There are several different coaching styles that are effective at the NFL level, but the Pittsburgh Steelers are opting for passion and energy with DB coach Gerald Alexander.
Some players like Minkah Fitzpatrick, Joey Porter Jr. and Cory Trice Jr. are well acquainted with his style. But the vast majority of the secondary is new to the team and to Alexander.
“He brings a lot of passion,” Fitzpatrick said via Post-Gazette Sports’ YouTube channel. “He brings a lot of knowledge. He’s a guy who’s played the game so he doesn’t just know the Xs and Os of the playbook. He knows the ins and outs of the game.”
Alexander was drafted in the second round by the Detroit Lions in 2007. He never quite lived up to his draft slot, but he spent five years in the league with five different teams. He mostly played safety but also logged a fair number of snaps in the slot throughout his career.
Five teams in five years isn’t ideal as a player, but it probably served him well for his second career in coaching. He was exposed to several different coaching styles and teammates that he can now draw on as a coach.
It isn’t a requirement to have been a player to be an effective coach, but it doesn’t hurt, and Fitzpatrick sees the value in that experience.
“He knows how to put us in position to not just execute our playbook, but to make plays,” Fitzpatrick said.
Fitzpatrick has the most prior experience with Alexander in 2022 and 2023. That included one of the best seasons of his career in 2022 with six interceptions, one touchdown and 11 passes defensed on his way to being a first-team All-Pro.
It has been a long-standing goal of DC Teryl Austin’s to get Fitzpatrick back to his playmaking ways. Perhaps Alexander will be able to assist in that.
Trice also has experience with Alexander, but it came mostly as an observer. The last time Alexander was in Pittsburgh, Trice suffered a season-ending knee injury in training camp. Here’s what he had to say about having Alexander back in the room.
“I was kind of familiar with him. Him being him, being aggressive and telling us stuff he wants to see. Telling us what we want in the film room so we make sure we come to the field and put it on tape and stuff,” Trice said. “He definitely brings the juice and energy, too.”
Beanie Bishop Jr. is new to Alexander but compares his style to one of his favorite college coaches.
“One of my DB coaches when I was in college was like that and that was one of my favorite coaches,” Bishop said of Alexander’s energy and intensity. ” I actually like that type of coaching. Loud coach, so you know what you’re getting day in and day out.”
Along with Alexander, the Steelers brought in Darius Slay to play mentor to some of the younger guys in the room. That’s a role that Slay is happy to take on.
With multiple young players looking to take their next step, it sounds like they have the right energy and experience in the room to get them there.
