Report: Steelers Offensive Assistant Leaves for College Job

Pittsburgh Steelers offensive assistant Glenn Thomas is leaving the team to return to the college ranks, according to a report by Mitch Sherman of The Athletic.

Thomas, 46, spent just one season with the Steelers as an offensive assistant. He will now return to the college ranks as the quarterbacks coach at Nebraska under head coach Matt Rhule, according to to Sherman.

Thomas coached under Rhule while the two were together at Baylor from 2017-19 and at Temple from 2015-16. Thomas is the second Steelers coach to be confirmed to not be returning in 2024, along with offensive coordinator Matt Canada, who was fired mid-season.

The Steelers seemingly hired Thomas to help Canada after an unsuccessful 2022 season, but that quickly went by the wayside. It’s not clear if the Steelers had any intention to retain Thomas.

Thomas spent two seasons as offensive coordinator at UNLV from 2020-21 and at Arizona State in 2022.

Thomas does have NFL experience, all of which came in a seven-year run with the Atlanta Falcons. Under then-coach Mike Smith and offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey, Thomas was an offensive assistant in Atlanta from 2008-11. In 2012, under new offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, Thomas was promoted to quarterbacks coach, where he worked with Matt Ryan. He was not retained by Atlanta when Smith was fired, and returned to the college ranks.

Before being discovered by the Falcons, Thomas spent eight seasons at Division II Midwestern (Texas) State, rising from graduate assistant to offensive coordinator. He also had a three-year run at his alma mater, Texas Tech, as a grad assistant, spanning the tenures of Spike Dykes and Mike Leach. Thomas is a native of Eastland, Texas.

The Steelers have not announce their plans for offensive coordinator in 2024 after firing Canada. Running backs coach Eddie Faulkner served as interim offensive coordinator and quarterbacks  coach Mike Sullivan called the offensive plays.