Steelers Now
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ coaching staff could take on an entirely new look next season. After longtime head coach Mike Tomlin stepped away from his post on Tuesday, the team’s decision makers have made a major decision regarding his assistants.
“The Steelers have told all of Mike Tomlin’s assistant coaches they are free to pursue other opportunities and won’t be retained unless the new head coach wants to rehire them, per multiple sources,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Steelers reporter Gerry Dulac wrote Thursday on X. “All coaches are under contract through the end of February.”
Tomlin’s offensive staff this season was made up of offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, quarterbacks coach Tom Arth, running backs coach Eddie Faulkner, wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni, offensive line coach Pat Meyer and tight ends coach Alfredo Roberts, among others.
The defensive group was led by defensive coordinator Teryl Austin and also included defensive line coach Karl Dunbar, outside linebackers coach Denzel Martin, inside linebackers coach Scott McCurley, defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander and other assistants.
Danny Smith was the Steelers’ special teams coordinator for the 13th season.
In a story written by The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo, an unnamed Steelers player expressed that players had issues with Smith and Austin, but not Tomlin.
“Every player in that building wants to play for Mike T,” said the player. “Were guys upset with coordinators? Yes. Was it the head guy? No.”
Another player added that he felt like changes were coming, but didn’t expect Tomlin to be out.
“We knew something was going to change,” he said. “We just didn’t know it would be that. The guys that have been here longest, we don’t think that Mike T was the issue. We genuinely never lost the belief in the locker room. It was super emotional for us, because it’s not him.”
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers Clean House, Cut Loose Entire Coaching Staff
