The Atlanta Falcons are interviewing Pittsburgh Steelers secondary coach Grady Brown for their defensive coordinator opening, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports. The interview is taking place Friday.
Hired in 2021, Brown has served as the team’s defensive backs coach since then. An initial riser, he was tabbed as Senior Bowl defensive coordinator for 2023, often a sign of a coach rising up the ranks. But Brown didn’t receive coordinator interviews in the 2023 or 2024 cycles, suggesting his stock had cooled. This will mark the first time a team has interviewed Brown to interview for a coordinator position.
Before Pittsburgh, Brown coached for a slew of colleges and had just been hired by the University of Houston before the Steelers poached him weeks later. Brown had connections to Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, which helped him secure an interview that led to his hiring.
Since, the Steelers’ secondary has been a ball-hawking group. CB Donte Jackson set a single-season best with five interceptions in his first year with Pittsburgh while UDFA corner Beanie Bishop Jr. picked off four passes, second-most by a Steelers rookie UDFA in franchise history. Joey Porter Jr. has become the Steelers’ top corner though penalties prevented him from taking a big leap in his second year. SS DeShon Elliott flourished in his first season with the Steelers while FS Minkah Fitzpatrick has made three Pro Bowls and one All-Pro team since Brown’s hiring.
Grady Brown is regarded as a quality coach and it’s surprising to see it take this long for other teams to show interest. Speaking to reporters earlier this year, Brown admitted he had defensive coordinator aspirations but was focused on helping Pittsburgh win now.
“I’ll be ready when my opportunities come, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it happened in the near future,” Brown said in June. “I’m just making sure that we play good defense in Pittsburgh for now.”
The Falcons are looking to replace DC Jimmy Lake, who was fired after one season. The team has interviewed several candidates, including former Cincinnati Bengals DC Lou Anarumo. Atlanta finished 23rd in points allowed in 2024 while its defense only picked off 12 passes, nine from the secondary. Mike Tomlin and Raheem Morris also have a close friendship which could help Brown get a look from Atlanta.
