First impressions are everything, and for new Pittsburgh Steelers head coach, Mike McCarthy, this offseason could serve as a pivotal moment. This time period will also mark the first one in nearly two decades the Steelers will go into it without former Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin. The Steelers are officially in uncharted territory, and the offseason gives McCarthy a chance to dictate the narrative surrounding the team. If McCarthy can hit the ground running in free agency, optimism amongst fans could be the highest it's been in years.
Louis DeLuca / The Dallas Morning News
Former Green Bay Packers head coach, Mike McCarthy admired the Lombardi Trophy as Terry Bradshaw looks on after Super Bowl XLV at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Sunday, February 6, 2011.
McCarthy, like Tomlin, is a former Super Bowl champion. He knows what it takes to get it done on the biggest stage and the type of players that it takes. It appears that one of McCarthy's first moves as head coach in the Steel City was to hire former Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. During his introductory press conference with the Steelers, McCarthy talked about his team that won the Super Bowl and made it a point to mention that this was the only team that McCarthy ever coached with a top five defense. If McCarthy wants a second team with that kind of impact on the defensive side of the ball, the first free agency signing is an obvious one.
New #Steelers HC Mike McCarthy is expected to hire former #Raiders DC Patrick Graham to be his DC in Pittsburgh, source confirms (as @gerrydulac reported yesterday).
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) January 29, 2026
The respected Graham has been a HC candidate in recent years and has been with Vegas since 2022 under 3 different… pic.twitter.com/vvVif46GHV
A reunion with former Steelers linebacker Elandon Roberts makes sense on a number of fronts. Roberts spent two seasons with the Steelers, in the 2023 and 2024 campaigns. During that time, Roberts' remarkable durability was on full display, only missing one game combined during his two seasons in Pittsburgh. Roberts also spent last season with the Raiders and new Steelers defensive coordinator Graham, and once again did not miss a single game while having 90 tackles on a bad Raiders team.
AP photo
Former Pittsburgh Steelers middle linebacker Elandon Roberts (50) runs onto the field before a home game in Pittsburgh, PA.
Roberts teaming up with both the Steelers and Graham again could be the perfect fit for a franchise looking to stabilize their middle linebacker room for 2026.
Elandon Roberts Would Be Key To Steelers' 3-4 Defense
While McCarthy is an offensive coach with a hands off approach to the defense, he made it known during his introductory press conference that he is planning on keeping the 3-4 defense that the Steelers ran under Tomlin. With that in mind, there are few linebackers better in the 3-4 scheme than Roberts. A key to any good 3-4 defense is linebackers that can fill the running lanes and stuff the run. During his 10 seasons in the NFL, the veteran has established himself as one of the best run stuffers in the league and an elite tackler. With Roberts, the Steelers should have no trouble at all with their run defense, which will make their opponents pass the ball more frequently, and that's exactly what the Steelers want.
GENE J. PUSKAR / ASSOCIATED PRESS
Steelers' TJ Watt sacks Ravens' Lamar Jackson during a home game in Pittsburgh.
This allows players such as Steelers superstar pass rusher TJ Watt to get after the quarterback. When you have game wreckers on your defense such as Watt, you want to give them as many chances as possible to put them in positions to do just that. Getting Roberts, would cause a ripple effect that would impact the defense from top to bottom, making everyone's jobs easier.
Graham spent the past several seasons with the Raiders under three different head coaches, and just came off a season where the Raiders had the worst record in the NFL. The Steelers want to set the tone this offseason, as a physical football team that embodies the city that it plays for, and there's no better way to do that then bringing in Roberts.
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