UPDATE: Brown has been removed from the coaching staff section of the Steelers’ media website and the official team website, signaling that he is no longer with the organization.
The Pittsburgh Steelers officially announced the hire of Gerald Alexander, who served as their assistant defensive backs coach from 2022-2023 before working as the Las Vegas Raiders’ safeties coach in 2024.
Per Joe Rutter of TribLive, the Steelers did not renew secondary coach Grady Brown’s contract, and Alexander will likely be Brown’s replacement.
Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette also reported that Brown did not have his contract renewed.
The Steelers didn’t have anybody officially listed as a defensive backs coach in 2024, with Brown holding the title of secondary coach. Anthony Midget was the assistant secondary coach. Midget is currently still listed as being with the organization.
Brown would be the second departure to Pittsburgh’s coaching staff, after inside linebackers coach Aaron Curry left following the expiration of his contract to take the linebackers coach job with the New York Jets.
Grady Brown was regarded as a young and rising coach. He served as defensive coordinator in the 2023 Senior Bowl, often viewed as a sign of coaches highly regarded by the rest of the league. Brown received his first defensive coordinator request during the 2025 hiring cycle, interviewing with the Atlanta Falcons before being passed over for the job.
In charge of the team’s turnover culture for the 2024 season, Pittsburgh tied for the NFL lead with 33 takeaways. The secondary played a big role in that figure, picking off 15 passes. In his first year with the team, CB Donte Jackson led the way with a career-high five interceptions while UDFA slot corner Beanie Bishop had four. Strong safety DeShon Elliott had an excellent year in his first season with the Steelers.
Brown and Curry have been the two changes to the Steelers’ coaching staff. They’re surprising subtractions. Both coaches were viewed as young and rising and potential future defensive coordinators.
Alexander spent five years in the league from 2007-2011 after being a second-round pick following a college career at Boise State. In addition to working for Pittsburgh and Las Vegas, he was the Miami Dolphins’ defensive backs coach from 2020-2021 and also has extensive experience working in the college game. He was also a linebackers coach in the 2024 East-West Shrine Bowl.
So far, Alexander is the only known addition to Pittsburgh’s coaching staff, with Brown and Curry the two known departures.
