Teryl Austin has been the defensive coordinator with the Steelers since 2022. He was also the secondary coach and defensive assistant with the team before his promotion. Ever since he took over in his current role, the defense has not been great. Pittsburgh is known for a strong defense, but that narrative has been falling to the wayside recently.
Ever since then, Austin has not been able to do much good after being promoted to defensive coordinator. This has now become a pattern in his career after having less than stellar defenses that he led in his career. Mike Tomlin does have a lot of say in the defensive play calls so there is that wrinkle in the outcome of his strategy as a coach.
The defense is not the biggest issue for the black and gold this season, but it has not been great the past two years. They are one of the worst run defenses in the NFL over the past two years and their secondary only gets worse. The Steelers defense is a T.J. Watt injury away from becoming worse than the offense, which is a problem.
A couple internal promotions could be an option for the Steelers
It would still be a bit surprising if Austin was fired, but Tomlin might have to clean house if this team hands him his first losing season as a Head coach. There could be a couple of internal candidates that could be up for promotion. One could be Grady Brown. He currently holds the role of secondary coach, and he has led a few different roles this past offseason. He could be an interesting young hire.
Another option that has been around the organization for a while is Karl Dunbar. He was having a great start to his career as the defensive line coach for Pittsburgh, but things have slowed down recently. The defensive line is not great against the run and is starting to get older. He could be a reliable option for Tomlin to promote from within to a bigger role to keep him around.
Jerod Mayo could land with the Steelers with hopes of becoming a HC
One of the best upcoming coaches in the NFL right now is Jerod Mayo. He is currently the inside linebackers coach with the New England Patriots. He was a good player and even won a Super Bowl during his time with the Patriots. He has gained some Head coaching buzz, but he might be able to solidify that by taking a job with the Steelers.
New England would like to keep him, but Pittsburgh could offer him a promotion and an opportunity to gain more experience in an elevated role. Mayo has all the potential in the world to become a top coach in the NFL sooner rather than later. Maybe his next step could be fixing the black and golds defense for a couple of years before landing a top job elsewhere.
Rex Ryan could jump back onto the football field after being in the studio
A lot of things would have to happen for Rex Ryan to end up in Pittsburgh as their new defensive coordinator. He is living life as an analyst on ESPN in a comfy studio. He has been able to do that for years since he was fired from his last coaching job. He has not been in the coaching ranks since 2016 and it is unknown if Ryan would be interested in returning to that.
Maybe after this amount of time away, he will get that itch back to coach in the NFL again. It is unlikely that any team would hire him for a top job after being out of it for so long, maybe a defensive job with the Steelers would entice him just enough to get out of the studio and back onto the sideline. Ryan was a quality defensive mind and could be a boost for the Steelers.
Deshea Townsend is a former member of the Steelers in the coaching ranks
If Mike Tomlin likes to stick with guys he knows and repeat some trends, then Deshea Townsend would make a lot of sense. He was always the second cornerback opposite of Ike Taylor back in the day, but both brought some great qualities to the position. Townsend is currently a defensive backs coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars and could make sense for the Steelers.
Tomlin likes to hire guys he knows and having a connection to Pittsburgh would help. Townsend does not have any experience calling plays on defense, but Tomlin likes to make the calls a lot of the time anyway. Townsend would be a good figurehead type of defensive coordinator and someone that Tomlin would like to work with.
Brandon Staley could get some looks once he gets fired after the season
There are some Head coaches on the hot seat and there might not be one sitting on a burning chair more than Brandon Staley right now. He has not worked out with the Chargers and has made some bad calls as their coach. He is a defensive mind and was a quality defensive coordinator before taking the top job in LA.
Staley could be a nice addition to add some extra leadership and power to the Steelers coaching staff. This would be an unusual hire for Tomlin as he does not allow people with prior authority on his staff to challenge him based on previous hires, with Brian Flores being the exception. Staley would be able to provide that and try to rebound his career in Pittsburgh.
With the Giant struggling Don "Wink" Martindale could be an option for Pittsburgh
Some were calling for Don "Wink" Martindale to join the Steelers staff when they were fed up with the defensive coordinator. That transition to a new coach never materialized in Martindale's favor. Tomlin knows him as the coach who held the coordinator spot in Baltimore from 2018 to 2021. The Raven’s defense was solid during that time and even got Martindale some interviews for top jobs.
He landed in New York with the Giants as he hoped to turn that defense around. They have gotten better for the most part, but that team lacks talent and drive. it looks like they could make changes on the coaching staff and Martindale could be the odd man out. The Steelers have to put in a call to see his interest. Martindale would be a tremendous get for Tomlin to round out his coaching staff.
Another former Head coach in Matt Patricia could be a top candidate
Another name seeking his next opportunity is Matt Patricia. Many have speculated that he was never the result of the Patriots top defenses and that Bill Belichick was the main factor in that cause. Patricia failed as a Head coach in Detroit and has not been able to find his footing yet. He still had good years as a defensive coordinator in New England no matter the cause.
After his second stint in New England where he was mischaracterized as an offensive play caller, he moved on to Philadelphia where he is a Senior defensive assistant. That is a good title, but Patricia will try to find a way to get a promotion elsewhere. Tomlin should have interest as Patricia has been a figurehead coach before and could rebound with the black and gold.
John Fox could bring a ton of experience for the Steelers defense
If the Steelers decided to stay in the thought process of adding someone with a lot of defensive experience in the NFL, look no further than John Fox. He was with the club from 1986 through 1991 in a couple of different coaching roles. He would go on to become a good defensive coordinator and have Head coaching jobs too.
Fox took a five-year hiatus after being fired by the Bears in their top job. He has been with a couple of clubs since 2022 as a Senior defensive assistant. He is older, so talking him into the job might be something that needs to be accomplished. Fox has a ton of experience if the black and gold were looking to add someone with that kind of resume.
Kelvin Sheppard is a young defensive minded coach that could improve this team
With Detroit being favored to win their division for the first time in a while, many different coaches on the Lions staff will be in line for promotions. One name to watch not only for the Steelers potential opening as defensive coordinator, but other top jobs around the NFL is Kelvin Sheppard. He is currently Detroit's inside linebackers coach, and he has also coached their outside linebackers.
Going with a younger option here as Sheppard is only 35 years old and had a solid career as a linebacker in the NFL before retiring in 2018. He is a young coach who brings a ton of spirit and tenacity with him. Tomlin would love the way he attacks the day, and Pittsburgh usually likes a guy that Tomlin could overrule, so Sheppard might be a good option in that regard.
Brian Flores could return to the Steelers if everything falls into place
Brian Flores was only with the Steelers last season and landed a job with the Vikings as their defensive coordinator. He has done a respectable job there and just started a contract. It seems like the only way he leaves Minnesota is if he gets fired or gets a top job elsewhere. It would take a lot of things to work in Pittsburgh's favor for this to become a reality.
Flores would need to be looking for a new job, and that would mean the Vikings fall apart in this second half, which is possible. He would then be a piece of the scapegoat as the Vikings try and reshuffle the deck. Tomlin likes Flores and it would make a lot of sense for a reunion with the black and gold if Flores is out of a job and doesn't get any head coaching interest.
Another former AFC North Head coach makes the list with Mike Pettine
The NFL is a league that recycles a lot of their coaches and that means some former guys could get another look. Mike Pettine was the former Head coach of the Cleveland Browns for a lone season before he got fired. He was a stale piece for some clubs throughout his career and that started to tarnish his name as the years went by.
Pettine is trying to get his foot back in the door for some jobs around the league and the Steelers defensive coordinator could do that. Even though the defense has been able to keep this club in games, it has a lot of issues in the secondary and stopping the run. Getting an experienced coach like Pettine in the door might be able to help solve those issues.
A current Head coach that could land in Pittsburgh is Dennis Allen
New Orleans is in a similar state as the Steelers as they have not been a good team in a while, but they contend for most of the year. Dennis Allen has now been their Head coach since 2022, and things have not gone smoothly for him. Many saw him as the successor to Sean Peyton when he departed the club, but that train of thought has not panned out.
Many can see that Allen's seat is hot right now and he could be fired by the end of the season. If Allen is fired, it would make sense for the Steelers to gauge his interest in taking the defensive coordinator job if they let go of Teryl Austin at his current post. Allen has a ton of defensive coordinator experience in the NFL and has been in charge of some of the better defenses.
Former Steelers player Larry Foote could be getting a promotion soon
Many will recognize Larry Foote's name since he played with the Steelers for most of his 12-year career as a linebacker in the NFL. He has now been in the coaching ranks since 2015 and has steadily grown his professional resume. Foote is the current co-defensive coordinator, passing game coordinator, and inside linebackers coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Getting him to Pittsburgh would probably not take much to accomplish. He does hold a lot of titles in Tampa Bay, but Tomlin would probably love having a former player of his on his coaching staff. Having Foote as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach might be enough to successfully bring him back into the Steelers organization.
Jonathan Gannon could end up being one and done in the desert
Arizona is rolling through a terrible season, which happens to be the first under Head Coach Jonathan Gannon. Sometimes coaches find success with other clubs as a coordinator and just aren't ready to take the role of top coach in an organization. That seems to be the case with Gannon here as Arizona continues to only hold one win heading into week nine of competition.
The Cardinals owners are not known as the most patient and it seems likely that Gannon could be fired only one season into his tenure. That would open the door for the Steelers to add someone like Gannon. He is a young defensive mind who was revered as a defensive coordinator last with the Eagles. He would have to be fired first, but he would be a nice fit in Pittsburgh.
Chris Shula is another young coach that could be promoted out of LA
Sean McVay is known for his extensive coaching tree and that could grow here. Chris Shula has only held the defensive coordinator position at the college level, but he has a lot of experience at coaching positional spots in the NFL. He is currently the pass rush coordinator and linebackers coach for the LA Rams.
He has a lot of coaching bloodlines as his father is Dave Shula and his grandfather is Hall of Famer Don Shula. The bloodlines are there and that could always interest Tomlin and the Steelers franchise. It would be a gamble to hire someone like Shula as he does not have any coordinator experience in the NFL. He would be a coach that could grow and mold into his role with Tomlin taking a lot of the responsibilities.
Leslie Frazier could make a lot of sense with his 2024 coaching return
Another veteran coach here who could bring a lot of defensive coordinator experience is Leslie Frazier. He stepped away from football this year to focus on personal reasons, but he did say that he plans on returning to his coaching duties in the NFL in 2024. He was the Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator before stepping away, and they were one of the best defenses in the NFL.
The Steelers would be crazy to not call Frazer if their defensive coordinator job would become vacant. He has a lot of experience and seems like someone Tomlin would benefit from having on his coaching staff. Frazier should be a top choice if Austin is fired from his post. He is already available and has voiced his focus on returning.
Another veteran defensive playercaller looking for work is Lovie Smith
We circle right back to another older option out there with a lot of experience with Lovie Smith. He has held top coaching jobs both in college and the NFL. His most recent gig on record was being the Head coach for the Houston Texans during the 2022 season. That did not work out and the Texans decided to turn towards a younger defensive minded coach.
Smith knows a lot of different things about coaching in the NFL, and that might help push Tomlin some. Smith has never been a great top guy for an organization other than when he got the Bears to the Super Bowl one year. He could command a bigger voice in a coach’s room that has been far too quiet since Tomlin took over. Smith could be a reliable replacement.
Anthony Weaver has a good amount of experience as a defensive coach
Not going too far from the Steelers here as they could hire someone who knows the AFC North division as a whole. Anthony Weaver is currently the Baltimore Ravens Associate head coach and defensive line coach. The Ravens are always known for having a tough defense and Weaver has been a big part of that over the past couple of years.
Weaver only has one year of defensive coordinator experience in the NFL, but he could learn from someone like Tomlin. The Steelers would provide a good situation for Weaver, and it seems like he could gain some head coaching momentum sometime soon. Weaver would be a tremendous get for Pittsburgh with the work he has done with the Ravens.
Jim Leonhard could be a name that comes out of nowhere for the Steelers
Jim Leonhard played in the NFL for a span of almost nine years and was never a great player. He has successfully transitioned over to the coaching world but has spent all of his time in the college football world. He has gained top coaching job interest from many and could stick to the college world as some find it more comfortable to navigate.
Right now, he is only a Senior football analyst at Illinois, so he would be a quick and easy addition to the Steelers staff as a defensive coordinator. Many have spoken highly of Leonhard over the past couple of seasons, but for one reason or another, he has not landed any good jobs. If he wants to take that leap to the NFL, he would be someone that Tomlin would hire based on his past moves.