The Steelers announced their full 2026 coaching staff on Friday. It features new game management/quarterbacks coach Tim Berbenich and tight ends coach Robert Kugler as well as defensive assistant Shawn Howe.
Berbenich, 46, has worked in the NFL since 2003 with a variety of roles with seven different teams. His last three jobs were with the Teams (tight ends coach, 2022), Rams (coaching analyst, 2023), and Falcons (pass game specialist/game management, 2024-2025). Unlike many of the Steelers’ new offensive coaches, Berbenich has not worked with Mike McCarthy in the past. He has not worked with Aaron Rodgers either, nor has the team’s other QBs coach, Tom Arth. This is somewhat of a surprise considering the current expectation that Rodgers re-signs with the Steelers this offseason.
Kugler has been an assistant offensive line coach for the past five seasons with time in Houston (2021), Carolina (2022-2023) and New England (2024-2025). He previously worked with tight ends at UTEP in 2017 with brief stints at the University of Washington and Appalachian State before he came to the NFL.
The Steelers’ top three tight ends – Pat Freiermuth, Jonnu Smith, and Darnell Washington – are all set to return for the 2026 season. Smith disappointed in his reunion with former Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, averaging just 13.1 yards per game and 5.8 yards per reception. Freiermuth and Washington were much more productive with similar target shares. The trio will likely be a major part of Pittsburgh’s new offense with little established talent at wide receiver.
Howe is entering the NFL after 21 years at the college level. He most recently worked for Montana State, starting in 2021 as a run game coordinator/defensive line coach. Howe was promoted to co-defensive coordinator in 2024; in 2005, he held the title on his own and led the Bobcats to their first-ever FCS National Championship. With a long history as a defensive line coach, Howe will likely continue working with that position group in Pittsburgh.
Who are the Teams? And who cares if they’ve worked with Rodgers? Why would you fill out your coaching staff to cater to a guy who isn’t elite and is over 40?
The new name for the Redskins/Commanders? They should have just changed their mascot to a potato and kept the original name
It is referring to the Washington Football Team, as they were called that year.
Ahh…that makes sense. But that was more or less a small question to the bigger one. It seems stupid to build this coaching staff around making sure Aaron Rodgers comes back for another season.
I figure Omar Khan has maybe 2 more seasons to prove himself or he will get axed and another shuffling of the deck will take place.
Literally all sources in this town have stated Tomlin had control over everything football with the Steelers, just not the GM title. You’re right. Now we’ll see just what Khan is all about.
There’s a great deal of aging deadwood with high price tags on the roster and with an owner who believes this team is just a tweak away from being a contender, it’s going to be an interesting off season
Yep…and I hate it. I wanted this team dismantled. I wanted a full on rebuild. This was the perfect off-season for it. They are loaded with picks this year. It would’ve been a great time to trade high priced veterans and use everything to get younger and bring this franchise to the 2020’s instead of trying to win using an 80’s-90’s gameplan.
Agree 100% But instead of burning it down, I’m taking it Rodgers will be back. And Cam. And Ramsey. And Watt.
It’s hard to understand what Rooney sees. It’s hard to see them doing much more than they did this year