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Pittsburgh Steelers News & Rumors

Steelers Aiming To Re-Sign Mason Rudolph

By | at February 17, 2024 9:53 pm

The Steelers’ quarterbacks room is already set to look a bit different after the expected recent departure of Mitch Trubisky. According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the team is hoping that it won’t change much more as they reportedly aim to keep backup quarterback Mason Rudolph around moving forward.

Unlike Trubisky, Rudolph’s possible exit is a result of free agency. A former third-round draft pick in 2018, Rudolph has played out his rookie contract plus two one-year extensions. The Steelers turned to Rudolph early in his career, when he started eight games in 2019, but he hasn’t seen that many starts in the four years since combined.

When usual starter Ben Roethlisberger went down with an injury in 2019, Rudolph led Pittsburgh to five wins in eight starts. After a physical on-field scuffle with Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, during which Garrett accused him of using a racial slur, and a poor performance the following week, Rudolph was benched in favor of Devlin Hodges. He wouldn’t start another game until a rest day for the starters at the end of the 2020 season and once again as a COVID-19 replacement for Roethlisberger in 2021. He would spend the entire 2022 season on the bench after being relegated to third-string duties behind Trubisky and then-rookie Kenny Pickett.

This year, Rudolph saw his first extended action in four years. With the Steelers’ season circling the drain as one of the league’s least efficient offenses, Rudolph finally found his way back to the field. With Pickett sidelined with injury, Trubisky was in for a start against the Colts in Week 14. Rudolph stepped in due to Trubisky’s struggles and would start the next two games as to new No. 2 behind an injured Pickett.

When Pickett was cleared to play in a must-win regular season finale against the Ravens, though, Pittsburgh opted to ride with Rudolph. Led by Rudolph, the Steelers beat the mostly second-string Ravens and made the playoffs. Rudolph was once again selected as the team’s starter when they traveled to Buffalo for a Wild Card game against the Bills the following week.

Rudolph’s late-season success had many asking the obvious question: why didn’t Pittsburgh turn to him sooner with all its struggles on offense throughout the year? Apparently, according to Dulac, that same sentiment has caused some internal division within the Steelers’ organization, creating a camp that believes Rudolph should be the starter when the 2024 season opens. In order to make that happen, though, the team will have to find a way to re-sign him, which appears to be their goal.

With Rudolph and Pickett viewed as the preferred contenders for the position, Dulac reports that the Steelers “are not interested in bringing in a quarterback who wants to be a starter.” That rules Pittsburgh out of the race for quarterbacks who are seemingly available like Justin Fields, Kirk Cousins, or even maybe Russell Wilson. It likely rules out a high-end rookie passers like Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, or Jayden Daniels, as well. They may make moves to add some solid, veteran backup depth at the position, but with Pickett already under contract, the aim, for now, is to lock down Rudolph, as well.

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Assessing NFL’s OC Landscape

By | at February 15, 2024 8:28 pm

This offseason showed the turnover that can take place at the offensive coordinator position. As a result of several decisions in January and February, the NFL no longer has an OC who has been in his current role for more than two seasons. Various firings and defections now have the 2022 batch of hires stationed as the longest-tenured OCs.

One of the longest-tenured coordinators in NFL history, Pete Carmichael is no longer with the Saints. The team moved on after 15 seasons, a stay that featured part-time play-calling duties. The Browns canned their four-year non-play-calling OC, Alex Van Pelt, while three-year play-callers Arthur Smith and Shane Waldron are relocating this winter. Brian Callahan‘s five-year gig as the Bengals’ non-play-calling OC booked him a top job.

The recent lean toward offense-oriented HCs took a bit of a hit of a hit this offseason, with five of the eight jobs going to defense-oriented leaders. Callahan, Dave Canales and Jim Harbaugh were the only offense-geared candidates hired during this cycle. But half the NFL will go into this season with a new OC. Following the Seahawks’ decision to hire ex-Washington (and, briefly, Alabama) staffer Ryan Grubb, here is how the NFL’s OC landscape looks:

2022 OC hires

  • Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions*
  • Mike Kafka, New York Giants*
  • Wes Phillips, Minnesota Vikings
  • Frank Smith, Miami Dolphins
  • Adam Stenavich, Green Bay Packers
  • Press Taylor, Jacksonville Jaguars*

Although this sextet now comprises the senior wing of offensive coordinators, this still marks each’s first gig as an NFL OC. Three of the six received HC interest this offseason.

Johnson’s status back in Detroit has been one of the offseason’s top storylines and a development the Commanders have not taken especially well. The two-year Lions OC was viewed as the frontrunner for the Washington job for weeks this offseason, and when team brass did not receive word about Johnson’s intent to stay in Detroit (thus, waiting until at least 2025 to make his long-expected HC move) until a Commanders contingent was en route to Detroit for a second interview, a back-and-forth about what exactly broke down took place. Johnson should be expected to remain a high-end HC candidate next year, but Dan Campbell will still have his services for 2024.

Kafka interviewed for the Seahawks’ HC job, and the Giants then blocked him from meeting with the NFC West team about its OC position. Rumblings about Kafka and Brian Daboll no longer being on great terms surfaced this year, with the latter yanking away play-calling duties — given to Kafka ahead of the 2022 season — at points in 2023. Taylor may also be on the hot seat with his team. Doug Pederson gave Taylor the call sheet last season, and Trevor Lawrence did not make the leap many expected. After a collapse left the Jaguars out of the playoffs, the team had begun to look into its offensive situation.

2023 OC hires

  • Jim Bob Cooter, Indianapolis Colts
  • Nathaniel Hackett, New York Jets*
  • Mike LaFleur, Los Angeles Rams
  • Joe Lombardi, Denver Broncos
  • Todd Monken, Baltimore Ravens*
  • Matt Nagy, Kansas City Chiefs
  • Drew Petzing, Arizona Cardinals*
  • Brian Schottenheimer, Dallas Cowboys
  • Bobby Slowik, Houston Texans*

Only nine of the 15 OCs hired in 2023 are still with their teams. One (Canales) moved up the ladder, while others were shown the door following that organization canning its head coach. The Eagles were the only team who hired an offensive coordinator last year to fire that staffer (Brian Johnson) after one season. Nick Sirianni fired both his coordinators following a wildly disappointing conclusion.

Hackett may also be drifting into deep water, given what transpired last year in New York. Rumblings of Robert Saleh — who is on the hottest seat among HCs — stripping some of his offensive play-caller’s responsibilities surfaced recently. This marks Hackett’s fourth chance to call plays in the NFL; the second-generation staffer did so for the Bills, Jaguars and Broncos prior to coming to New York. After the 2022 Broncos ranked last in scoring, the ’23 Jets ranked 31st in total offense. Hackett’s relationship with Aaron Rodgers has largely kept him in place, but 2024 may represent a last chance for the embattled coach.

Of this crop, Monken and Slowik were the only ones to receive HC interest. Neither emerged as a frontrunner for a position, though Slowik met with the Commanders twice. The Texans then gave their first-time play-caller a raise to stick around for C.J. Stroud‘s second season. Stroud’s remarkable progress figures to keep Slowik on the HC radar. Monken, who is in his third try as an NFL OC (after gigs in Tampa and Cleveland), just helped Lamar Jackson to his second MVP award. The former national championship-winning OC did not stick the landing — as Jackson struggled against the Chiefs — but he fared well on the whole last season.

Schottenheimer is on his fourth go-round as an OC, while Lombardi is on team No. 3. The latter’s job figures to be more secure, being tied to Sean Payton, compared to what is transpiring in Dallas. With the Cowboys having Mike McCarthy as the rare lame-duck HC, his coordinators probably should not get too comfortable.

2024 OC hires

  • Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills*
  • Liam Coen, Tampa Bay Buccaneers*
  • Ken Dorsey, Cleveland Browns
  • Luke Getsy, Las Vegas Raiders*
  • Ryan Grubb, Seattle Seahawks*
  • Nick Holz, Tennessee Titans
  • Kliff Kingsbury, Washington Commanders*
  • Klint Kubiak, New Orleans Saints*
  • Brad Idzik, Carolina Panthers
  • Kellen Moore, Philadelphia Eagles*
  • Dan Pitcher, Cincinnati Bengals
  • Zac Robinson, Atlanta Falcons*
  • Greg Roman, Los Angeles Chargers*
  • Arthur Smith, Pittsburgh Steelers*
  • Alex Van Pelt, New England Patriots*
  • Shane Waldron, Chicago Bears*

The 49ers do not employ a traditional OC; 16 of the 31 teams that do recently made a change. Most of the teams to add OCs this year, however, did so without employing play-calling coaches. This naturally raises the stakes for this year’s batch of hires.

Retreads became rather popular. Dorsey, Getsy, Moore, Van Pelt and Waldron were all OCs elsewhere (Buffalo, Chicago, Los Angeles, Cleveland, Seattle) last season. Smith will shift from calling the Falcons’ plays to running the show for the Steelers. Dorsey, Getsy and Van Pelt were fired; Moore and Waldron moved on after the Chargers and Seahawks respectively changed HCs. Moore and Smith will be calling plays for a third team; for Moore, this is three OC jobs in three years.

Coen, Kingsbury and Roman are back after a year away. Kingsbury became a popular name on the OC carousel, having coached Caleb Williams last season. This will be his second crack at an NFL play-calling gig, having been the Cardinals’ conductor throughout his HC tenure. This will be Coen’s first shot at calling plays in the pros; he was Sean McVay‘s non-play-calling assistant in 2022. Likely to become the Chargers’ play-caller, Roman will have a rare fourth chance to call plays in the NFL. He held that responsibility under Jim Harbaugh in San Francisco; following Harbaugh’s explosive 2015 49ers split, Roman moved to Buffalo and Baltimore to work under non-offense-oriented leaders.

Grubb, Holz, Idzik, Pitcher and Robinson represent this year’s first-timer contingent. Grubb has, however, called plays at the college level. Robinson is the latest McVay staffer to move into a play-calling post; he was a Rams assistant for five years. A host of teams had Robinson on their OC radar, but Raheem Morris brought his former L.A. coworker to Atlanta. Pitcher appeared in a few searches as well, but the Bengals made the expected move — after extending him last year — to give him Callahan’s old job.

* = denotes play-calling coordinator

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Steelers To Keep Eddie Faulkner On Staff

By | at February 13, 2024 1:18 pm

Both halves of what was effectively a co-offensive coordinator setup are in play to return for the Steelers under a new OC. The Steelers’ interim OC is expected to stay with the team under new play-caller Arthur Smith.

The Steelers agreed to an extension with running backs coach Eddie Faulkner, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. Assuming the Steelers’ expected agreement to retain Mike Sullivan goes through, the Faulkner pact will tie Smith to both the staffers who took on OC responsibilities in the wake of the franchise’s first in-season coordinator firing in several decades.

[RELATED: Steelers Release QB Mitch Trubisky]

While Sullivan was given play-calling duties, the Steelers made Faulkner their nominal interim OC following Matt Canada‘s November ouster. Faulkner predates Canada with the Steelers, being hired while Mike Tomlin still had Randy Fichtner in place as OC. Although the Steelers once again avoided a sub-.500 season and saw their Sullivan-Faulkner setup help Mason Rudolph to a bounce-back stretch en route to the playoffs, the team was never believed to be considering either staffer for the full-time OC role.

The Steelers added Faulkner to their staff in 2019, bringing in the former Ball State offensive coordinator as their running backs coach. Faulkner spent more than 15 years in the college ranks prior to joining the Steelers. Aside from the stretch as interim OC, the 47-year-old assistant has served in as the team’s RBs coach for the past five seasons. Signs point to that continuing.

Smith has started to reshape the Steelers’ offensive staff, which is now expected to include Sullivan in a different role. The Steelers are hiring Tom Arth as their new quarterbacks coach. Sullivan has been in place as Pittsburgh’s QBs coach for the past three seasons, calling plays to close out the 2023 campaign. The Steelers and Sullivan are still discussing what would be a new role for the veteran assistant. The team is also replacing its assistant QBs coach and wide receivers coach, respectively moving on from David Corley and Frisman Jackson.

Organizations frequently mandate certain coaches be retained under new coordinators, but the Steelers hiring Smith and pairing him with both their interim OC from last season and the interim play-caller will make for an interesting partnership.

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Steelers, QB Mitch Trubisky Part Ways

By | at February 12, 2024 10:05 pm

Changes have been expected at the quarterback position in Pittsburgh, and an unsurprising move is taking place. Mitch Trubisky is set to part ways with the team, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. The team has since confirmed the move.

Trubisky began his Pittsburgh tenure as a bridge starter, but he was overtaken on the depth chart midway through Kenny Pickett‘s rookie season. Mason Rudolph then emerged as the team’s preferred option late in the 2023 campaign and through the wild-card round. As a result, signs pointed to Trubisky being let go ahead of free agency in 2024.

[RELATED: Steelers Cut Chukwuma Okorafor, Pressley Harvin III]

The former No. 2 pick was on the books for the next two seasons, having inked an extension last year. In spite of that, the Steelers will elect to cut bait well ahead of the new league year. Releasing Trubisky before June 1 would yield a dead cap charge of $4.6MM this year, and cap savings of just under $3MM. Designating him a post-June 1 release, however, would result in $5.25MM in savings compared to a $2.3MM dead cap charge. Teams are permitted to use the post-June 1 designation early in the offseason, but they do not realize the financial savings until after that date.

ESPN’s Brooke Pryor confirms this move is a mutual one, and it will allow Trubisky to seek out a new opportunity in a backup role. The 29-year-old made seven starts and 12 appearances with the Steelers, throwing more interceptions (10) than touchdowns (eight). Those figures helped inform today’s move, but it will no doubt hinder his market in free agency. Trubisky last served as a full-time starter during his time with the Bears, which ended in 2020.

With Trubisky no longer in the picture and Rudolph a pending free agent, Pickett is the only QB currently on the Steelers’ roster. The team remains confident in the latter’s potential, and he will enter the offseason atop the depth chart. Competition will be brought in, however, and that could include another new contract with Rudolph or an outside addition. Ryan Tannehill – who had a succesful run in Tennessee under new Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith – is believed to be on Pittsburgh’s radar.

Trubisky was due $11.25MM over the next two seasons, and he will aim to find a deal allowing him to match or better that total with a new team. He is younger than many of the other options in this year’s free agent QB class, but his underwhelming showing in Pittsburgh should limit his market to a low-cost, short-term agreement. It will be interesting to see where he winds up while the Steelers contemplate their next move under center.

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Steelers Cut OL Chukwuma Okorafor, P Pressley Harvin III

By | at February 12, 2024 5:21 pm

Mitch Trubisky wasn’t the only Steelers player to earn his walking papers today. The team announced that they’ve also cut offensive lineman Chukwuma Okorafor and punter Pressley Harvin III.

[RELATED: Steelers, QB Mitch Trubisky Part Ways]

Okorafor joined the Steelers as a third-round pick in 2018. He got into 77 games across his six seasons with the organization, including a three-year stretch between 2020 and 2022 where he started 48 of his 49 appearances. He also started a pair of playoff games for the Steelers.

The lineman’s 55-game starting streak ended this past season when he was benched for disciplinary reasons. He was replaced in the starting lineup by Broderick Jones, and the rookie ended up playing the majority of the snaps at right tackle for the rest of the year.

Okorafor inked a three-year, $29.25MM extension with the Steelers back in 2022. He was set to earn $4.75MM via base salary and $4MM in roster bonuses next season. As Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes, the development of Jones coupled with the minuscule $1.23MM cap hit from Dan Moore Jr. made it easier to move on from the veteran Okorafor.

Harvin has spent the past three seasons as Pittsburgh’s primary punter. The 2021 seventh-round pick has continued to build off a rookie campaign where he earned All-Rookie Team honors. He finished this past season landing a career-high 38.5 percent of his punts inside the 20. He was set to enter the final year of his rookie contract.

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Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order

By | at February 12, 2024 8:58 am

With Super Bowl LVIII in the books, the 2023 campaign has come to a close. Teams outside Kansas City and San Francisco had already turned their attention to the offseason well before Sunday’s game, of course.

Regular season standings determine the order for the top 18 picks, so they have been known since the conclusion of Week 18. For the second straight year, the Bears face the question of dealing away the top selection and starting over at quarterback or re-committing to Justin Fields. Expectations still point toward Caleb Williams heading to Chicago, although the Bears will not move the No. 1 pick at a discounted price.

With the Commanders also in position to add a signal-caller second overall, the Patriots and Cardinals will be worth watching closely. New England will be in the market for a QB, but it may not come via the team’s top selection. Arizona’s position could also be a trade-up target for teams seeking a quarterback addition. This year’s class is expected to be dominated by blue-chip prospects under center, as well as at wide receiver and offensive tackle.

The final 14 spots in the draft order are filled by postseason results. The Chiefs find themselves in familiar territory picking at or near the end of the first-round order for the fourth time in the past five years following another Super Bowl appearance. The team has a mixed track record with its selections in that regard, but another impact rookie would of course help its bid to sustain its impressive run.

While a number of selections will no doubt be swapped between now and draft day, here is the full 2024 first-round order:

  1. Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
  2. Washington Commanders: 4-13
  3. New England Patriots: 4-13
  4. Arizona Cardinals: 4-13
  5. Los Angeles Chargers: 5-12
  6. New York Giants: 6-11
  7. Tennessee Titans: 6-11
  8. Atlanta Falcons: 7-10
  9. Chicago Bears: 7-10
  10. New York Jets: 7-10
  11. Minnesota Vikings: 7-10
  12. Denver Broncos: 8-9
  13. Las Vegas Raiders: 8-9
  14. New Orleans Saints: 9-8
  15. Indianapolis Colts: 9-8
  16. Seattle Seahawks: 9-8
  17. Jacksonville Jaguars: 9-8
  18. Cincinnati Bengals: 9-8
  19. Los Angeles Rams: 10-7
  20. Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-7
  21. Miami Dolphins: 11-6
  22. Philadelphia Eagles: 11-6
  23. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  24. Dallas Cowboys: 12-5
  25. Green Bay Packers: 9-8
  26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 9-8
  27. Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
  28. Buffalo Bills: 11-6
  29. Detroit Lions: 12-5
  30. Baltimore Ravens: 13-4
  31. San Francisco 49ers: 12-5
  32. Kansas City Chiefs: 11-6
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Ryan Tannehill On Steelers’ Radar?

By | at February 11, 2024 4:45 pm

After Will Levis took over for an injured Ryan Tannehill midway through the 2023 season, the latter’s Titans tenure appeared to come to a close. Tannehill is a pending free agent, but he should draw interest from a number of potential suitors.

One of those is likely to be the Steelers, Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network write. Pittsburgh hired ex-Falcons head coach Arthur Smith as offensive coordinator, meaning a Tannehill deal would mark a reunion. He and Smith worked together in Tennessee, during which time Tannehill had the most productive seasons of his career.

Smith served as the Titans’ OC in 2019 and ’20, Tannehill’s first two campaigns in Nashville. He earned his lone Pro Bowl nod, along with Comeback Player of the Year honors in 2019 while averaging a league-leading 9.2 yards per attempt. The former Dolphins first-rounder followed that up with 3,819 yards and a 33:7 touchdown-to-interception ratio, proving to be a solid fit in Smith’s run-heavy scheme. With Levis now in the fold, though, Tannehill (along with fellow stalwart Derrick Henry) is on track to depart in free agency.

In three seasons since Smith parlayed his coordinator success into Atlanta’s head coaching gig, Tannehill has regressed statistically while dealing with multiple injuries. In November, he was demoted to backup behind Levis, who showed flashes in his rookie campaign. Tannehill – who insisted he did not seek out his release in the aftermath of that decision – started the final three games of the campaign with Levis sidelined, giving him one last audition period before reaching the open market.

Tannehill, 35, is one of several veteran signal-callers in this year’s projected free agent class. Kirk Cousins, Baker Mayfield and Gardner Minshew could command more lucrative deals if they do not remain with their respective teams, but Tannehill could at least compete for a starting role in the right environment. Pittsburgh has Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph and Mitch Trubisky in place for now, but changes at the position are expected.

Trubisky is likely to be released after finding himself demoted to third-stringer, while Rudolph is a pending free agent. He could be retained, but a new deal would likely depend on the potential of winning the starting position in training camp. Pickett is under team control for at least two more years, but he was passed over in favor of Rudolph during the team’s late-season playoff push and wild-card loss. The 2022 first-rounder will enter the offseason as QB1, but a competition will take place.

Tannehill will be in line for a far smaller deal than the four-year, $118MM pact he signed in 2020 on his next contract. The Steelers, meanwhile, are among the teams currently set to be over the salary cap for the 2024 league year, although they like all others will make a number of cost-cutting moves in the coming weeks. Any interest between the two parties will be worth watching as the QB market begins to take shape.

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Latest On Steelers Coaching Staff

By | at February 10, 2024 12:11 pm

With Arthur Smith now in place as offensive coordinator, the Steelers continue to make changes to their offensive staff. Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported earlier this week that wide receivers coach Frisman Jackson wouldn’t be back next season. The organization was quick to fill that vacancy, as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler later reported that the Steelers were hiring Jets assistant Zach Azzanni for the job.

[RELATED: Steelers Hire Arthur Smith As OC]

While Jackson previously worked alongside Smith when the two were in Tennessee, he couldn’t overcome the underwhelming performance from his WRs corps in 2023. Both George Pickens and Diontae Johnson drew criticism for their lackadaisical play, and since the Steelers aren’t completely revamping their offensive staff, it sounds like part of blame has been attributed to the veteran coach.

So, the team will turn to Azzanni to help revamp the receivers room. The 47-year-old coach has had multiple stops as a WRs coach, including stints with the Bears, Broncos, and Jets. During his five years in Denver, he was tasked with the development of Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy.

The Steelers have also added former Chargers assistant Tom Arth as their new QB coach, per Dulac. The team has since announced the move. There were reports from earlier this week that Mike Sullivan would be retaining his job as Steelers QBs coach. That didn’t end up coming to fruition, but it sounds like Sullivan is expected to stick around Pittsburgh in a different role. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston reports that the team has also let go of assistant quarterbacks coach David Corley.

Arth was most recently the passing game specialist for Brandon Staley in Los Angeles, where he worked extensively with Justin Herbert for two years. Following a playing career that saw him briefly serve as Peyton Manning‘s backup in Indianapolis, Arth served as the head coach at John Carroll, Chattanooga, and Akron.

Sullivan took on the role of co-offensive coordinator (alongside RBs coach Eddie Faulkner) following the firing of Matt Canada back in November. A former offensive coordinator with the Buccaneers and Giants, Sullivan had served as Pittsburgh’s quarterbacks coach since the 2021 season, guiding the team through the transition from Ben Roethlisberger to Kenny Pickett.

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2024 Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

By | at February 9, 2024 1:10 pm

After a crowded carousel previously stopped, the 49ers opened their defensive coordinator position. Here is how the NFC champions’ search looks:

Updated 3-2-24 (10:00am CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Dave Ragone)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Ken Dorsey)

  • Joe Brady, interim offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach (Bills): Hired
  • Thad Lewis, quarterbacks coach (Buccaneers): Interviewed

Carolina Panthers (Out: Thomas Brown)

  • Marcus Brady, senior offensive assistant (Eagles): Interview requested
  • Brad Idzik, wide receivers coach (Buccaneers): Hired

Chicago Bears (Out: Luke Getsy)

Cincinnati Bengals (Out: Brian Callahan)

  • Andy Dickerson, offensive line coach (Seahawks): To interview
  • Dan Pitcher, quarterbacks coach (Bengals): Promoted

Cleveland Browns (Out: Alex Van Pelt)

Las Vegas Raiders (Out: Mick Lombardi)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Kellen Moore)

New England Patriots (Out: Bill O’Brien)

New Orleans Saints (Out: Pete Carmichael)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Brian Johnson)

  • Jerrod Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Texans): Interviewed
  • Kliff Kingsbury, senior offensive analyst (USC): Interviewed 1/23
  • Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Chargers): Hired

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Matt Canada)

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Shane Waldron)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Dave Canales)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Tim Kelly)

  • Nick Holz, passing game coordinator (Jaguars): Hired
  • Thad Lewis, quarterbacks coach (Buccaneers): Interviewed
  • Eric Studesville, associate head coach/running backs coach (Dolphins): Interview requested

Washington Commanders (Out: Eric Bieniemy)

  • Chip Kelly, former head coach (Eagles/49ers): On team’s radar
  • Kliff Kingsbury, senior offensive analyst (USC): Hired

Defensive Coordinators

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Ryan Nielsen)

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Mike Macdonald)

  • Zach Orr, inside linebackers coach (Ravens): Promoted

Buffalo Bills

  • Bobby Babich, linebackers coach (Bills): Promoted
  • Mike Caldwell, former defensive coordinator (Jaguars): Interviewed
  • Sean Desai, former defensive coordinator (Eagles): To interview

Chicago Bears (Out: Alan Williams)

  • Joe Barry, former defensive coordinator (Packers): To interview 1/27
  • Chris Harris, secondary coach (Titans): To interview
  • Eric Washington, assistant head coach/defensive line coach (Bills): Hired
  • Terrell Williams, assistant head coach/defensive line coach (Titans): To interview

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Dan Quinn)

Green Bay Packers (Out: Joe Barry)

Jacksonville Jaguars (Out: Mike Caldwell)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Derrick Ansley)

  • Jesse Minter, defensive coordinator (Michigan): Hired

Los Angeles Rams (Out: Raheem Morris)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Vic Fangio)

New England Patriots

  • DeMarcus Covington, defensive line coach (Patriots): Promoted
  • Michael Hodges, linebackers coach (Saints): To interview
  • Tem Lukabu, outside linebackers coach (Panthers): To interview
  • Christian Parker, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Interviewed

New York Giants (Out: Don Martindale)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Sean Desai)

  • Mike Caldwell, former defensive coordinator (Jaguars): Interviewed
  • Vic Fangio, former defensive coordinator (Dolphins): Hired
  • Ron Rivera, former head coach (Commanders): Interviewed 1/22

San Francisco 49ers (Out: Steve Wilks)

  • Gerald Alexander, safeties coach (Raiders): Interviewed 3/1
  • Daniel Bullocks, defensive backs coach (49ers): Interviewed 2/28
  • David Merritt, defensive backs coach (Chiefs): To interview
  • Nick Sorensen, defensive passing game specialist (49ers): Promoted
  • Brandon Staley, former head coach (Chargers): Interviewed

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Clint Hurtt)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Shane Bowen)

  • Brandon Lynch, cornerbacks coach (Browns): Interviewed 1/30
  • Dennard Wilson, defensive backs coach (Ravens): Hired

Washington Commanders (Out: Jack Del Rio)

  • Joe Cullen, defensive line coach (Chiefs): Considered a candidate
  • Joe Whitt, defensive backs coach (Cowboys): Hired
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Steelers To Retain Mike Sullivan

By | at February 8, 2024 3:28 pm

FEBRUARY 8: Pittsburgh will follow through with the plan to keep Sullivan, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. With a new OC in place, the Steelers considered shifting Sullivan away from his role as quarterbacks coach. But he will stay on in that capacity for a fourth season.

FEBRUARY 1: The Steelers have hired Arthur Smith as offensive coordinator, following through with Mike Tomlin‘s plan to look outside the organization to officially replace Matt Canada. Being just the second Steelers OC hire that did not involve an in-house promotion this century, Smith may still be tied to some of Canada’s assistants.

Closing the 2023 season as Pittsburgh’s play-caller, Mike Sullivan has interviewed for the Raiders and Saints’ offensive coordinator positions. Both remain open. Generally, coordinators have autonomy to recommend candidates to join them as they implement their systems. Smith, however, will be expected to retain Sullivan.

If Sullivan fails to land one of the open OC jobs, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac notes the Steelers expect to have him remain as quarterbacks coach. Sullivan is popular with the team’s QBs, and although it would make for a slightly unusual setup in which the team’s previous play-caller remains in place as a new one takes over, it appears that is the plan for now.

Smith will have input as to how the Steelers structure their offensive staff, Dulac adds, stopping short of indicating the new OC will have freedom to greenlight hires. Sullivan and Eddie Faulkner split OC duties following Canada’s ouster, with Faulkner receiving the title and Sullivan calling plays. This setup helped Tomlin once again avoid a sub-.500 season, with Mason Rudolph piloting the team to its third playoff berth in four years.

The Steelers hired Sullivan as QBs coach in 2021. After serving as Ben Roethlisberger‘s final position coach, Sullivan has mentored Kenny Pickett. Art Rooney II confirmed (via ESPN.com’s Brooke Pryor) the Steelers still believe in the 2022 first-round pick, with the owner’s recent comments coming after Tomlin indicated the Pitt product would enter the offseason as the starter. After managing just 13 touchdown passes in 25 games to start his career, Pickett’s time as the Steelers’ unquestioned QB1 is over. The Steelers are interested in re-signing Rudolph, but it would also not surprise to see them pursue a more established veteran in free agency to compete with Pickett.

Seeing as the Steelers are interested in retaining Canada-era assistants on offense, will be interesting to see how their 2024 staff looks. Sullivan, 57, served as the Buccaneers and Giants’ OC at points during the 2010s. Pickett’s early performance level is not a ringing Sullivan endorsement, but even as Smith prepares to install his system, the Steelers value their previous play-caller as a part of this developmental process.

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