Horrific Option For Steelers' Next DC Reportedly Garnering Serious Interest From Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Steelers acted relatively quickly searching for a new head coach after the departure of Mike Tomlin. After just three in-person interviews, the franchise has chosen a veteran in Mike McCarthy to take over, which certainly has drawn some mixed reviews overall. The team seems to be allergic to any kind of rebuild, which is why a former Super Bowl champion is being hired. The decision-makers in the Steel City truly believe that the roster can win now, and a big piece to that puzzle will be rounding out the coaching staff. Names are already starting to emerge as options.

In these situations, former head coaches that return to the top ranks will often look to reunite with assistants from their pasts. The same should be expected of McCarthy. While he won't duplicate exactly what he had with either the Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys, familiar names will be brought in for interviews, with some ending up as the favorites to earn specific roles.

It may take a little bit of time before big hires are made, but that doesn't mean that McCarthy and the rest of the Steelers' brass aren't already thinking of candidates for certain positions. Some will excite the fans in Pittsburgh, while others may generate some negative buzz. That's the nature of any coaching regime change, and wheels are starting to turn.

Art Stapleton, an NFL reporter and insider for the New York Giants, wrote on social media Monday morning that one of McCarthy's former assistants in Green Bay is a name to watch for the Steelers' defensive coordinator vacancy.

Patrick Graham was on McCarthy's staff for just one year as an inside linebackers coach, and that was during the Packers' 2018 campaign. He also had a stint as the Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator in 2019. After that, he held the same position with the Giants in 2020 and 2021, only to end up with the Las Vegas Raiders from 2022 through 2025. Now, with another coaching change taking place in Las Vegas, Graham is expected to get looks elsewhere.

The Steelers need to be very careful with their search for a new defensive coordinator. The unit is as talented as any other group in the league, but has underperformed based on the financial commitment from the organization. Graham has never been a defensive coordinator of a team that had a winning record. This fact alone should remove his name from consideration, but that doesn't appear to be the case.

Pittsburgh needs to swing big if the goal is to compete immediately with McCarthy. It would be rather interesting to hire someone who doesn't have a great track record as a defensive play-caller, especially when that individual will have the freedom to do as he pleases with that side of the ball. McCarthy is expected to focus on the offense due to his background, which makes the hire for the defense that much more important.

There will be more names added to the potential candidates list as the days go by, and fans may get more clarity about McCarthy's vision during his Tuesday press conference. Overall, however, the report regarding Graham is rather discouraging because of his lack of success elsewhere.

Steelers Must Take The Defensive Coordinator Search Very Seriously

No hire will be more important that a head-coaching one, but the defensive coordinator spot in Pittsburgh can't be held by someone who ends up being incompetent. The roster will likely be fine-tuned a bit, but the big pieces should remain in place. Someone like Graham, who has a very questionable history of success, should not be given the keys to the kingdom.

Do you think the Steelers and Graham make sense? Let us know in the comments below!

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