The Pittsburgh Steelers are positioned to bring back much of its coaching staff after 2024’s collapse, trusting head coach Mike Tomlin and the pursuit of continuity with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and defensive coordinator Teryl Austin.
After the struggles the Steelers’ faced down the stretch and the mess of a game that ended their season – a 28-14 Wild Card Round loss to the Baltimore Ravens – it’s fair to question that decision. But Pittsburgh may also be left picking new coaches to fill holes on the staff by assistants getting promotions around the league.
One key Steelers coach, Grady Brown, could move teams and headline the team’s departures.
According to Tom Pelissero, Pittsburgh’s secondary coach will be interviewing with the Atlanta Falcons for the role of defensive coordinator.
The #Falcons are interviewing #Steelers secondary coach Grady Brown for their defensive coordinator job today, per source.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 17, 2025
The spot was previously held by former Washington head coach Jimmy Lake. After a single (pedestrian) season, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris decided to pivot.
Brown is well-respected for his work in the defensive backfield, and he made several stops in college before getting the call to join Tomlin’s staff. Under his tutelage, Pittsburgh has consistently been able to create turnovers. The Steelers led the league in interceptions in 2022, Brown’s first season on the job, before ranking 11th and third in the last two seasons, respectively.
Having a star safety like Minkah Fitzpatrick certainly helps, and if he gets the Falcons gig, he’d have another in the form of Jessie Bates III. However, it’s worth noting that Brown was able to get ball production from a cornerback room that isn’t filled with stars.
Veteran corner Donte Jackson, who the team received in the Diontae Johnson deal, led the team with five interceptions. Undrafted rookie slot corner Beanie Bishop Jr. had four.
Brown would likely be the biggest departure from Pittsburgh’s staff if he were to be hired by Atlanta. However, the Falcons have led an exhaustive search which includes the likes of Lou Anarumo, Wink Martindale, Jeff Ulbrich, and Steve Wilks – all of whom have NFL experience as a defensive coordinator.
Brown hasn’t emerged as favorite just yet, although a promotion elsewhere could be feasible, too.