Steelers Now Have Great Defensive Coordinator Option That Just Became Available After Week 18

The Pittsburgh Steelers are expected to let Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin walk away once their season is over. His contract expires right after they play their final game, and with how much that unit has struggled throughout the season, his deal will most likely not be re-upped. Pittsburgh has a playoff game to prepare for, so it's not like that is a current focus for the team, but some team executives may be looking for potential coaching options, as it is that time of the year in the NFL. 

If Pittsburgh does let Austin walk, there is one slam dunk hire that they absolutely need to make to get the best version of their defense in 2026: the former Atlanta Falcons head coach, Raheem Morris. He was fired after two 8-9 seasons in Atlanta, where they started rough both times and got hot at the end of the year. From many reports, this was an expected move to happen, and now he is free to strictly going back to calling defenses. 

Morris was not a great head coach, but in many cases, men that struggle as the main leader do much better as a coordinator of a team, similar to another ex-Falcons coach that works for the Steelers: Arthur Smith. He has revived his reputation while running Pittsburgh's offense, and he is even considered a potential candidate to be a head coach again due to his great work as offensive play-caller. 

Morris was a defensive coordinator for three seasons for the Los Angeles Rams, where his defense finished in the top 10 in two of those seasons. In 2021, his unit was ranked 2nd in the NFL, so he definitely has experience with great defenses. He could likely come in and fix the inconsistencies and constant miscommunication errors that have plagued the Steelers for multiple years now.

Steelers Could Have Stable Defense For At Least A Decade

In the NFL, it is very rare that a man gets a head coaching opportunity after being fired twice. It happens every now and then, but it's mostly for big names that have had success in the past like Pete Carroll and Marty Schottenheimer. Morris does not have the kind of reputation that those two men did during their careers, so the odds of him being hired as a team leader again are slim to none since he has been let go from two different teams.

If the Steelers do hire Morris and he does well, this could be one of the greatest hires of the Mike Tomlin era. He will turn 50 years old before the start of the 2026 season, which is relatively young for a coach with as much experience as he does. If he truly is better and more comfortable as a play-caller, he can likely have that role in Pittsburgh until he doesn't want it anymore. 

It is also much harder for defensive-minded coaches to get those extra breaks. Morris would most likely have to have numerous Top 3 defenses and maybe some hardware to show for it before a team requests permission to bring him in for an interview again. This could be the perfect scenario for both parties involved. Not having to talk about coaching replacements for numerous years is always a good thing.

The Steelers have had this happen before. Legendary Defensive Coordinator Dick LeBeau was hired by Pittsburgh in 2004 after being fired from his previous head coach position. He held that position until 2014, and he was possibly the most important piece of the team reaching three Super Bowls and winning two of them. Morris may not be as great as LeBeau, but having stability and greatness at that spot would not be a bad thing.

What do you think about the Steelers possibly hiring Morris to be their next defensive coordinator? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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