Pushing forward in the due diligence department for the future opening General Manager’s job in Pittsburgh, the Steelers added another name to the list of candidates late Friday night.
According to a report from NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, the Steelers are set to interview Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Vice President of Player Personnel John Spytek.
Spytek was elevated to VP of Player Personnel ahead of the 2021 season, which was his sixth overall with the Buccaneers.
While in Tampa Bay, Spytek has been credited with the selections of Antoine Winfield Jr. and Tristan Wirfs in recent drafts, and has also assisted Bucs GM Jason Licht with free agency preparations. He also oversees the day-to-day operations of the college and pro scouting departments for Tampa Bay.
Prior to joining the Buccaneers in 2016 as the Director of Player Personnel, Spytek spent time with the Denver Broncos as a National Scout from 2014-15. In 2013, Spytek was the Broncos’ Southwest Area Scout. .
In previous stops, he also serves as the Director of College Scouting from 2010-12 with the Cleveland Browns, and was a College/Pro Scout from 2007-09 with the Philadelphia Eagles. He landed a full-time job in the NFL in 2006 with the Eagles as a College Scouting Assistant after serving as an intern with the Detroit Lions and Eagles in 2004 and 2005.
A former linebacker at the University of Michigan from 1999-2002 who earned a bachelor’s degree in general studies and a master’s in sports management, Spytek previously interviewed for the Minnesota Vikings’ GM job in mid-January.Â
He is also a native of Pewaukee, Wisconsin, which is also the hometown of TJ and Derek Watt.
Spytek joins the likes of internal candidates in Omar Khan and Brandon Hunt, as well as external candidates in Louis Riddick, Morocco Brown, Ed Dodds, Ryan Cowden, John Wojciechowski and JoJo Wooden, pushing the list of candidates to eight ahead of GM Kevin Colbert’s pending retirement after the draft.
