Highly-Regarded QB Coach Could be Perfect Add to Steelers Staff
Former Saints quarterbacks coach Ronald Curry could be the perfect candidate to help bolster the Steelers coaching staff.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are seemingly looking for new coaches around their offensive coaching staff. Assistant quarterbacks coach David Corley, assistant Matt Tomsho, offensive assistant Glenn Thomas, and wide receivers coach Frisman Jackson are no longer with the team. With new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith set to carve the staff in his vision, there could be more changes.
On Tuesday, Gerry Dulac reported that the team is hosting interviews for quarterbacks coach, and while that does not mean that Mike Sullivan is gone, it certainly means that his spot is up in the air. And on top of that, the team has held interviews for what appears to be the passing game coordinator job.
Los Angeles Chargers passing game specialist Tom Arth, New York Jets wide receivers coach Zach Azzani and Tennessee Titans passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Charles London have been identified as candidates. but it is unclear if those interviews were also for quarterbacks coach or for a separate role.
But a new coach just hit the market on Tuesday night. That would be former Saints quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator Ronald Curry. Curry had spent eight seasons with the Saints, ranging from an offensive assistant to then wide receivers coach and, lastly, to those two titles he held before his exit.
If you want connections to the current Steelers staff, there certainly are more than a few. Curry and Mike Tomlin are both from Hampton, Virginia. There is a shared heritage between them, so the connections there are obvious. Curry and Smith played with each other in 2001 at North Carolina. Lastly, Director of Pro Scouting Sheldon White was the vice president of pro personnel while Curry played with the Lions in 2009. Those are just three connections, but they are massive, significant connections that should land Curry a potential interview with the team.
And Curry is highly regarded around league circles and is expected to land on his feet. For one, Curry worked under Sean Payton and has picked up much of his passing concepts to implement to his scheme. But where does he fit into the grand scheme of the Steelers staff?
He could honestly fit any of the three positions mentioned above. Yes, he could be the quarterbacks coach. But he played wide receiver and was the wide receivers coach, so that makes sense, given that Jackson is now officially gone from the Steelers organization. You could package one of those titles with a passing game coordinator title.
The point is simple: Curry is a good coach with a proven track record, especially in producing solid NFL wide receivers from his time as the position coach. Add in the fact that he could help shore up some of Smith’s weaknesses in the dropback passing game, and Curry fits well into the fabric of the offensive coaching staff.