It took a few days, but the Steelers finally addressed the inside linebacker position in free agency last week. 

Their latest addition was Elandon Roberts, a former two-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots, and most recently, a Miami Dolphin.

It turns out, Roberts and the Steelers were a match for some time, with former Steelers assistant Brian Flores being the bridge between player and franchise. 

Elandon Roberts says he has a great relationship with Brian Flores, said that he was happy when Flo came to Pittsburgh. Says Flo knew that if Roberts had an opportunity to come to Pittsburgh, he'd jump at it.

Roberts says he had several offers in FA, but Steelers were top choice

— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) March 20, 2023

Elandon Roberts was a linebacker in New England when Flores was defensive coordinator for the Super Bowl-winning Patriots. 

An obvious connection between the two, Roberts would then follow Flores to Miami when Flores accepted the head coaching role for the Dolphins. 

With Roberts slated to be a free agent this year, and Flores over a year removed from the Miami situation, the two were sure to exchange information about the best landing spots for Roberts. 

And as it turns out, Flores put in a good word for the Steelers, even after he left for the Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator position. 

Besides the obvious connection between former coach and player, Flores surely sold Roberts on both scheme and the environment. 

The Steelers want to get back to run thumpers in the middle of their defense. No one embodies that role like Roberts, to the point that his movement skills can be questioned in coverage. 

When it comes to team identity though, Flores may have had some kind words, but Roberts has been eyeing this organization for some time. 

New Steelers LB Elandon Roberts on playing for Mike Tomlin: "I always admired the organization. I always admired how they operated…I met Mike a long time ago at my pro day and I always said to myself, my wife, if I had the opportunity it would be hard to pull me from that one."

— Brian Batko (@BrianBatko) March 20, 2023

How does a mid-market city in the cold northeast repeatedly draw interest from free agents?

Maybe it's the legacy of the team, the notoriety of the helmet, or the day-to-day operation, but there is a presence that means more. 

Brian Flores may look back at his time in Pittsburgh as a mere blip on his coaching radar, and Roberts likely will have won more championships elsewhere, but both will remember their tenure as Steelers and it's for one reason…

Culture.