The Pittsburgh Steelers have long had one of the smallest coaching staffs in the NFL, and head coach Mike Tomlin and president Art Rooney Jr. have indicated plans to expand their coaching staff this offseason.
With former offensive line and tight ends coach Arthur Smith being hired as the team’s first offensive coordinator, the idea of ​​adding a coach as a passing game coordinator may have some merit.
Several NFL teams have added head coaches to their coaching staffs, placing titles such as assistant coach, passing or running game coordinator, and senior assistant between the existing coordinators and position coaches.
The Steelers have done it on the defensive side of the ball the last three seasons, with Terrill Austin becoming the senior defensive assistant in 2020-21 and Brian Flores assuming that role in 2022. That role will not be filled in 2023. So what are the options if the Steelers decide to use a passing game coordinator or similar position on the offensive side of the ball under Smith in 2024? Let’s analyze them.
Many of these gentlemen will be considered for the Steelers’ offensive coordinator job for the first time, and while many of these recruits have already found jobs elsewhere, there are still a few potential candidates.
Byron Leftwich, Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator, Steelers Quarterback Leftwich is a former 10-year NFL veteran who spent four seasons with the Steelers as Ben Roethlisberger’s backup (2008, 2010-2012).
After his playing days ended, Leftwich joined former offensive coordinator Bruce Arians as a coach at Arizona and later followed Tampa Bay,
becoming the team’s offensive coordinator. During his time with the Bucs, Leftwich helped the team win Super Bowl LV, but was fired by the team in his final season. He won’t get another NFL job until 2023.
Pep Hamilton, former Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Hamilton last served as the Texans’ offensive coordinator in 2022, and before arriving in Houston, he helped Justin Herbert win 2020 Player of the Year honors as the Chargers’ quarterbacks coach.
Hamilton also served as the Colts’ offensive coordinator from 2013 to 2015 and was a key reason Andrew Luck scored 40 touchdowns in 2014. Before Pittsburgh hires Matt Canada in 2021, Hamilton was interviewed for the vacant position of offensive coordinator.
This connects the team in the offseason with Frank Reich, former head coach of the Indianapolis Colts and Carolina Panthers.Reich’s last two NFL jobs were as head coach of the Colts and Panthers. Both failed, but Reich was a strong offensive coordinator before this job. From 2014 to 2015, Reich ran the offense for the Chargers, and from 2016 to 2017, he ran the offense for the Eagles.
In 2017, Reich helped the Eagles gain the seventh most yards in the league on third down and helped them win the Super Bowl that season.
The question for Reich isn’t whether he deserves the job, but whether he’ll fill a role two levels down from his last NFL post. Josh McDaniels, former head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. McDaniels was fired by the Raiders a year later. Half of them became head coaches in the organization. His time with the Black and Silvers was described as a disaster, with numerous late shows falling through and the dressing room unable to wait.
Prior to his tenure with the Raiders, McDaniels won six Super Bowls as a member of the New England Patriots coaching staff, including as the team’s offensive coordinator. McDaniels was rumored to be interested in returning as the Patriots’ OC under new coach Jerod Mayo this offseason, but Alex Van Pelt was hired, apparently keeping McDaniels through 2024.
Brian Johnson, former Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinatorJohnson received interest from OC after a season in which he was fired as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator, but it never materialized. The 36-year-old was the Eagles’ quarterbacks coach before becoming CO and is dating the team’s Andy Weld in 2021. The question is, did Jalen Hurts wait to see what happens there before looking elsewhere? He could also return to Philly with new OC Kellen Moore.
Mick Lombardi, former Las Vegas Raiders offensive coordinatorLombardi, the son of former NFL GM Michael Lombardi, had some interesting, if not particularly impressive, places to work during his year and a half as Raiders OC. He entered the NFL under Jim Harbaugh in San Francisco and spent three years under Bill Belichick. That’s not a bad relationship to use during a job interview.
Luke Getsy, former offensive coordinator for the Chicago BearsGetsy, a Munhall native and former Pitt quarterback, began his professional career with the Green Bay Packers, where he worked under Mike McCarthy. He was traded for Matt LaFleur, but Aaron Rodgers liked working with him, so he returned to Mississippi State a year later. He attributed his success with Chicago’s Rogers OC, which wasn’t necessarily a good thing.
Dave Ragon, former Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinatorRagon has a high level of exposure, spending the last three years as Arthur Smith’s offensive coordinator in Atlanta. Ragone, a former Louisville and NFL player, previously served as a quarterbacks coach at multiple stops, starting with Smith and the Titans in 2013 and serving as the Bears’ passing game coordinator for one year with the Chicago Bears from 2016 to 2019 . He is developed enough to give Johnson some QB development credit.
