The Steelers may be in the hunt for a new offensive and defensive coordinator, and any of these Black Monday coaching releases would make sense.
Black Monday is always an eventful time in the NFL. Some coaches are retained while others are let go due to their records. Usually, though, a bad coordinator can make a good positional coach or coordinator. The Steelers could be in the market for either coordinator, although the focus will likely be on the defense.
Here are four Black Monday firings that the Steelers should target.
The Steelers should add Zimmer
One of the most established and well-respected coaches in the league, Mike Zimmer was released after a moderately long tenure with the Vikings. While the Vikings were never a top team in the league, they were always one that felt like they could be a perennial playoff contender. A balanced offense mixed in with a fierce defense was their calling. While his overall success wasn’t anything amazing, he does know how to scheme up a talented defense.
What Zimmer excels at is generating pressure from four-down linemen. Considering the Steelers’ stable of pass rushers, a pressure master like Zimmer could do extremely well with that front. His secondary is more conservative, focused on zone coverage to prevent the big play and provide time for the pass rush to get home. That said, it is a proven defensive scheme that works.
The biggest issue with Zimmer is his base defense, as he runs a 4-3. That said, the Steelers’ defensive scheme is so muddied already that a change there wouldn’t be that significant. Zimmer commands great respect from his teammates and other coaches in the league. He would be a smart addition to get the most out of this defensive unit.