PITTSBURGH — The Steelers entered the second phase of their head coaching search this week. On Tuesday, Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores became the first candidate to visit Pittsburgh for an in-person interview.
Pittsburgh native Mike McCarthy, who beat the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV, is scheduled to meet with the team on Wednesday, according to a league source. On Friday, Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver comes to town for his interview, sources told The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.
In addition to those candidates, the Steelers completed initial (virtual) interviews with San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak, Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula, Rams passing game coordinator Nathan Scheelhaase, Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. (Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley also interviewed virtually before he accepted the Miami Dolphins head job.)
If you’ve been following our coaching search tracker, you know the names and their résumés already. Now, as the Steelers dig deeper, it’s time for us to do the same. No one in the media knows these candidates better than the beat writers who cover them every day. With their help, here’s a scouting report on each of the known contenders.
Brian Flores, Vikings defensive coordinator (44)
In-person interview completed on Tuesday
Flores is unquestionably one of the best defensive minds in the NFL. The Vikings hired the 44-year-old in 2023. He took over a leaky defense without much explosiveness and immediately transformed the group. The Vikings have implemented non-traditional red-zone schemes. They’ve played an aggressive style that Flores always makes sure to mention “is not reckless.” If he’s working with smart and experienced veterans, he is not afraid to give them ample license to make checks and call certain plays on the field. Potential Hall of Fame safety Harrison Smith held that role the last three years, and it was his enjoyment of it that kept him playing well into his 30s. Flores’ work on defense goes beyond play-calling. He began his NFL career as a scout with the New England Patriots, and his evaluation of players has informed many of the Vikings’ roster decisions in recent years. He values versatility and aptitude. He knows what he wants, and he’s not afraid to directly state his opinion. This isn’t for everyone, as was proven during his first head-coaching stint in Miami, but his ability to produce a vaunted defense is undeniable. Flores adapts quickly in-game. He preaches the importance of turnovers. His system and thought process are unconventional, and he is not afraid to innovate in what he’s teaching. — Alec Lewis, Vikings beat writer
Mike McCarthy, former Packers and Cowboys head coach (62)
In-person interview scheduled for Wednesday
Most prominent on his résumé: a Super Bowl title and almost 200 wins as an NFL head coach. Almost as important would be his ability to succeed with franchises like the Green Bay Packers and then the Dallas Cowboys. Ownership isn’t heavily involved on a day-to-day basis in one job, and extremely involved in the other. While the Cowboys didn’t get to an NFC Championship Game in McCarthy’s five seasons, he brought great stability, winning 12 games three consecutive seasons and making three consecutive playoff appearances, which had not happened in Dallas in 24 years. There’s nothing McCarthy hasn’t seen in his NFL coaching career, which goes back to 1993. He’d likely fit in well with a storied organization like the Steelers, a team that he grew up rooting for in the 1970s. For a franchise with quarterback questions, McCarthy’s greatest strength is what he would bring to the QB room. He has worked with Joe Montana, Rich Gannon, Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers and Dak Prescott. He’d likely be excellent for any veteran, while also potentially developing a young QB. — Jon Machota, Cowboys beat writer
Anthony Weaver, Dolphins defensive coordinator (45)
In-person interview scheduled for Friday
Weaver’s three seasons as a defensive coordinator (two with Miami and one with Houston) have produced mixed results. Whether it was injuries or roster issues, the circumstances weren’t ideal in either spot. Weaver, who played seven seasons in the NFL and has gradually worked his way up the coaching ladder, has long been viewed inside the Ravens facility as a future head coach. Team officials certainly respect his football acumen and knowledge of X’s and O’s, but it’s his leadership and communication skills that stand out. He’s a dynamic presence. He is charismatic and confident and he can command a room. (And, at 45 years old, he still looks like he could go out on Sunday and provide quality snaps.) Weaver certainly knows how to motivate and get the best out of players. He’s going to need to surround himself with some experience on the coaching staff, and his offensive coordinator choice will be critical. Defensively, his background is with a 3-4 system, but versatility and aggressiveness were trademarks of the better defenses he was a part of as a coach and player in Baltimore. — Jeff Zrebiec, Ravens beat writer
Chris Shula, Rams defensive coordinator (39)
Virtual interview completed
The Sean McVay coaching tree continues to bear fruit nearly every cycle, and that’s no different this year. Many know Shula as the grandson of Hall-of-Fame coach Don Shula, but what stands out most is how he carved out his own path to get to this point. He played with McVay at Miami University (Ohio). He spent his early years as a college assistant before eventually landing as McVay’s linebackers coach in 2017 and working his way up to defensive coordinator last season. Shula is known for his creative mix of five-man pressure packages and disguised zone coverages. He expanded the use of the “star” position for a sixth-round draft pick in Quentin Lake, and moved Lake, the captain and communicator of the defense, from nickel cornerback to strong safety to free safety interchangeably. This season, Shula took the lowest-paid defense in the NFL to a No. 10 finish in points allowed and No. 7 in Expected Points Added per Play. His approach in a divisional round win over the Bears, built around disguised coverages, resulted in Caleb Williams’ first three-interception game in the NFL. It’s not clear what Shula’s approach to offense or a quarterback would be, but he’s learned under McVay in those areas. He’s planning to be choosy with head-coaching opportunities since he’s in a strong situation and is working for one of his best friends. — Nate Atkins, Rams beat writer
Shula’s defense has borrowed from the Vic Fangio-inspired systems that use a player like Shula uses Lake, as well as those zone and match-zone coverages. But he’s also blended those concepts with elements of Wade Phillips (a former mentor when Phillips was Rams DC) and has even borrowed from the Mike Macdonald/Jesse Minter “coaching tree” on pressure and front structure philosophies to create something uniquely his own. Shula helped identify Lake as a draft pick for the Rams, along with other safeties, making the L.A. a “late-round safety factory” of sorts. He would be a true collaborator with the front office because he can communicate the traits he needs in players to be successful in his system, and Shula has a legitimate track record with scouts and has become very respected as an evaluator during his time with the Rams. Shula is a patient and communicative teacher who has coached every defensive position. McVay has especially leaned on Shula’s even temper and creativity when installing three different defensive systems in nine seasons as head coach. — Jourdan Rodrigue, Senior NFL writer
Nathan Scheelhaase, Rams passing game coordinator (35)
Virtual interview completed
Scheelhaase made a bold bet on his coaching career in 2024 by leaving an offensive coordinator job under Matt Campbell at Iowa State to become an offensive assistant for Sean McVay. He bet on the effects of the McVay coaching tree, and this year he progressed to passing game coordinator, which is third in command on offense. It’s a details- and game plan-oriented role, but the type of work he’s doing on offensive scripts and install sprung Matt LaFleur, Kevin O’Connell, Zac Taylor and Liam Coen to head coaching jobs. Scheelhaase would be a big gamble on upside at age 35, never having run a side of the ball on his own, but only one of McVay’s assistants who have been hired as a head coach has not reached the playoffs. He’s earned the trust of two top coaches in Campbell and McVay. The Rams offense led the league in scoring this season as Matthew Stafford led the NFL with 46 touchdown passes and a TD:INT ratio of 46:8. It’s a talented group, but Scheelhaase’s game-planning work has shown off with the growth of 13 personnel, which has led to 18 receiving touchdowns by tight ends who are not household names. — Atkins
Scheelhaase’s attention to detail, positive personality and understanding of the quarterback position quickly made him valuable to McVay, who elevated him from the introductory-level job of drawing plays for his offense to his current strategy role in just one season. Last season, when doing research for our 50 under 40 list, a senior NFL executive told me he believed Scheelhaase would be a head coach within two years, citing strong leadership skills and an offensive mind made sharper under McVay. What is most refreshing about the young coach is he knows what he doesn’t know. In my conversations with Scheelhaase, I have found him driven to connect with mentors and people who have expertise in areas such as game management, strategy and analytics. His curiosity and eagerness to understand every facet of an organization have ingratiated him with those in the building. Those qualities have served candidates out of this particular coaching tree very well. — Rodrigue
Klay Kubiak, San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator (37)
Virtual interview completed
Kubiak is young, sharp, has a good sense of humor and, best of all for a team in need of an offensive revamp, is well-versed in the Kyle Shanahan system that remains all the rage in the NFL. Kubiak was the 49ers assistant quarterbacks coach when they drafted Brock Purdy in 2022. He was promoted to passing game specialist in 2024 and to offensive coordinator this past season. Did he call plays? Not really. Shanahan gave him play-calling duties in the 2024 regular-season finale — it was a meaningless game, though the 49ers did roll up 436 yards of offense — and did so again during the 2025 preseason. Shanahan also noted Kubiak, who coaches from the booth, suggested the “Skyy Bang Reverse Pass” trick play — Jauan Jennings’ touchdown throw to Christian McCaffrey — that turned the tide of their wild-card playoff win in Philadelphia. “I just saw it on the call sheet, and I was like, ‘This might be good,’” Kubiak said. “I suggested it, but that’s kind of how it goes the whole game, kind of suggest things and some get called, some don’t, some work, some don’t.”
That Kubiak’s never been a full-time play caller and has never truly been in charge of an NFL offense might make him a risky hire as a head coach. There’s some speculation that teams are eyeing him as an offensive coordinator who would complement a defensive-minded head coach — after all, the Seattle Seahawks used that approach with Kubiak’s older brother, Klint, and had great success this season. Shanahan, however, made it clear he wouldn’t allow Klay Kubiak to make a lateral move, even if it came with greater responsibilities. “He calls a lot of plays here,” Shanahan said Saturday. “He’s our offensive coordinator, so I don’t know, why would you let him be somebody else’s offensive coordinator?” — Matt Barrows, 49ers senior writer
Jesse Minter, Chargers defensive coordinator (42)
Virtual interview completed
Minter is an elite, creative defensive mind, but his scheme is not the first thing I point to when assessing why he is such an attractive head-coaching candidate. First and foremost, he is already a willing delegator. Head coaches do not always have time to directly impact each small detail of the team; they must rely on their coordinators and assistants to be their ears and voices. Minter has been delegating to his defensive assistants throughout his time calling plays with the Chargers. He has fundamental defensive pillars he calls “separators”: communication, block destruction, effort and angles, ball disruption and tackling. Minter assigned one separator to each position coach. And each week, that position coach presents to the whole defense about his specific fundamentals. Coaches and players have credited this practice with creating a more cohesive unit. For example, defensive line coach Mike Elston presents on block destruction to every defensive player. That establishes a line of communication between the defensive backs and the defensive line coach — something that might not exist without these weekly presentations.
Additionally, Minter has the temperament and demeanor to be a head coach. He preaches to his players about “not riding the wave,” as he explained to me over the summer. Minter backs that up with how he communicates, both privately and publicly. He will tell the truth about a poor performance — like he did after the Chargers’ blowout loss to the Jaguars in Week 11. He is also not going to give more air or attention to one bad performance than it deserves. He does not linger unnecessarily. Players appreciate that. One other nugget: Minter and Tomlin go way back. Tomlin was coaching for Minter’s father, Rick, at Cincinnati in 1999 and 2000. Tomlin was Rick’s defensive backs coach. Minter was then in high school and spending a lot of time around the Cincinnati program. Minter actually credits Tomlin with inspiring him to get into coaching. Tomlin would check in with Minter about his high school football season, always remembering who Minter was playing that week. “He was the first one that I was like, ‘I want to be like that guy,’” Minter told me over the summer. “He just had this presence about him.” It is now 25 years later, and Minter has a chance to replace Tomlin as Steelers head coach. A potential full-circle moment. — Daniel Popper, Chargers beat writer
Ejiro Evero, Panthers defensive coordinator (45)
Virtual interview completed
The 45-year-old Evero has been up for head-coaching jobs the last several hiring cycles, including interviews with the Panthers in both 2023 and ’24 before they hired Frank Reich and Dave Canales, respectively. Evero outlasted Reich in Carolina, where owner David Tepper blocked Evero from interviewing for other defensive coordinator positions after the 2023 season because he wanted him on Canales’ staff. Evero — whose coaching influences include Dom Capers, Vic Fangio and Sean McVay — has a presence about him when he walks into a room. A Panthers staffer described him as “process-driven, organizationally elite, smart and a great communicator.” He’s also loyal. After Nathaniel Hackett was fired in Denver late in the 2022 season, Evero turned down an offer to be the Broncos’ interim head coach, in part because he thought he was more valuable as DC but also because of his respect for Hackett. Former Panthers coach Ron Rivera saw two of his defensive coordinators — Sean McDermott and Steve Wilks — leave Carolina to become head coaches. When McDermott was in Charlotte, he always started his weekly press conferences with an opening statement because he was getting “reps” for when he became a head coach. Evero does the same thing, a part of his preparations for taking what seems like the inevitable next step in his career. — Joe Person, Panthers beat writer
