It’s now been well over a week since the Pittsburgh Steelers’ season ended with another playoff loss. And seven days since Mike Tomlin discussed inevitable changes coming this offseason. Pittsburgh’s yet to announce any coaching staff additions or subtractions, leading some to wonder if the team will keep things status quo. PPG beat writer Ray Fittipaldo still thinks change will occur even if it’s not to any prominent names on the Steelers’ staff.
“Some assistants will go,” he during a Tuesday chat. “They just haven’t been announced or leaked out yet. As far as major moves go, maybe Tomlin can get one of the coaches who doesn’t land a head coaching job. The Browns added Mike Vrabel last year as a consultant. The Steelers should do that this year with some coaches who are currently out of a job.”
Previously, Fittipaldo’s expressed belief that DC Teryl Austin, OL Coach Pat Meyer, and all coaches under contract for 2025 were likely to remain on staff for next season. In other words, no coaches would be officially fired. With OC Arthur Smith looking less likely to become a head coach again, the core of the Steelers’ staff figures to remain the same.
In a separate question, Fittipaldo wrote that he believes DL coach Karl Dunbar, EDGE coach Denzel Martin, RBs coach Eddie Faulkner, TEs coach Alfredo Roberts, and ILBs coach Aaron Curry are on expiring contracts. Those, along with potentially other more minor assistants, could be at risk of not returning. But the team seems high on Faulkner and Curry while Roberts is tenured and has done a nice job overall.
To his other point, Fittipaldo suggests the coaching staff could change by addition instead of subtraction. As our 2024 study showed, Pittsburgh had the NFL’s smallest coaching staff this season with 19 people. Our studies have shown there’s no direct correlation between a larger coaching staff and team success but getting into a “normal” range of 21-23 members would have benefits.
Determining who that Vrabel-like coach could be is impossible while in the middle of the league’s yearly hiring cycle. Maybe a veteran offensive mind would help the passing game. Or a pass-rushing specialist like some teams have hired in recent years, including the Baltimore Ravens tabbing Chuck Smith.
With the team ready to head down to the Senior Bowl, it’d be ideal to start cementing changes beforehand. Still, the team made multiple moves post All-Star games last year, in part due to needing to hire an offensive coordinator, and partly because events like the Senior Bowl can be great networking opportunities with most of the league in one central location to share beers and resumes.
