The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac is offering his expectations for how the Pittsburgh Steelers coaching staff might look in 2024. In some ways, it’s expected to stay the same. In others, it could change. In a Tuesday column, he notes QBs Coach Mike Sullivan isn’t likely to be retained once the team hires their next offensive coordinator.
Per Dulac:
“Despite how well the offense performed the final four games, interim coordinator/quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan will probably not be retained because of the potential awkwardness it could create with a new coordinator. No coordinator would want the coach who previously called the plays looking over his shoulder.”
Sullivan didn’t carry the interim offensive coordinator label after Matt Canada was fired but called the plays for the remainder of the season. Under QB Mason Rudolph, the Steelers’ offense found life, registering 30-plus points in two of their final three regular-season outings. Sullivan, who was hired in 2021 to be the team’s quarterback’s coach, isn’t under consideration to be the team’s next OC. Per Mike Tomlin, that will be an outside hire. So far, the team has reportedly shown interest in Los Angeles Rams’ Passing Game Coordinator Zac Robinson and former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury.
Elsewhere, offensive line coach Pat Meyer seems likely to remain on staff. Per Dulac:
“There are likely to be other changes on the offensive staff, though offensive line coach Pat Meyer is not expected to be one of them. Not only has the offensive line improved in two years under Meyer, so has the running game.”
Pittsburgh found their identity over the final three weeks and the Steelers ran the ball much better the second half of the season compared to the first. RB Najee Harris again rushed for over 1,000 yards, while RB Jaylen Warren had a strong season, nearly leading all NFL running backs in yards per carry at 5.3 yards per attempt. Rudolph credited Meyer several times late in the season for putting together a solid running game plan. Pittsburgh also better adjusted to blitzes and overload rushes that plagued them early in the year.
Hired in 2021, the Steelers were hoping Meyer could stop constant turnover among o-line coaches. The team went through Mike Munchak, Shaun Sarrett, Adrian Klemm, and Chris Morgan (the interim coach after Klemm left for Oregon midseason) before landing on Meyer.
Dulac hints but doesn’t outline the other changes that could be made on staff. It seems more likely for that to occur on the offensive side of the ball than the defense. But we know Assistant Coach Gerald Alexander interviewed for the New England Patriots’ vacant DC position. Already, Offensive Assistant Glenn Thomas left for Nebraska. It would also make sense for Quality Control Coach Matt Tomsho to depart. He served as Canada’s right-hand man for many years, following him to Pittsburgh when Canada was promoted from QBs Coach to OC in 2021.
