The Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship is a program used by the NFL to uplift minority coaches. It’s an attempt to provide equal opportunities to coaches of all backgrounds. The Pittsburgh Steelers usually add a few coaches throughout training camp using this program. Some names have already been announced, and now, they’re also adding Ace Mullgrav, the linebackers coach and assistant coach for Weber State, as announced by the school on Twitter.
According to the school’s website, this is Mullgrav’s first year with Weber State, joining its staff this past January. However, this isn’t his first college coaching gig. He spent the past two seasons as a defensive analyst for the University of Utah. He was also an assistant coach at Eastern Washington University, working with its linebackers.
Also, this isn’t Mullgrav’s first stint in the NFL. He was previously with the Jacksonville Jaguars, working in their player personnel department in 2016, serving as a scouting intern. While that’s a little different from coaching, it means he brings some NFL experience, which isn’t seen in all coaches who get opportunities through the Bill Walsh Fellowship.
Considering that he’s joining a new team this year, Mullgrav’s experience with the Steelers could prove to be invaluable. Weber State finished 4-8 last year. Mullgrav’s opportunity with the Steelers could help improve that record in 2025.
As a linebackers coach and a former linebacker — Mullgray played at South Carolina State from 2012-2014 — he should work closely with Denzel Martin and Scott McCurley. Martin coaches the Steelers’ outside linebackers while McCurley is their inside linebackers coach. McCurley is also in his first year with the Steelers, so working with Mullgrav could be valuable for him, too.
Both of them have a lot of experience to pass on, too. Also, Mike Tomlin is one of the NFL’s most accomplished coaches. Getting to work around him should be incredibly valuable as well. Mullgrav has a great opportunity to grow as a coach, and perhaps one day he’ll land a full-time coaching job in the NFL. This should help him on that journey.
