Steelers Considering Expanding Size of Coaching Staff

Annually, the Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the smallest coaching staffs throughout the NFL, whether that comes down to assistants, analysts, pass or run game coordinators, etc. After another disappointing playoff loss, head coach Mike Tomlin and team owner Art Rooney II have hinted at the idea of adding to the staff in different ways.

“I’m looking at all components of staffing as part of the annual end-of-the-season review, and additions in terms of expertise are certainly a component of that,” Tomlin said at his end-of-season press conference.

The hiring of a new offensive coordinator took priority but now that the team has signed former Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith to that role, there may be more additions to the coaching staff coming, offensively and defensively. This would go against the “norm” in Pittsburgh but we have seen Tomlin break that mold when he saw fit in the past.

For example, the hiring of Brian Flores as Senior Defensive Assistant in 2022 was something that nobody expected due to the lack of assistants throughout the staff. But, that move paid dividends as the Steelers’ blitzing attack took a step forward with the fresh ideas and schematics that Flores brought to the team.

Rooney added in his end-of-season press conference that the team is open to additions and will survey the league to see if any coach specifically fits the bill but additions are not guaranteed to come.

“I think you look at what’s going on around the league, who do we need to be competitive in this league?” Rooney stated. “Whether that’s numbers or individuals, I think that’s a thing that’s under discussion at this point.”

At this time, it is uncertain who, if anybody, they would be interested in bringing in as an assistant coach but under the newer guidance of Omar Khan, it is not out of this world to think that they add somebody to the staff outside of Smith.

While Tomlin and Co. will not add for the sake of addition, if anybody available fits the mold, it seems more likely than ever that the Steelers employ more help coaching-wise.