, coordinators with coordinator-to-head-coach upside, and coaches with ties to the organization.

Analysis & Implications

Choosing Brian Flores would signal the Steelers value a defensive-minded leader with a recent connection to Pittsburgh. Flores’s 2022 role on Tomlin’s staff gives him institutional familiarity that could shorten a transition period for players and staff. He also brings experience coordinating game-day defensive plans at the NFL level, which could influence the team’s free-agent and draft priorities. However, Flores’s hiring would also carry close scrutiny given public attention to previous head-coaching tenures elsewhere.

Interviewing Anthony Weaver suggests the Steelers are evaluating a coach credited with modern defensive schematics and player development work in Miami. Weaver’s experience as a current NFL defensive coordinator means he is managing a roster through the playoffs, which can be both evaluative (seeing him in high-leverage situations) and obstructive (delaying in-person follow-ups). Weaver’s profile—known for situational adjustments and young-player growth—could appeal if Pittsburgh prioritizes long-term defensive cohesion and scheme evolution.

The reported interest in Mike McCarthy shows the organization is also considering veteran head-coaching experience and the potential for immediate leadership from someone with prior Super Bowl-winning staff experience. That contrast—seasoned head coaches versus coordinators—frames a choice between short-term stability and longer-term schematic development. Practical constraints from playoff scheduling may favor candidates whose staffs finish earlier or who are already free agents, potentially altering the order or timing of formal offers.

Comparison & Data

The table summarizes current roles and immediate availability as reported. Availability for Flores and Weaver is conditional on league rules and the playoff schedule; candidates on teams advancing deeper into the postseason cannot meet in person until mandated windows open. That timing may compress the evaluation period and influence the Steelers’ negotiation leverage and timetable for a hire.

Reactions & Quotes

Reporters covering the search have independently confirmed multiple interviews, which has shaped public expectations about candidate momentum. Local coverage has emphasized Flores’s prior work in Pittsburgh as a notable factor; league reporting has highlighted Weaver’s expected in-person meeting as an advance in the process. These pieces have fed both fan discussion and analyst commentary about who best fits the Steelers’ organizational needs.

“The Steelers will have an in-person interview with Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores,”

Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (reporting)

That item, reported by the Post-Gazette, underscores Flores’s placement near the top of Pittsburgh’s list and the significance of his previous stint in the city. The report does not imply a finalized decision, but it does indicate the team is moving toward deeper interviews. Local analysts note that Flores’s familiarity with the club could be an advantage if the search prioritizes continuity.

“Ian Rapoport reports Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver is expected to interview in person with the Steelers,”

Ian Rapoport, NFL Media (league reporting)

Rapoport’s reporting frames Weaver as another leading candidate, and that attention increases the need for the Steelers to weigh schematic fit carefully. League reporters note that in-person meetings typically mark a narrowing of focus, though they are not offers. Observers are watching how postseason timing will affect the sequence and pace of these interviews.

Unconfirmed

• The reported meeting with Mike McCarthy was described as “word this weekend” and has not been independently confirmed by a team announcement.
• Exact dates and formats for in-person interviews with Flores and Weaver remain dependent on postseason outcomes and have not been publicly scheduled.
• No formal offer or internal decision has been reported; media reports indicate interviews but not finalized hiring choices.

Bottom Line

The Steelers appear to be in a deliberative second phase of their head-coach search, interviewing a mix of experienced former head coaches and current NFL coordinators. Reports that Brian Flores and Anthony Weaver will have in-person interviews represent a step forward but do not amount to a hire; timing and availability hinge on playoff scheduling and standard league interview rules. Pittsburgh’s simultaneous engagement with multiple profiles — veteran leaders and defensive-oriented coordinators — suggests the organization is weighing immediate leadership against schematic fit and long-term staff construction.

Observers should expect the process to continue into the postseason window, with additional clarity only after in-person meetings occur and the team completes its internal evaluations. Until the Steelers or a candidate confirm a formal agreement, reporting of interviews should be read as part of an evolving evaluation rather than a conclusion. Fans and analysts will be watching closely for how the team balances continuity, defensive identity, and coaching experience in its final decision.

Sources

• NBC Sports — ProFootballTalk (news reporting)
• Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — Gerry Dulac (local reporting)
• NFL Media / Ian Rapoport (league reporting)