The Pittsburgh Steelers have been building out an impressive coaching staff ever since Mike McCarthy was announced as the franchise's new head coach. He has landed both of his coordinators, and he has also created some new positions on the coaching staff that fans have not seen before in the Steel City. Pittsburgh will finally have a passing game coordinator, which is a position the entire league has had for what feels like a decade.
Taylor Ollason / Pittsburgh Steelers
New Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy on his first day as the lead man in Pittsburgh.
McCarthy hired his offensive coordinator on Wednesday, and he also hired former Washington Commanders defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. Whitt was fired after the 2025 season, but he is now being hired as McCarthy's assistant head coach as well as a secondary coach.
The Steelers are hiring former Commanders DC Joe Whitt Jr. as assistant head coach/secondary coach, sources say.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 4, 2026
Whitt, 47, spent 11 seasons on Mike McCarthy’s staff with the Packers. Now, they’re reunited in Pittsburgh. pic.twitter.com/8fwVxOVIJk
McCarthy and Whitt have spent a ton of time together. They were with one another for 11 seasons while the duo was with the Green Bay Packers, and they also spent three seasons together with the Dallas Cowboys. He was praised for his time in Dallas and the way he was able to help Daron Bland and Trevon Diggs progress as young players. He followed Dan Quinn to Washington after Quinn got the head coaching job during the 2024 season.
Manuel Balce Ceneta / Associated Press
Steelers' new assistant head coach, Joe Whitt Jr. during his time with the Washington Commanders.
Whitt got his start in the NFL back in 2007 as the defensive backs coach for the Atlanta Falcons. He only spent one season there before going to the Packers in 2008 as a defensive quality control coach. Most of his time in Green Bay was spent as the cornerbacks coach, and he was also the pass game coordinator in 2018. He was an important part of McCarthy's staff, and now the two will be reuniting in Pittsburgh.
This should be viewed as a good hire for the Steelers. Whitt has made a name for himself when it comes to helping young defensive backs make significant progress in their development, and that comes in handy with a top notch corner on the roster in Joey Porter Jr. It is also an intriguing hire as the Steelers have some questions in the secondary at safety, the other outside corner spot, and in the slot. Whitt should play a major role in making Pittsburgh's secondary solid.
An improved secondary will also give the pass rush more time to get to the quarterback, which will make the defensive unit better as a whole. Pittsburgh has a ton of talent on that side of the ball, but the scheme has been questioned in recent years. Hopefully things go better in 2026 with a new, revamped coaching staff.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (24) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025 in Cincinnati, ОН.
Steelers' Secondary Should Be Expected To Take A Leap
Porter should only get better as his career goes on, and a new and improved scheme will hopefully lead to better results. One of the major complaints with the Steelers in recent years has been the amount of resources that have been devoted to the defensive side of the ball, and the lack of results. Pittsburgh rosters one of the most expensive defenses in the league, and the results from the unit have bee disappointing overall. That shouldn't be the case in 2026.
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