Expecting the Pittsburgh Steelers to make sweeping coaching changes this offseason wasn’t going to happen. Mike Tomlin was staying. Arthur Smith, barring him getting a head coaching gig, was staying. And this is a team that made seven changes a season ago, a number that weren’t going to match in 2025. The two subtractions from the staff appear to be LBs Coach Aaron Curry and DBs Coach Grady Brown.
Of all the changes that could be made, those aren’t the ones that are going to push the Steelers in the right direction. If anything, they’ve gone backwards.
First, the caveats. It appears Curry and Brown each had their contracts expire, the typical exit path for Steelers coaches. Rarely, and this is a valid critique, are they fired. Matt Canada, Jack Bicknell Jr., Al Everest, you can count them on one hand in the Mike Tomlin era. Did Curry or Brown want to return? Maybe not. But even if that’s the case, it’s a discouraging sign for the franchise that two young and rising coaches wanted to bolt.
Pittsburgh knows Curry and Brown better than anyone else. The more specific of a coach you examine from the outside, the harder it is to evaluate. Like any coach, they surely had their flaws. And their units, the most visible result of their work, weren’t perfect. Patrick Queen had an up-and-down year and Payton Wilson’s run defense/block shedding needs work. The Steelers’ secondary had problems to close out the season. Too many communication busts, not enough big plays.
But Curry and Brown were regarded as good, young coaches. In my January offseason review of the offensive and defensive staffs, I viewed Curry as a solid member of the team.
“My perception is Curry is a bright guy who has worked well with the group. He’s pretty young and relatable but brings some experience and credibility in that room. A top-round pick understands the weight of expectations and the adversity of not living up to those marks. There’s a story and background that can relate to any player brought into that room.
He’s still relatively new to Pittsburgh but he’s gotten a lot out of the group in his two years and benefitted from the Steelers’ inside linebackers being a lot healthier this year than last. I could see him becoming a future defensive coordinator.”
The same held true for Brown, someone I’ve been high on for years and whose opportunities reflected that, Senior Bowl DC in 2023 (often given to rising young coaches to give them new roles and additional exposure) and a DC interview with the Atlanta Falcons that occurred after the time of my writing.
“Brown has seemed like a riser in league circles, though perhaps that momentum has cooled. A gem of a find by the Steelers out of the college ranks, Brown had connections with Teryl Austin that helped get him in Pittsburgh’s door. Brown was named Senior Bowl DC in 2023, often a sign of the league recognizing emerging talent.”
Brown helped cultivate a turnover culture in the secondary. In fact, he was directly in charge of it this year. Pittsburgh tied for the league-lead with 33 takeaways. The secondary picked off 15 passes. Donte Jackson set a career-high in picks in his first year with the team. Beanie Bishop Jr. intercepted four, most by a Steelers UDFA rookie since Hall of Famer Jack Butler in the 1950s. DeShon Elliott made an immediate impact and was one of the Steelers’ best offseason signings – maybe the best.
Now, both coaches are gone.
Who will replace them? We know it’ll be Gerald Alexander replacing Brown in the secondary. In fairness, he’s also a young coach working his way up the ranks, and his return to Pittsburgh preserves some level of continuity otherwise lost by bringing in a brand-new coach. Maybe he’ll do a great job. I hope so. For Curry, we have no idea what name they’ll tab.
But losing good, capable coaches isn’t progress. That’s not making anyone better. Of all the moves Pittsburgh could’ve made this year, subtracting Curry and Brown would’ve been about last on my list.
I wasn’t someone looking to fire the whole lot of coaches. One, that was unrealistic and two, it wasn’t necessary. This team underwent plenty of turnover last year. They have made changes. I didn’t even advocate for DC Teryl Austin being shown the door when most of the fan base was (and still is) rooting for his exit.
The trenches would’ve been the area to examine: DL Coach Karl Dunbar and OL Coach Pat Meyer. Both solid coaches, to be clear. I’ve liked both throughout their careers. But the defensive line has had problems developing talent and even the EDGE rushers – whom Dunbar has had a hand in coaching – have fallen short in moments. Meyer is a solid single up the middle, but the Steelers need a home run hire to mold this young offensive line, critical to the team’s success. And the line has had too many problems, from poor stunt pickup to messy zone-blocking schemes, to guys like Broderick Jones struggling and probably needing a fire lit under him (which isn’t Meyer’s style), to justify running it back.
The linebackers and secondary coach won’t make or break the Steelers’ 2025 season. That’ll still come down to on-field play and roster development. The new faces should and will be given a fair shake and we’ll learn more about Alexander and whoever replaces Curry (possibly one of these names from our list of options). We should wait and evaluate the coaching staff as a whole once it’s finalized. Parts are still moving.
But it’s frustrating to see a team already making just tweaks around the edges with a roster and team that could feel very similar to 2024 (same core coaches, same quarterback, possibly the same running backs?) lose two quality people in the same offseason. Not even to promotions or grander opportunities. If Brown left to become the Falcons’ DC, if Curry got a big raise and promotion elsewhere, it happens. That happens to good, young coaches. Instead, Curry made what’s believed to be a lateral move and Brown – we’ll see where he ends up.
Mike Tomlin was right. Changes are happening. They’re just the last ones you’d expect.
