When Mike Tomlin stepped down as the Head Coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, his current staff was immediately in limbo. With how resistant the Steelers have typically been to change, many thought that they may want Tomlin's replacement to retain some of the coaches left behind.
That turned out not to be the case, as owner Art Rooney II quickly made it clear that they were free to pursue other jobs, and that they would only be retained if the next HC wanted to keep them. That is normal procedure for situations like this, as a brand-new staff allows the incoming HC to shape the franchise how they see fit.
While fans are surely happy that Rooney isn't making staff decisions himself, there is one coach who has already been scooped up that will be sorely missed. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers just hired long-time Steelers special teams coordinator Danny Smith as their new STC, ending his 13-year run in the Steel City.
The #Buccaneers are hiring veteran special teams coordinator Danny Smith, sources tell me and @RapSheet. Now 50 years into his coaching career, Smith is still going and still considered one of the best in the biz. On to Tampa for the 72-year-old, gum-chewing Smith. pic.twitter.com/Apn4dYj71q
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 20, 2026
The Buccaneers just poached Pittsburgh Steelers fan favorite Danny Smith
Smith was about as famous in Pittsburgh as a non-HC possibly could be. Not only was he born in Pittsburgh, but his famous gum chewing and relentless energy made him must-watch TV every game he coached for the Steelers.
Fans may end up remembering him mostly for non-coaching reasons, but his personality isn't why he has lasted in the NFL for 30 years. He helped make the Steelers special teams unit one of the NFL's best over the last decade-plus that he has roamed the sidelines, overseeing the rise of Chris Boswell as one of the great kickers of his generation and fielding excellent kick coverage units.
Even this past season, he helped rookie linebacker Carson Bruener earn All-rookie honors as a special teams ace by the Pro Football Writers Association. Bruener is just the latest elite special teamer coached up by Smith, joining Ben Skowronek, Miles Killebrew, and Tyler Matakevich, just to name a few.
Smith will now take over a Buccaneers special teams unit in desperate need of an upgrade, as they have been a below-average unit for quite some time. As sad as Steelers fans may be to see him go, that is part of the trade-off when you are starting a new era. Hopefully, their next STC produces similar results.