The Steelers are moving on from one of Mike McCarthy‘s new staff hires well before the season. Senior special teams coach Derius Swinton is out, ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes.
An unspecified violation of team policy will lead to this separation. The Steelers hired Swinton as a right-hand man for special teams coordinator Danny Crossman in February. Swinton, 41, has been an NFL assistant since the 2009 season.
Crossman joined the Steelers as their Danny Smith replacement; Smith, who is now with the Buccaneers, was a target to retain under McCarthy. But Crossman became the team’s pick once Smith left for Florida, leading to Swinton’s hire soon after. Now, Pittsburgh is without a top lieutenant for its new ST boss.
Swinton finished last season as the Raiders’ interim ST coordinator, taking over in that role after Pete Carroll fired Tom McMahon in November. A 2023 Josh McDaniels hire retained by Carroll, Swinton worked with new Steelers DC Patrick Graham during his time in Las Vegas. Swinton, however, had not previously worked on a McCarthy staff or with Crossman.
The lack of connections to the new Pittsburgh HC and ST coordinator made for an interesting fit, but Swinton has been coaching in the NFL since 2009. The Steelers were his ninth NFL employer. He had been a special teams coordinator twice — with the 49ers in 2016 and with the Chargers in 2021 — but mostly has resided on the assistant STC level. He has held that role for the Raiders, Cardinals, Bears and Broncos prior to his appointment in Pittsburgh.
Maybe he just didn’t want to be on a team with Aaron Rodgers. A lot of people could feel that way. LOL