The Miami Dolphins take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 7 of the 2022 NFL season in a Sunday night matchup.
The team will get to face former head coach Brian Flores, who is now a senior defensive assistant for Pittsburgh.
Flores was let go by the Dolphins following the 2021 season, and this offseason he filed a lawsuit against the Dolphins and three other teams and the NFL for discriminatory practices.
Despite that, Flores is not treating the Week 7 matchup against the Dolphins as a revenge game.
“No, no,” Flores said. “That’s not the way I’m looking at it now.”
Over his three seasons in Miami, Flores compiled a 24-25 record and won 10 games in the 2020 season after going 5-11 in his first season as the team’s head coach.
Last season, the Dolphins got off to a rough start with Tua Tagovailoa injured, but the team turned things around in the second half of the season, finishing with a 9-8 record after a dreadful 1-7 start.
“I don’t have bad memories of the place,” Flores said of Miami. “I have a lot of good memories, but my focus is here right now.
“When I think of that place, I think of all the relationships that were built there that are bigger than football and will go a long way beyond football. There’s a lot of those that like that there, players, coaches, support staff. That’s kind of where my thought process goes.”
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin brought Flores in to help run the team’s defense. It seems like a great move when one looks at the career profile Flores has as an NFL coach.
Pittsburgh’s offense has struggled this season with Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett at quarterback, but the defense has put together some solid performances, including holding the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to just 18 points in Week 6.
“I’m focused on right now,” Flores said. “We’ve got a good group. I’m enjoying coaching with these players and learning under Mike T. That’s been fun. That’s been a lot of fun. It’s a great learning experience for me and that’s kind of where I’m at.”
This is a big game for both teams, as the Dolphins are hoping to snap a three-game losing streak after losing Tagovailoa, Teddy Bridgewater and Skylar Thompson to injuries. The quarterback carousel should come to an end in Week 7 with Tagovailoa ready to return from a concussion.
Meanwhile, the Steelers are looking to build on their Week 6 win and move to 3-4 on the season. Flores and the defense will play a huge role in the team’s chances of beating the Dolphins on Sunday night.
