With the weekend rolling in, it’s a good time to take stock of where the Pittsburgh Steelers sit two weeks into their offseason. They’re still searching to fill their vacant offensive coordinator spot while there’s other openings on their coaching and support staff.
So let’s give an update. Where does Pittsburgh’s search (publicly) stand? Who are the candidates and who could be on the docket? And how else does the rest of the team’s coaching staff look? We’ll break it down.
Offensive Coordinator Search
Confirmed Interview
Thomas Brown/Carolina Panthers Offensive Coordinator
The only confirmed interview, as announced by the team on Thursday. Brown was in his first year as offensive coordinator with the Panthers though only held play calling duties for part of the year, having it yanked back by head coach Frank Reich before resuming the role after Reich was fired after 11 games. Carolina finished the year as one of the NFL’s worst offenses, 31st in scoring, as No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young was sacked 62 times. But the Panthers didn’t have much talent to work with, an older and slow wide receiver group and middling backfield. For all those reasons, it makes judging Brown’s year with the team difficult.
From the Sean McVay tree, Brown worked with the running backs and tight ends in Los Angeles while carrying the Assistant Head Coach title. A former running back at Georgia, his background doesn’t hit the notes Mike Tomlin outlined at his final press conference, experienced with a quarterback background, but Brown was considered a rising star prior to being hired by Carolina. And Pittsburgh figures to cast a wide net in their selection.
Reported Interview Request
Zac Robinson/Los Angeles Rams Passing Game Coordinator
Pittsburgh reportedly put in an interview request over the weekend or on Monday. One of the hottest coordinator names this hiring cycle, Robinson had never been a full-time play caller, though McVay allowed him to call plays in the preseason. A former NFL quarterback, Robinson served as an Assistant Quarterbacks and Wide Receivers coach before becoming the team’s Passing Game Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach in 2022. The Rams’ offense bounced back as QB Matthew Stafford and WR Cooper Kupp returned healthy, Los Angeles finishing as the 8th-ranked scoring offense.
While Robinson is an attractive candidate, the odds of Pittsburgh landing him took a hit when the Atlanta Falcons tabbed Raheem Morris as their head coach Friday afternoon. Both coming from the Rams, Robinson is viewed as a top candidate to become the OC with the Falcons.
Reported Interest
Kliff Kingsbury/USC Analyst
This one still feels weird. As of Thursday night, the only connection between Kingsbury and the Steelers comes from an off-handed comment Peter King made during an appearance on 93.7 The Fan Tuesday, saying “he’s talked to the Bears and he’s gonna talk to the Steelers.” There were no foll0w-up questions about King’s comment. Nor has there been any other reporting about Kingsbury speaking with Pittsburgh. The closest connection is a virtual he held with the Philadelphia Eagles later in the week.
Could Pittsburgh interview Kingsbury? Sure. He’s experienced, has a quarterback background, and would be an interesting hire. But right now, until there’s more information, it’s hard to even view him as a candidate, let alone possible hire.
The Future?
Clearly, more interviews are coming than the one they’ve conducted with Brown. Who else could be on the list? We can still refer back to the list of candidates we created before Pittsburgh’s search got going. Names still available include: Pep Hamilton, Darrell Bevell, Alex Van Pelt, Klint Kubiak, and Liam Coen.
However, Hamilton might reunite with Jim Harbaugh in Los Angeles and Coen appears to be staying at Kentucky (though this tweet shouldn’t be taken as gospel). Bevell has gotten plenty of media buzz from us and others but hasn’t had an official interview. Kubiak hasn’t garnered much attention but his name might pick up when the San Francisco 49ers’ playoff run ends, though that might not happen until after the Super Bowl.
Other possibilities? Former Atlanta Falcons’ head coach Arthur Smith has a run-heavy nature though the talent there never seemed managed well, TE Kyle Pitts and RB Bijan Robinson underutilized as the Falcons’ offense finished 26th in scoring. If Pittsburgh continues to trend towards younger options than more experienced types, Philadelphia Eagles’ assistant Marcus Brady and former Las Vegas Raiders’ interim OC Bo Hardegree are names to consider. Or if they wanted to stick with those who have Sean McVay connections, Buffalo Bills o-line coach Aaron Kromer could get a look. He also has coordinator experience.
Current Coaching Staff
Line by line, let’s go through the Steelers’ current position group.
Head Coach: Mike Tomlin
Confirmed to return in 2024, a contract extension is on the horizon. The question will be how long his new deal lasts, two or three years. He’s likely to coach throughout the duration of the extension.
Offensive Coordinator: Vacant
See above summary. Nothing more to add here.
Defensive Coordinator: Teryl Austin
Inked a two-year extension on Wednesday. Will return for his third season as the team’s defensive coordinator and fifth with the team. While Mike Tomlin has plenty of control over the offense, Austin has been a positive influence on the team. His turnover-focused approach has paid off. Since being hired in 2019, no team has more takeaways than the Steelers. And they’re fifth in points per game allowed, ranking in the top ten in each of Austin’s two years as DC.
Special Teams Coordinator: Danny Smith
No news means Smith is likely to return in 2024. Though retirement seems to be on the horizon, the energetic Smith hasn’t shown signs of slowing down or hanging up his whistle. Pittsburgh remains the only team in the league to have just one coach to carry a special teams title. Perhaps they should think about hiring an assistant to act as a possible replacement when Smith decides to retire.
Quarterbacks Coach: Mike Sullivan
The quarterbacks coach right now. But how much longer? With OC interviews for the Las Vegas Raiders and New Orleans Saints plus Pittsburgh hiring their own guy, there’s lots of ways Sullivan could wind up elsewhere. If he leaves for any reason, the team will have to fill his role. There is an in-house candidate in David Corley but an out-of-house hire is more likely.
Running Backs Coach: Eddie Faulkner
Still the interim offensive coordinator, Faulkner figures to resume his role as RBs Coach in 2024. One he’s very good at. It’s fair to wonder why the team was intent on interviewing Thomas Brown but not considering Faulkner for the full-time role considering the two have similar resumes. But it stands to reason Art Rooney II directed the Steelers to go with an external option for the Steelers’ next offensive coordinator.
Wide Receivers Coach: Frisman Jackson
It felt plausible the Steelers could’ve made a change here but considering Jackson is still on staff two weeks after their season ended, the odds are favorable he returns in 2024. The receiving room has had its issues but George Pickens made strides as a sophomore and finished on a high note. It’s unclear if Jackson’s contract was up after this year, positional coaches in Pittsburgh often sign two-year deals, or if he signed a three-year pact after being hired in 2021.
Tight Ends Coach: Alfredo Roberts
Roberts is one of the team’s top positional coaches and developed the group well overall. There’s every reason to believe he’ll be back in 2024 and beyond.
Offensive Line Coach: Pat Meyer
While some wondered if Meyer would get his pink slip after the season, he’s likely to stay. The run game found its groove late in the year and was schemed well after struggling early in the year, Meyer embracing power and gap runs after ignoring them the first four games. Unlikely wanting to change offensive line coaches again, Meyer should be back for another year. Assistant Isaac Williams should be, too. He’ll be coaching at the Senior Bowl a few days from now.
Defensive Line Coach: Karl Dunbar
A quality positional coach, it’s disappointing he’s never gotten defensive coordinator looks. He should be back as the team’s d-line coach in 2024, potentially with a high draft pick as the team prepares for Cam Heyward’s eventual replacement. Keep an eye for Dunbar on the Pro Day circuit.
Outside Linebackers Coach: Denzel Martin
Dunbar’s long-time assistant, Martin officially earned the OLB Coach Title for 2023. But the d-linemen and EDGE rushers in Pittsburgh work closely together in practice. Martin is energetic and should resume his role in 2024.
Inside Linebackers Coach: Aaron Curry
Entering his second year in the position, Curry did well to juggle a revolving door of players throughout 2023. He’ll return in 2024 and if he has another solid season, could garner buzz about eventually becoming a coordinator.
Defensive Backs Coach: Grady Brown
One of the best gems Mike Tomlin’s come across (though Teryl Austin also deserves credit here), there’s a chance Brown becomes one of the first real branches of Tomlin’s coaching tree. Brown’s done an excellent job managing a secondary also in flux due to injuries while developing Joey Porter Jr. into the Steelers No. 1 cornerback and rookie of the year candidate. Brown feels like someone who could earn coordinator attention this cycle. Last year, he was named DC in the Senior Bowl, a sign of the NFL taking notice.
Pittsburgh may have to think about his potential replacement. The Steelers are likely to add an assistant coach this year with Gerald Alexander departing for Las Vegas. Pittsburgh normally has two DBs coaches to manage the large number of corners and safeties, the same way there’s two offensive line coaches to handle that large group, especially during training camp.
Quality Control Coaches: Jason Brooks (Defense), Matt Tomsho (Offense)
Brooks was hired last year and will likely return in 2024. Tomsho’s status feels less certain. Hand-picked by Matt Canada, he and Tomsho worked together for years at the college and NFL level. Canada doesn’t have another job lined up but it wouldn’t be a surprise if Tomsho went somewhere else. Early in the offseason, the team lost Offensive Assistant Glenn Thomas. The team could replace his role as an extra set of eyes and someone to help game plan.
Support Staff
The team will have to hire out a new Strength and Conditioning staff with Marcel Pastoor and Rodain Delus leaving the team after the season. The only name on-staff is long-time coach Garrett Giemont, who moved to a senior role three years ago.
