The Pittsburgh Steelers hired a new defensive backs coach this offseason in Grady Brown after choosing not to renew the contract of Tom Bradley. That noted, to hear Hall of Famer and former Steelers defensive back Rod Woodson talk on Monday during his interview on 93.7 The Fan, he had a shot at getting that job instead of Brown.
“I’m not even going to talk about that, but I respect the Rooneys, I respect Mike Tomlin,” Woodson said when the topic of the Steelers having an open defensive backs coach position this offseason that the former Steelers player should have put in for was brought up. “We did have some conversation, but I respect them for making their decision. They’ve won a lot of football games, right?”
Woodson was then asked if he does still have the want to coach again in the NFL, something he hasn’t done since he was with the Oakland Raiders in 2017.
“Listen, I’m a grassroot football guy,” Woodson said. “I love giving back what was given to me and I don’t think normal. I don’t think like the normal defensive back coach. I see the game a little bit differently, but it’s still in my blood. Once I went there and did it, I was like, you know what, it’s ball. You’re just teaching everything that you learn.
“Now, you have to learn how to get it out and how to teach in progression, but it’s still in my blood. So, and I still get to talk to guys, which is a good thing for me. And I still get to talk to these youth through my camps. So, I’m doing it in a different manner. But God’s going to open the doors he wants me to walk through and those are the doors I walk through.”
That’s quite interesting that Woodson seemingly had talks with the Steelers earlier in the offseason about being their new defensive backs coach. That obviously didn’t happen and now we’ll wait and see how Brown does coaching the Steelers defensive backs moving forward. Woodson did add, however, that he would like to see the Steelers be able to retain the services of both of their cornerbacks set to become unrestricted free agents on March 17, Mike Hilton, and Cameron Sutton.
“I mean, I would like for them to keep both,” Woodson said of Hilton and Sutton. “You know, you need players nowadays and you need three corners. I mean, this game is played in space and you need your playmakers and I think they play solid football.”
While Woodson would like to see both Hilton and Sutton retained this offseason, he did say he would also like to see them get more aggressive in their play like safety Mikah Fitzpatrick if one or both do stay in Pittsburgh.
“I would like to see them kind of have that [Minkah] Fitzpatrick mentality because he takes shots,” Woodson said. “You know, he’s trying to make plays consistently throughout the season. So, I would like to see Hilton and Sutton, I would like to see both of those guys just not fear of getting beat. Putting your foot in the ground and go make a play and because there’s an old gambling term, scared money don’t win no money.”
