AFC North Staff Notes: Steelers, Ravens
Here’s the latest coaching news from a pair of AFC North cities:
- The Steelers are adding IUP offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. to their staff in an unspecified role, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. The move reunites Cignetti and new Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy, who worked together in New Orleans from 2000-01 and again in Green Bay in 2018. Then in his 13th year as the Packers’ head coach, McCarthy hired Cignetti as the team’s quarterbacks coach. McCarthy didn’t survive the season, though, as the Packers fired him after a 4-7-1 start. Cignetti has since coached at the college level, including a run as Pitt’s offensive coordinator/QBs coach from 2022-23, but will now return to the pros.
- Ramon Chinyoung Sr. will serve as the Steelers’ running backs coach in 2026, the team announced. It’s another familiar addition for McCarthy, who has now hired Chinyoung twice. As the Cowboys’ head coach in 2023, McCarthy brought in Chinyoung as the team’s assistant offensive line coach/quality control. McCarthy lost his job in Dallas after 2024, but Chinyoung stayed on Brian Schottenheimer‘s staff this past season. Chinyoung is set to work with Steelers running back Jaylen Warren in his new gig, while fellow RB Kenneth Gainwell is slated to reach free agency after totaling 1,023 yards (537 rushing, 486 receiving), 73 catches and five touchdowns in 2025.
- Eddie Faulkner, who preceded Chinyoung as Pittsburgh’s running backs coach, is expected to take the same position with the rival Ravens, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. During his seven-year tenure in Pittsburgh, Faulkner oversaw career years from the Warren-Gainwell tandem in 2025 and four straight 1,000-yard seasons from Najee Harris from 2021-24. He’ll now coach the Ravens’ Derrick Henry-led backfield in Baltimore.
- Elsewhere on the Baltimore staff, the Ravens are finalizing a deal with P.J. Volker to work as a defensive assistant, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Volker, coming off a three-year stretch as Navy’s defensive coordinator, is “extremely close” with new Ravens head coach Jesse Minter, Zrebiec notes. The two were teammates at Mount St. Joseph and later coached together at Indiana State and Georgia State.
Scott Tolzien, Chase Haslett To Remain On Saints’ Staff
Scott Tolzien and Chase Haslett have both received interest from the Steelers as Mike McCarthy pieces together his staff. In each case, though, a departure from the Saints will not be taking place. 
Tolzien has chosen to stay in New Orleans, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports. Pittsburgh conducted an offensive coordinator interview with him yesterday, and Schultz notes Tolzien was considered a “top candidate” for the Pittsburgh job. Instead, Tolzien will carry on in his role as quarterbacks coach for New Orleans in 2026.
Schultz reported on Monday that Haslett interviewed with the Steelers for the role of pass-game coordinator and tight ends coach. A hire on that front would have allowed for a reunion with McCarthy. Haslett’s first coaching opportunity in the NFL came under McCarthy with the Cowboys. After five years on McCarthy’s Dallas staff, Haslett joined the Saints as their TEs coach. Per Schultz, the 33-year-old has joined Tolzien in deciding to remain in place for now.
New Orleans underwent a number of changes on the sidelines last offseason, something which is of course commonplace when new head coaches arrive. Kellen Moore took on HC duties for the first time, and he led the Saints to a 6-11 record. Momentum was built toward the end of the campaign with rookie quarterback Tyler Shough delivering a number of encouraging performances. Shough is now positioned for a full season atop the depth chart, and continued development on his part would boost Tolzien’s coaching stock.
Taysom Hill may have played his final game with the Saints, while Foster Moreau is a pending free agent. The tight end position could look much different in 2026 for New Orleans as a result. Haslett will play a key role on Moore’s staff regardless of how things shake out at the tight spot next year.
Latest On Steelers’ Staff Changes
There have been several changes to the Steelers’ coaching staff since their season ended in the first round of the playoffs, none bigger, of course, than former head coach Mike Tomlin‘s decision to walk away from the team. Following Pittsburgh’s ninth straight season failing to advance past the first round of the NFL playoffs, players on the team anticipated changes to the coaching staff, according to Mike DeFabo of the Athletic, but the departure of Tomlin was not what they expected. 
Per a joint report from ESPN’s Brooke Pryor and Jeremy Fowler, when making the decision to step away, Tomlin told his players that they “deserve better,” telling them that, “right now, (he couldn’t) deliver.” He also informed the players directly that he had no intentions of coaching elsewhere in 2026. His comments seemed to dispel any rumors that he felt unappreciated in Pittsburgh as he felt he was the one who was falling short, that “someone else has to move the franchise forward.”
Now, new head coach Mike McCarthy has been brought in to move the franchise forward, and with the majority of Pittsburgh’s coaching staff not under contract past the 2025 NFL season, he’s gotten to work building his own staff with which to move forward. The latest addition to that staff, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, is former Saints All-Pro offensive guard Jahri Evans. Following the end of his playing career, Evans made the transition into coaching, starting as a preseason coaching intern for his old team in 2022. He earned promotions to offensive assistant in 2023 and assistant offensive line coach last year, and he’ll now make a lateral move to join the Steelers as their new assistant OL coach.
Also out of the AFC South, per Wilson, the Steelers are bringing in former Falcons chief of staff of coaching operations Steve Scarnecchia. The son of respected, longtime offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia, Pittsburgh’s new staffer hasn’t had his specific role announced, but he also had a chief of staff role with the Jets, previously, so he will likely be doing similar work with the Steelers in 2026.
Lastly, in the front office, Wilson was the first to report that Pittsburgh has added Commanders director of college scouting Tim Gribble to their scouting department. This is actually a return to Pittsburgh for the former Duquesne athlete. After graduating and coaching at his alma mater, Gribble was hired as an assistant in the Steelers’ scouting department in 2000. After two years, he made his way to Washington, and he’s been with the franchise ever since. After a long 24 years, he’ll make his way back to Pittsburgh for 2026.
Steelers Interview Matthew Smiley For ST Coordinator
After watching special teams coordinator Danny Smith depart for warmer climates in Tampa Bay, the Steelers are now searching for a special teams coach to fill the role. To that end, the team interviewed former Bills special teams coach Matthew Smiley for the position, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. 
Smiley began his coaching career at Dartmouth, where he initially served as assistant quarterbacks/specialists coach in 2005 before being named special teams coordinator after his first year. He then went to Division III Eureka, where he spent a year as offensive coordinator and the next at defensive coordinator until he was named interim head coach. Following that, he worked three years at Eastern Illinois as running backs coach/special teams coordinator and a year at Charleston Southern with the same title.
Smiley landed in the NFL in 2013 as assistant special teams coordinator for the Jaguars. After four years in Duval, he made his way to Buffalo, where he served as assistant special teams coordinator for five more seasons. After nine years as an assistant and five years in Buffalo, Smiley was finally promoted to special teams coordinator in 2022, when Heath Farwell opened the spot with a move for the same role with Jacksonville.
In Smiley’s three years as special teams coordinator, he worked with kicker Tyler Bass and punter Sam Martin. The return game under Smiley saw early success with two kickoff returns for touchdowns in his first year and a punt return for a touchdown in his second. After the 2024 season, though, Smiley parted ways with the Bills and didn’t coach in the 2025 season.
Additionally, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the Steelers are interviewing Texas Tech outside linebackers coach C.J. Ah You this Tuesday for the same role in Pittsburgh. Per Pelissero, Ah You also interviewed Friday with the Cowboys. The Steelers’ interest in hiring for that role likely indicates that 2025’s outside linebackers coach, Denzel Martin, will not be back in 2026.
Cowboys Add Derrick Ansley To Staff
New Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker has been busy over the past few days working to piece together his staff. A notable name will be joining him in Dallas for 2026. 
Derrick Ansley has agreed to terms with the Cowboys, ESPN’s Todd Archer reports. This news marks an expected to end to his Packers tenure. Ansley worked as Green Bay’s defensive pass-game coordinator for each of the past two years. The team brought in Bobby Babich to fill that role earlier this week, however.
Ansley has not needed to wait long to find his next opportunity. The 44-year-old will join Ryan Smith in Dallas, per Archer. Smith was reported to be a Cowboys target recently, with the same also being true of outgoing Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr. Like Orr, Ansley has previously been a DC at the NFL level.
In 2023, Ansley was promoted to defensive coordinator of the Chargers. That move followed two years as a defensive backs coach with the Bolts but proved to be short-lived. Brandon Staley‘s midseason firing paved the way for a slew of changes on the sidelines and the eventual arrival of Jim Harbaugh. That led Ansley – who has also worked as a defensive coordinator at the college level (Tennessee in 2020 and ’21) – to Green Bay. He spent two years working under Jeff Hafley, who is now in place as the Dolphins’ head coach.
Ansley will hold the familiar titles of defensive pass-game coordinator and DBs coach, per Archer. He adds Smith will operate as Dallas’ secondary coach. Together, the two will be tasked with helping lead a needed turnaround in production from that unit. The Cowboys ranked last in the NFL in pass defense this season, a key reason why they fell short of the playoffs. A stronger showing in 2026 could help Ansley’s future coordinator stock; he interviewed for one DC opening during each of the past two hiring cycles.
Meanwhile, interviews with several other candidates for the Cowboys’ staff continued today. According to Archer, Steelers outside linebackers coach Denzel Martin, Eagles assistant linebacker coach Ronell Williams and former Vikings defensive line coach Marcus Dixon all conducted in-person interviews on Saturday. USC D-line coach/defensive run game coordinator Eric Henderson will meet with the team tomorrow.
NFC North Coaching Updates: Vikings, Petzing, Packers
Barring a departure for one of the two remaining open head coaching positions, the Vikings have fulfilled their biggest offseason wish of retaining defensive coordinator Brian Flores, even securing him long-term with a contract extension. While Flores is still around, assistant head coach Mike Pettine has retired, passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach Daronte Jones landed a coordinator job with the Commanders, and the team moved on from offensive line coach Chris Kuper and allowed defensive line coach Marcus Dixon‘s contract to expire. 
Head coach Kevin O’Connell has been working to fill the roles left vacant by these departures in recent weeks. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the team has brought in Frank Smith to fill Pettine’s former role as assistant head coach. Smith, a former offensive coordinator with the Dolphins, learned under former play-calling head coach Mike McDaniel and could bring some of his influence to the offense. He’s also expected to help in run game planning. To replace Kuper, O’Connell promoted Keith Carter to offensive line coach. He was the team’s assistant OL coach last year but has served as a full-time position coach in the past and will return to that role in Minnesota next year.
On defense, Gerald Alexander will replace Jones as defensive pass game coordinator/defensive backs coach. Alexander has bounced around since entering the NFL ranks of coaching in 2017, working DB coaching jobs with the Panthers, Dolphins, Steelers, and Raiders before landing in Minnesota. Flores worked with Alexander during his stops in Miami and Pittsburgh, so if he doesn’t get a head coaching position, Alexander will be reuniting with him in Minnesota. Replacing Dixon will be Ryan Nielsen, who will add defensive run game coordinator to Dixon’s original DL coach title. Nielsen has coordinator experience with the Saints, Falcons, and Jaguars and most recently served as a senior defensive assistant with the Bills.
Here are a few other coaching updates from around the NFC North:
- Last year, the Lions took play-calling duties away from offensive coordinator John Morton and ended up parting ways with him at the end of the season. Head coach Dan Campbell took over play calling for the remainder of the season, but he doesn’t intend to retain those duties in 2026. According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, general manager Brad Holmes told the media that new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing will take the reins in calling plays for the offense in Detroit next season. Petzing will be running the show as the Lions look to get back on track after a disappointing 2025 campaign.
- Lastly, in Green Bay, Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reports that the Packers are expected to hire Sam Siefkes as linebackers coach. After a year at the collegiate level as defensive coordinator at Virginia Tech, Siefkes reunites with new Packers DC Jonathan Gannon. Siefkes previously served as Gannon’s linebackers coach in Arizona, where Gannon was head coach. Siefkes’ addition indicates that former linebackers coach Sean Duggan, who was reportedly expected to follow Jeff Hafley to Miami for a potential shot at a role as defensive coordinator, is officially departed from Green Bay.
Steelers To Hire Patrick Graham As DC, Add Jason Simmons To Staff
January 30: The Steelers have officially hired Graham, per a team announcement.
January 29: As expected, Patrick Graham is heading to Pittsburgh. The veteran staffer is indeed being hired by the Steelers as their new defensive coordinator and departing the Raiders in the process, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports. 
Not long after it was learned Graham would interview for the position this week, signs pointed to a hire in this case. Graham was previously hired by Mike McCarthy as a linebackers coach for the Packers in 2018. McCarthy was brought in as Pittsburgh’s new head coach recently, and the two are reuniting for 2026.
Another ex-Packers staffer is joining the fold. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Thursday morning that Commanders defensive pass-game coordinator Jason Simmons would be joining Pittsburgh. According to Wilson, a deal has now been struck with Simmons (who also interviewed for the Steelers’ DC gig).
A “prominent” role on the defensive staff now awaits Simmons, Fowler adds. The 49-year-old worked in Green Bay from 2011-19, giving him considerable overlap with McCarthy. Plenty of other key staffing decisions remain at this point, but the Super Bowl-winning HC has largely begun by adding familiar faces.
For each of the past seven seasons, Graham has worked as an NFL defensive coordinator. He spent one year with the Dolphins and Giants before reuniting with former Patriots colleague Josh McDaniels in Vegas. Through the Raiders’ turbulence at the head coaching position since then, Graham remained in place as defensive play-caller for four seasons. It remains to be seen who the Raiders will hire as their new head coach, but Pete Carroll‘s replacement will need to add a D-coordinator shortly after arriving.
Graham helped lead Vegas to a ninth-place finish in scoring defense in 2023. The team posted middling (at best) numbers in many other categories during the rest of his tenure, with points allowed one of many issues for Vegas in 2025. The Steelers posted strong numbers during much of Teryl Austin‘s four-year defensive coordinator tenure. His final campaign in that role saw a regression in total and scoring defense, though.
Austin has been a strong candidate to depart Pittsburgh since Mike Tomlin stepped aside. Today’s news confirms Austin will be coaching elsewhere in 2026. The Steelers once again committed more financial resources to their defense than their offense this season; that can be expected to continue moving forward. Expectations will be high in Graham’s case given his experience and Pittsburgh’s roster construction.
The 47-year-old has found himself on the head coaching radar for several years. Graham has also been linked to a number of other defensive coordinator openings during recent hiring cycles. A change of scenery has long loomed as a distinct possibility in his case as a result, and one has now taken place. As the Steelers look to aim their drought for postseason victories, Graham and Simmons will each be counted on to handle key roles as members of McCarthy’s initial Pittsburgh staff.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/29/26
Three teams signed players to reserve/futures contracts on Thursday. Here are the latest updates:
Denver Broncos
- OT Marques Cox, C Michael Deiter, G Nash Jones, DT Kristian Williams
Detroit Lions
- TE Thomas Gordon
Pittsburgh Steelers
- WR A.T. Perry
Steelers Planning Scott Tolzien OC Interview, Hire James Campen
While Mike McCarthy spent five years as the Cowboys’ head coach, the early makeup of his Steelers staff reminds more of his Packers setup. After hiring one-year Green Bay assistant Patrick Graham as DC, McCarthy has one of his former players in the running for Pittsburgh’s OC post.
The Steelers are planning to interview Saints assistant Scott Tolzien for their OC vacancy, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. Tolzien is New Orleans’ QBs coach, but prior to that, he both played and coached under McCarthy.
Tolzien was one of Aaron Rodgers‘ backups in Green Bay from 2013-15. He then spent two years with the Colts and retired from playing in 2018. He went back to Wisconsin to start his coaching career as an analyst, which quickly led to a job on Mike McCarthy’s staff in Dallas in 2020. Tolzien was promoted to quarterbacks coach in 2023 and oversaw a career-best performance from Dak Prescott, who finished in second place in MVP voting. The Cowboys struggled after Prescott’s season-ending injury in 2024, though Tolzien helped backup quarterback Cooper Rush compile a 4-4 record as a starter to close out the year.
McCarthy was fired after the season, and Tolzien reunited with former Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore in New Orleans. Tolzien took the quarterbacks coach job on Moore’s staff and worked with rookie quarterback Tyler Shough this past season. Shough took over the starting job midway through the year, worked through some first-year bumps, and led the Saints to a 4-1 record in their last five games.
The Steelers are still working through their list of offensive coordinator candidates, but they have made one key hire on that side of the ball. Longtime offensive line coach James Campen will be joining McCarthy’s staff, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Campen spent 15 years under McCarthy in Green Bay, including 12 years as the Packers’ offensive line coach. He also developed a close relationship with Aaron Rodgers during that time, which could be another factor in the veteran quarterback’s return to Pittsburgh in 2026.
Rams, Steelers Request Interviews With Browns ST Coordinator Bubba Ventrone
With the Browns welcoming in a new head coach, some key assistants may be on the move. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that the Rams have requested an interview with Browns special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone for the same role. Meanwhile, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reports that the Steelers have also requested an interview with Ventrone. Cabot adds that the Rams are the likelier landing spot for the coach.
[RELATED: Browns Hire Todd Monken As HC]
Following a playing career that saw him appear in 708 special teams snaps vs. only 16 defensive snaps, Ventrone transitioned to coaching. He got his first gig with a former team, the Patriots, where he served as an assistant special teams coordinator between 2015 and 2017. He took a promotion to special teams coordinator with the Colts in 2018 and proceeded to spend five seasons in Indy. He joined the Browns in 2023 for the same gig, but he added the title of assistant head coach.
The Browns weren’t the most efficient special teams squad in 2025. The team lost primary returner DeAndre Carter in late September, and the Browns ended up finishing 31st in kick returns and 26th in punt returns. However, Ventrone did squeeze an impressive showing out of first-time starting kicker Andre Szmyt, who converted 24 of his 27 field goal attempts and 25 of his 26 XP tries.
The Rams fired special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn in late December, but the move didn’t do much to improve the squad’s special teams woes. These issues popped up during the NFC Championship Game, when Xavier Smith muffed a punt that ultimately led to a Seahawks score. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Rams are also moving on from interim ST coordinator Ben Kotwica (along with assistants Mike Harris and Matthew Harper), per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston. Meanwhile, Mike McCarthy will be searching for a new coordinator for his staff in Pittsburgh, as long-time ST leader Danny Smith left for the same role in Tampa Bay.
New Browns coach Todd Monken will have some work to do to fill out his staff. Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees left for the same job with the Falcons (alongside former Browns HC Kevin Stefanski), while intended defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is likely out of the equation after he lost out on Cleveland’s head coaching gig. Assuming Ventrone is also gone, Monken will be tasked with hiring three new coordinators this offseason.