Steelers Coaches Earn Brutal Grade For Week 3 Win Over Patriots: "Won't Win Many Games"

The Pittsburgh Steelers' coaching staff has been the subject of a lot of criticism for many seasons now. In fact, this scrutiny dates back to the 2023 season when Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada was fired in the middle of the year, something that historically does not happen in Pittsburgh. That move set the tone for ongoing questions about the leadership and decision-making within the Steelers’ coaching ranks.

Now, Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin has often been the focal point of blame, with Head Coach Mike Tomlin and Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith also drawing scrutiny at times. These three coaches carry the most responsibility for both the team’s struggles and its successes. When things go right on the field, they are credited; when things go wrong, they face criticism. This dynamic has fueled endless debate among fans and analysts about the direction of the team under the current coaching staff.

Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo recently weighed in with his assessment, giving the coaching staff an overall grade of C- for their performance in Week 3 on the road against the New England Patriots. The grade reflects both the progress and the ongoing concerns, highlighting areas where adjustments are needed while acknowledging that there were moments of effective strategy and execution. For the Steelers, the pressure remains on the coaches to prove they can consistently translate talent into wins.

"The Steelers are 2-1 with a defense that has given up an average of 386 yards per game," Fittipaldo said. "The Patriots gained 369 against them, which actually represented an improvement over the first two games. The Steelers won this game because they created five turnovers, plain and simple. On New England’s tying touchdown drive early in the fourth quarter, another defensive miscommunication led to tight end Hunter Henry being wide open for a 16-yard touchdown on 4th-and-2. If the players can’t execute the simple assignments, it’s on the coaches to either make personnel changes or come up with a simpler scheme the players can execute."

The Steelers' defense did force five turnovers on Sunday against the Patriots. The issue is that many of those felt more luck-based or opportunistic rather than the result of great defensive scheme or coaching.

That point can be debated, but the truth is relying on five turnovers, including two in the red zone, is a risky strategy. The Steelers' defense struggled to stop Drake Maye and Hunter Henry until, in the minds of many Steelers fans, they basically beat themselves.

"Arthur Smith has to create a more consistent rhythm to his offense," Fittipaldo said. "It was opportunistic early and late, but disappeared for long stretches in the middle of the game. The Steelers had only 203 yards of total offense. They won’t win many games putting up paltry numbers like that."

Smith was tasked with an impossible job in the 2024 season, navigating between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, all while trying to redeem himself in the NFL and fix the Steelers’ struggling offense. Now in his second season, Fittipaldo and many others want to see more consistency from this offensive attack.

Steelers Coaches All Seeking To Quiet The Noise In 2025

The noise from this fan base has reached a boiling point. The three Steelers coaches mentioned in this article are the ones with the most to prove. Austin, Tomlin, and Smith have taken a ton of blame over the last couple of seasons. 

Now, with a lot of talent on the roster, it is on Austin, Tomlin, and Smith to get the offense and defense operating at a high level. If they can do that, they can quiet the doubt from this Steelers fan base. If they cannot, it will only continue to grow.

What would your overall grade be for the Steelers coaches' performance in Week 3's win over the New England Patriots? Let us know in the comments below! Please feel free to share your Steelers takes with me on X @anthonyghalkias and follow me.

#SteelerNation