One Departure The Steelers May Regret Speaks Out On Controversial Coaching Move

The Pittsburgh Steelers are going through a ton of changes internally and the 2025 NFL season has not even come to a close yet. Mike Tomlin stepped down as the head coach of the franchise, and the organization decided to hire Mike McCarthy after going through a thorough coaching search. McCarthy has begun to fill in his coaching staff, and one of the first moves he made was hiring Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham, who was most recently with the Las Vegas Raiders. The fan base has been fairly split on the hiring of Graham, with some thinking it is a great move, while others are not impressed.

Graham is an experienced defensive coach in the NFL, and he really got his start with the New England Patriots where he coached under Bill Belichick for seven season in various roles. He has spent the last four seasons as the defensive coordinator for the Raiders where his units didn't necessarily perform well, which is why there is some skepticism surrounding the hire. Former Steelers linebacker and former Raiders linebacker Robert Spillane was asked about his former coach at media day for Super Bowl LX.

"Somebody who loves the game," Spillane said. "Somebody who I loved to be around for the two years I was with him. A true savant of the game. Somebody who studies and loves the game, and somebody who I really enjoyed my time with. I was grateful to get to be with him."

Spillane spent four seasons in Pittsburgh, and the franchise let him leave in free agency following the 2022 season. He became a major contributor on defense during his final two seasons with the Steelers, and he has said in the past that he wished he could have stuck around in Pittsburgh. The franchise was unwilling to match or beat the contract that he was being offered from the Raiders. He has since turned into a great starting inside linebacker in the league, and he was one of the main leaders in New England.

Pittsburgh should probably feel some regret in letting Spillane leave the franchise. He has turned into a great player and he showed great potential while with the Steelers. The play of the inside linebackers in Pittsburgh has been inconsistent over the last few years, despite signing Patrick Queen to the biggest free agent contract in team history.

The Steelers have also attempted to fix the inside linebacker issue through the NFL Draft. Payton Wilson was selected back in 2024, and he has made some big plays for the Steelers and has shown signs of being an above average starter. Through his first two seasons with the team, he has been taken off the field in obvious running situations, which is an area he has to get better in.

Spillane is now an anchor on a defense that will be playing in Super Bowl LX, and he probably feels a bit gratified with the way things have gone since leaving Pittsburgh.

Steelers' Patrick Graham Now Has His Best Chance To Succeed

Graham's defenses in Las Vegas weren't great, but he was not always given a ton to work with. The numbers from the defense alone are what make fans in Pittsburgh a bit hesitant about the hire, but Spillane seems to believe that Graham is a great leader and a great coach. He has more talent in Pittsburgh than he has ever had before, and it will be interesting if he can get better results out of this defense then in years past. 

Pittsburgh's defense is aging quickly, but there are still highly productive players on that side of the ball. The group has potential, despite an extremely disappointing season in 2025. The scheme in Pittsburgh has been blamed in recent years, and Graham brings a fresh mindset with him when it comes to coaching up the defensive side of the ball.

What do you think about Spillane's comments on Graham? Let us know in the comments below!

#SteelerNation