The Six Degrees of Mike Tomlin
- Ran Geffen
- 6 days ago
- 20 min read
Updated: 19 hours ago
How some of the Pittsburgh Steelers coaches became Mike Tomlin’s staff
Let me save you some time – the conclusion of this article is that, it seems, Mike Tomlin likes to have experienced coordinators, chooses his staff by their association with great coaches (especially if he has a connection with them) and conceivably have great ability to communicate with players. Thank you and good luck.
Nevertheless, if you wish to try and have some understanding of the convoluted web of connections of the Pittsburgh Steelers key coaching personnel under Tomlin, do go on and hopefully the dry details of names, teams, dates and coaching positions will not dehydrate you and leave you too discombobulated. I got into a head spin myself just researching it. At times, it felt like going down the holiest of rabbit holes marked by a ‘Mad Hatter’ waving a terrible yellow towel.
2015 ATLANTA FALCONS
Thinking about a moment in time where you can see the roots of the tree forming - the 2015 Falcons come to mind. The newly appointed head coach Dan Quinn assembled a bevy of incredible coaches. Quinn arrived at Atlanta after two years as defensive coordinator of the Seatle Seahawks where, with head coach Pete Caroll, developed the Legion of Boom and won Super Bowl XLVIII 2013 with Russel Wilson under centre.
Head coach – Dan Quinn (HC Washington Commanders)
OC - Kyle Shanahan (HC 49rs)
DC - Richard Smith (with DQ at Nick Saban’s Miami, now the Bears LB Coach)
Defensive backs coach - Raheem Morris (HC Atlanta Falcons)
Offensive assistant - Mike LaFleur (now offensive coordinator at the Rams)
Running backs coach - Bobby Turner (now running backs coach at the 49rs)
Quarterback coach - Matt LaFleur (HC Green Bay)
Offensive assistant - Mike McDaniel (HC Dolphins)
Darrell Bevell the 2013 Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator was previously at the 2006 Minnesota Vikings alongside defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin. He’s now at the Miami Dolphins as quarterbacks coach & passing game coordinator with Mike McDaniel. Also on that Seahawks’ staff - Robert Saleh, Dave Canales and Nick Sorensen.
Before you despair, please remember these are just the ingredients of the sausage. There is a logic here. Though you must admit that looking at a gaggle of coaches where ten years on, four of them are head coaches themselves is not a bad way to start.
DAN QUINN
I’d like to open our excavation with Dan Quinn. In 1994 he secures his first ever coaching job - a volunteer defensive line assistant at the college of William & Mary Tribe football team in Williamsburg, Virginia. Barely out of college himself Quinn developed a bond with one of the veteran players on the roster - wide receiver Mike Tomlin.
A year later the freshly graduated Tomlin gets his first coaching job – graduate assistant wide
receivers coach at Virginia Military Institute (VMI). He got the job thanks to a recommendation by the newly appointed defensive line coach - Dan Quinn.
Dan Quinn got the VMI job just a few weeks before he recommended Tomlin to head coach Bill Stewart (himself a William & Marry graduate from the early 80’s). I was surprised to find that Quinn got the job with the help of his then girlfriend, now his wife Stacey, who was the Keydets' head athletic trainer. How much is Stacey Quinn actually responsible for?
“Mike and I kind of hit it off right away,” Quinn said in an interview. “We were kind of the same age.” Apparently, Tomlin thought about law school in case the coaching thing didn’t work. Tomlin and Quinn were restricted-earning coaches, normally held by first time coaches (like graduate assistant). I think 'no frill' would be the best way to describe their beginnings, especially in a military institute. Dan Quinn and Mike Tomlin are still good friends.
1997 Arkansas State Red Wolves football
1997 ARKANSAS STATE RED WOLVES FOOTBALLRKAN
Ohio State offensive coordinator, Joe Hollis is appointed Head Coach. He brings in a new offensive coordinator, Purdue wide receivers coach Randy Fichtner. Memphis Graduate assistant Mike Tomlin becomes the new wide receivers’ coach. After a terrible season with a 2-9 record Hollis decides to make staff changes for the 1998 season: Keith Butler – the Memphis (1990–1997) linebackers, defensive ends & special teams coach is appointed Arkansas defensive coordinator & linebackers coach and moves Tomlin to defensive backs coach (and thus transitions him from offensive to defensive coach). Needless to say, the 1998 season was much better – the Red Wolves finished 4-7. The same Keith Butler will in 2003 be appointed Pittsburgh Steelers linebackers coach by Bill Cowher. Randy Fichtner will join Tomlin and the Steelers in 2007 as wide receivers coach.
1999-2000 UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATTI BEARCATS FOOTBALL
Tomlin as defensive backs coach meets Amos Jones running backs & special teams coach and Larry Zierlein offensive line / running game coordinator.
Amos Jones will be Pittsburgh Steelers (2007–2012) Assistant special teams coach and later coordinator, while Zierlein becomes offensive line coach (2007–2009).
2000-2005 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Jim Haslett is appointed Head coach after three years (1997-1999) as Steelers defensive coordinator under Bill Cowher.
Omar Khan (1997-2001) is in the Football operations department.
Andy Weidl (2000-2004) is in the scouting team after being player personal Assistant (1998-99)
2001 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Head coach Tony Dungy – has a long history with the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 1977 Dungy signed as a UDFA. Was part of the 1978 team defeating the Cowboys in Super Bowl XIII. Between 1981 and 1988 Dungy was defensive backs coach and defensive coordinator under Chuck Noll. In 2002 Dungy will be appointed Indianapolis Colts HC.
Defensive coordinator – Monte Kiffin, has been coaching defences since 1969! His very last coaching job was at Ole Miss and ended in 2023. Tomlin mentioned Kiffin as one of his biggest influences. Monte Kiffin is seen as the father of the "Tampa 2" defence which was a variant of Tony Dungy's "Cover 2".
Kiffin gave Tomlin his first NFL opportunity as the Buccaneers' defensive backs coach. "We interviewed 15, 16 guys for the secondary job," Kiffin once said about hiring Tomlin. "Then we heard about a young guy at the University of Cincinnati by the name of Mike Tomlin. Some guys just have it. You can feel it. Mike was 29 at the time". Tomlin stayed with the Bucks as defensive backs coach for 5 years. Kiffin followed his son Lane when he became HC of Tennessee and USC.
Offensive coordinator – Clyde Christensen was promoted from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator. He was Tight ends coach at the Bucks previously. He will later be the WR Coach at Indianapolis Colts under Head coach Tony Dungy.
Quarterbacks Coach – Jim Caldwell is brought over from Wake Forest (1993–2000 as HC). Like Clyde Christensen he later joined the Indianapolis Colts. All three were there for the 2006 Super Bowl win against the Chicago Bears. Caldwell will later join the Baltimore Ravens as QB coach and OC winning Super Bowl 47 in 2012 (better known as the Harbowl).
When Jim Caldwell became Head coach of the Detroit Lions (2014–2017) Teryll Austin became Lions defensive coordinator for 3 years. In 2019 He will be Assistant head coach & quarterbacks coach for Brian Flores at Miami.
Offensive line coach – Chris Foerster, also joined Dungy as tight ends coach for the Colts (2002–03). In 2022, after 49ers offensive/run game coordinator Mike McDaniel left to become the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, Foerster was promoted to McDaniel's former position under HC Kyle Shanahan. In 2025, Foerster was promoted to assistant head coach.
One of the DBs in the team coached by Tomlin was John Lynch - Safety (1993– 2003) now San Francisco 49ers GM.
an Francisco 49ers GM.
2002 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Super Bowl winning year. New head coach John Gruden kept most of the coaching roaster with a few additions. New wide receivers coach Richard Mann joined from the Redskins (will be wide receivers coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2013 to 2017). Also hired was Kirby Wilson as running backs coach (will be Running backs coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers 2007–2013)
With Head coach Tony Dungy, offensive coordinator – Clyde Christensen, quarterbacks Coach – Jim Caldwell (2001 Tomlin’s former Buccaneers coaches) the Colts signed in four undrafted players. Among them QB Tom Arth and WR Aaron Moorehead. They already had Payton Manning and won the2006 Super Bowl. Tom Arth spent one year on the roster and two in the practice squad then released.
2003 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Mike Tomlin is retained as defensive backs coach. The team adds a new defensive quality control coach in Raheem Morris. From 2004 to 2005, Morriss was the assistant defensive backs coach. In 2006, when Tomlin left, he returned to Tampa Bay as defensive backs coach.
Kiffin’s "Tampa 2" defence was key in helping the 2002 Buccaneers win Super Bowl XXXVII 37 against the Oakland Raiders which John Gruden left after 4 years as head coach.
In 2004 Ron Middleton would join the team as tight ends coach / assistant special teams coach, part of a staff that includes Pass game specialist - Tom Arth. Also on he staff was Joe Woods as defensive quality control coach (Woods will be DC with Zach Azzanni WR coach in the 2018 Broncos).
2006 MINNESOTA VIKINGS
All change at Minesota. New Head coach the former Philadelphia Eagles (2002– 2005) offensive coordinator – Brad Childress, waists no time and brings new people in.
Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell Will be Seatle offensive coordinator when they win Super Bowl XLVIII with Dan Quinn as defensive coordinator.
(Bevell is currently quarterbacks coach & passing game coordinator at the Dolphins).
Defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin
Assistant to the head coach – Kevin Stefanski
Running backs coach Eric Bieniemy was brought in from UCLA.
Tomlin got Joe Woods from Tampa to be a defensive backs/secondary coach. He also got a new defensive line coach - Karl Dunbar (Was drafted by the Steelers in 1990 at 206 overall as defensive tackle from LSU).
Karl Dunbar only ever coached defensive lines. He will be the Steelers Defensive Line Coach from 2018 after stints at the Jets, Bills and two years under Nick Saban in Alabama.
To assist Karl with the defensive line Tomlin gave Brendan Daly his first NFL job. After his stint in Minesota Daly will work at the Rams, Patriots and Chiefs as defensive line coach, Run game coordinator and Linebackers coach. He amassed 6! Super Bowls – greedy.
Two of the Vikings players were older than Tomlin, and safety Darren Sharper had been a teammate of Tomlin’s while at William & Mary.
2007 PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Mike Tomlin was named the 16th head coach in Pittsburgh Steelers history on January 22, 2007. Hired at the age of 34 to replace Bill Cowher after 15 years in charge.
Traditionally a new coach will pick his own coaching team. Mike Tomlin didn’t pick all of his. He had to start a new job accepting less control.
Coaches he inherited:
Defensive coordinator – Dick LeBeau, perhaps the most influential coach Tomlin ever worked with, had two stints with the Steelers. Defensive backs coach and defensive coordinator (1992–1996). The second stint as defensive coordinator (2004–2014).
In the in-between years, he worked with the Bills and Bengals (2000–02 as HC). It was said that one of the reasons Tomlin got the job was the fact he was the only candidate that had intended to retain Dick LeBeau and his 3-4 defensive system.
LeBeau is credited with inventing the "zone blitz" defence which uses unpredictable pass rushes and pass coverage from various players with any of the four linebackers (and frequently a defensive back) among the pass rushers.
"By this time, I had a lot of years of coordinating, so let's put it this way, I wasn't sending out any of my dry cleaning when Coach Tomlin got the job" LeBeau said in an interview. He was worried that his time might be up when the team named Mike Tomlin knowing he spent his career in 4-3 systems. LeBeau helped the Steelers make four Super Bowl appearances as their defensive coordinator, winning Super Bowl XL and Super Bowl XLIII.
John Mitchell has been Defensive line coach with the Steelers since 1994 including the 2005 (he will add the 2008). He later became assistant head coach a position he held until 2022.
Linebackers coach – Keith Butler reunites with Tomlin after their time together with Memphis Tigers and Arkansas State Red Wolves. Butler has been with the Steelers since 2003 and will be Defensive coordinator (2015–2021).
Assistant defensive backs – Ray Horton, was promoted to defensive backs coach. He spent 1997-2000 with the Cincinnati Bengals under Dick LeBeau and with the new Steelers Quarterbacks Coach – Ken Anderson (was OC at the Bengals).
James Daniel - Tight ends coach, Defensive assistant – Lou Spanos
Business & Football Administration coordinator – Omar Khan has already been with the Steelers since 2001.
Coaches Tomlin appointed:
Bruce Arians was wide receivers coach 2004-06. In 2007 Tomlin promoted him to offensive coordinator. Won Super Bowls 2005 (he will add the 2008) as assistant coach. In 2022 Arians led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win SB LV. He had Clyde Christensen as QB coach returning to Tampa after spending 1996-2001 there inc. as OC (one year with defensive backs – Mike Tomlin).
Quarterbacks – Ken Anderson. Spent his playing career as a quarterback with the Bengals and most of his coaching career apart from a three-year stint as QB coach at the Jacksonville Jaguars (2003-2006) under offensive coordinator – Bill Musgrave. At Jacksonville Anderson had an offensive assistant – Mike Sullivan (been with the Steelers since 2021. He has two rings as QB coach with the New York Giants 2007,2011) and Tight ends coach– Alfredo Roberts (been the Steelers tight ends coach since 2021).
Harold Goodwin - Pittsburgh Steelers (2007–2011) offensive line coach & quality control coordinator, will later join Bruce Arians at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2019–2023) as assistant head coach & run game coordinator to win Super Bowl 55 in 2020.
Garrett Giemont – (2007–present) Conditioning coordinator. Was Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2004–2006) Strength and conditioning coach withTomlin.
Bob Ligashesky - Special teams coach (2007–2009)
Assistant special teams – Amos Jones (2007–2011), University of Cincinnati 1999-2000 as running backs & special teams coach when Tomlin was Defensive backs coach.
2007 ARIZONA CARDINALS
Ken Whisenhunt was hired by the Steelers as tight ends coach 2001. Promoted to offensive coordinator for the 2004 season when Mike Mularkey left to become HC of the Buffalo Bills. One of Whisenhunt's most famous moments as a Steeler is the trick play he called in Super Bowl XL win over the Seattle Seahawks in 2005. Antwaan Randle El to Hines Ward, the first TD pass thrown by a WR in Super Bowl history.
In January 2007, the Arizona Cardinals hired Whisenhunt as their new head coach (he also interviewed for the head coaching position with the Pittsburgh Steelers). The Cardinals advanced, for the first time in franchise history, to the 2008 Super Bowl XLIII to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Whisenhunt's Cardinals lost 27–23.
Todd Haley joined Ken Whisenhunt's coaching staff as offensive coordinator (2007-2008), having spent 2004–2006 with the Dallas Cowboys as wide receivers coach under head coach Bill Parcells. Kansas City Chiefs as head coach followed for Todd Haley (2009–2011). In 2012 Tomlin appointed Haley as Steelers offensive coordinator, a position he held until 2017.
(Also, in that Bill Parcells Cowboys team - Sean Payton as assistant head coach & quarterbacks coach, secondary coach Todd Bowles.)
Whisenhunt added to the 2007 Cardinals the Seattle Seahawks defensive backs coach Teryl Austin. Austin has been with the Seahawks for three years including the Super Bowl loss to the Steelers 2005 opposite Whisenhunt himself as the OC. Pittsburgh Steelers offensive assistant Matt Raich (2004– 2006) joined Ken Whisenhunt at the Cardinals as well.
2012 WASHINGTON REDSKINS
When imagining the coaching trees of this era of the NFL who do you think of? Well, the giant Sequoia of the last 10-15 years is unmistakeable and the 2012 Washington staff is not without symbiosis with the Steelers.
Head coach - Mike Shanahan
Offensive coordinator - Kyle Shanahan (HC 49rs) Quarterbacks – Matt LaFleur (HC Green Bay Packers)
Wide receivers Coach – Ike Hilliard in 2020–2021 will Pittsburgh Steelers WR coach (now WR coach at Atlanta with Raheem Morris).
Tight ends – Sean McVay (HC LA Rams)
Offensive line – Chris Foerster (now assistant head coach 49rs)
Offensive assistant - Mike McDaniel (HC at the Miami Dolphins).
Defensive backs coach - Raheem Morris (HC Atlanta Falcons)
Defensive assistant – Bobby Slowik (now senior passing game coordinator at the Miami Dolphins)
Special teams coordinator – one monster gum chewer Danny Smith
Defensive coordinator - Jim Haslett, a Pittsburgh native, became the New Orleans Saints Head coach (2000–2005) after three years (1997-1999) as Steelers defensive coordinator under Bill Cowher. In 2018 Haslett will serve as Cincinnati Bengals linebackers coach under defensive coordinator Teryl Austin. In 2020 Haslett was the Tennessee Titans Inside linebackers coach with Arthur Smith as Offensive coordinator.
2016-2017 ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE FOOTBALL
(Made the CFP final 3 years in a row. Were 2015 and 2017 Champions)
Head coach – Nick Saban
Offensive coordinators - Lane Kiffin (son of Monte, Tomlin’s mentor at Tampa Bay 2001-2005, Lane now doing wonders with Ole Miss), Brian Daboll Offensive analyst / interim OC - Steve Sarkisian (only CFP final)
Defensive line coach - Karl Dunbar, Steelers current DL coach
Defensive backs - Derrick Ansley will be the Los Angeles Chargers defensive backs coach and defensive coordinator (2021–2023) with Tom Arth as pass game specialist (2022–2023). Ansley is now Green Bay Packers passing game coordinator.
Mike Locksley - Analyst, co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach. Will in 2019 become the Maryland Terrapins college football head coach. New Terrapins OC Scottie Montgomery (replacing Matt Canada) was previously Pittsburgh Steelers wide receivers coach (2010–2012) under Mike Tomlin and offensive coordinators Bruce Arians and Todd Haley. In their first recruiting drive Locksley and Montgomery will sign a 3star WR from Shady Side Academy, Pittsburgh called Dino Tomlin.
Some of the Alabama players at the time: Minkah Fitzpatrick S, Jalen Hurts QB, Quinnen Williams OL, Tua Tagovailoa QB, Najee Harris RB, DeVonta Smith WR, Levi Wallace CB (Pittsburgh Steelers 2022–23), Isaiah Buggs DT (Pittsburgh Steelers 2019–21)
2025 PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Offensive coordinator – Arthur Smith
Smith Spent 2011 to 2020 with the Tennessee Titans. He started as defensive quality control coach and moved to offence working his way up from offensive line to tight ends coach and all the way to offensive coordinator. Between 2015–2017 Smith worked with defensive coordinator & assistant head coach was Dick LeBeau (Steelers DC 2004–2014). The 2018 Titans HC - Mike Vrabel was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round (91st overall) of the 1997 draft. Ray Horton, 2015 defensive coordinator was the Pittsburgh Steelers (2004–2010) Secondary coach.
Arthur Smith took the 2018 Titans OC - Dean Pees (two-time SB winner with the Patriots and Ravens) to the Falcons when he became HC. Pees is now senior advisor at the Ravens. Arthur Smith worked under three Titans head coaches that all had connection with the Steelers. Mike Munchak was head coach (2011–2013) before he became Pittsburgh Steelers Offensive line coach (2014–2018). Ken Whisenhunt was Steelers tight ends coach (2001–2003) and Offensive coordinator (2004–2006). Was Titans Head coach 2014-15. Mike Mularkey played as Pittsburgh Steelers TE (1989–1991). Steelers tight ends coach (1996–2000) and then offensive coordinator (2001–2003). Became Tennessee Titans (2014–2015) tight ends coach and head coach. Also at the Titans with Artur Smith was defensive line coach Giff Smith (2014–2015) that later worked at the Chargers with Tom Arth.
Quarterbacks – Tom Arth
Recruited by Tony Dungy in the 2003 draft from John Caroll University as back-up QB (Payton Manning was QB1). WR Coach Clyde Christensen (was Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2001 OC under Tony Dungy with Mike Tomlin as Defensive backs coach). Things didn’t pan out as Tom wanted and he turned to coaching.
In 2013 he became head coach at his alma mater. Brandon Staley was his defensive coordinator. 2017-18 Arth was the Chattanooga Mocs football HC with Brandon Staley as DC and as OC Justin Rascati (now the Bengals Pass game coordinator). In 2022 Brandon Staley became the LA Chargers head coach and made his former HC as Pass game specialist.
The following year Staley was fired and the Outside linebackers coach, Giff Smith became interim head coach (was defensive line coach with Artur Smith). Derrick Ansley was OC. In 2017 Alabama was Defensive backs coach alongside defensive line coach - Karl Dunbar, Steelers current DL coach.
Wide receivers – Zach Azzanni
Started his coaching career in 1999. He worked at various colleges inc. Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Florida, Wisconsin and Tennessee. Worked as WR coach but also had a stint as Passing game coordinator in Florida and Tennessee. However, his year 2017 with Wisconsin is most interesting. Though he worked there with Eddie Faulkner as Tight ends coach it’s the offensive coordinator that grabbed my attention – Matt Canada.
In 2017 Azzanni became Chicago Bears wide receivers coach. Vic Fangio was defensive coordinator and Brandon Staley Outside linebackers coach.
For the following season Azzanni joined the Denver Broncos with Bill Musgrave as offensive coordinator and Mike Sullivan as QB Coach (now Steelers Senior offensive assistant). Also at the team defensive coordinator – Joe Woods. Was Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive quality control coach (2004–2005) with Mike Tomlin as defensive backs coach. 2018 Broncos offensive line coach Sean Kugler was previously with the Pittsburgh Steelers as offensive line coach (2010–2012).
Running backs – Eddie Faulkner
Graduated from Wisconsin in 1991 and briefly signed by the Steelers but never actually played for the team. In 2003 he started working at Ball state university in Muncie, Indiana – his hometown.
Faulkner spent the next seven years at Ball state mainly as RB coach but also as offensive coordinator 2009-10 under HC Stan Parrish who was at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (QB coach 2002–2003) winning Super Bowl XXXVII with Mike Tomlin as defensive backs coach. Eddie Faulkner spent 2012 at Wisconsin Badgers football as tight ends coach under offensive coordinator – Matt Canada. In 2013 he moved to NC State, with Canada. They worked the next three years together at the North Carolina State University Wolfpacks. Falkner was NC State tight ends/fullbacks/special teams coordinator until 2018. In 2019 he joined the Steelers as running backs coach.
Offensive line – Pat Meyer
Rip Scherer is a long-time football coach. He is a Pittsburgh native and attended William & Mary college 1970–1973 (played as a QB). During his time as the head football coach at University of Memphis (1995-2000) he had Mike Tomlin as graduate assistant (1996). Pat Meyer was Memphis graduate assistant in 1997-1998 and then as strength and conditioning coach in 1999.
Scherer worked as Cleveland Browns QB coach and assistant HC (2005–2008). Alfredo Roberts, now the Steelers tight end coach, had the same role at the Browns (2007-2008). Also at the Browns as OC was Rob Chudzinski. Now Boston College Associate head coach (2023–present).
Meyer was Buffalo Bills (2015– 2016) football operations consultant and then offensive assistant. Also with him at Buffalo Defensive line coach – Karl Dunbar and Greg Roman (eight years as Baltimore Ravens coach. Now Chargers OC). Pat Meyer joint the Los Angeles Chargers (2017–2019) as offensive line coach & run game coordinator.
Rip Scherer re-united with Meyer as TE and QB coach (2018– 2020). During the 2019 season Alfredo Roberts, Pat Meyer and Rip Scherer cooperatted for the Chargers offence under interim OC Shane Steichen. Defensive line coach – Giff Smith spent 2014–2015 with Arthur Smith at the Tennessee Titans.
Now, 72, Scherer is still coaching. He is the head coach at the Madrid Bravos of the European League of Football. Oh, by the way he is the cousin of Kevin Colbert, former Vice President, director of football operations and general manager of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Defensive coordinator – Teryl Austin
From Sharon, Pennsylvania about 70 miles north of Pittsburgh. Attended University of Pittsburgh and played as a safety. Austin's college coaching career began as a graduate assistant at Penn State (1991-92). He held stints as the defensive backs coach at Wake Forest, Syracuse and Michigan.
His first NFL job came at Seattle Seahawks (2003-2006) including the loss to the Steelers in Super Bowl XL 10–21. The following year Austin joined Ken Whisenhunt (Steelers 2004-06 OC) at the Arizona Cardinals and spent three years there including yet another Super Bowl loss to the Steelers in 2008, this time under Tomlin.
For two of those years Todd Haley was OC before joining Kansas City to be their head coach (2009–2011) and Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator (2012–2017). Baltimore Ravens (2011–2013) as secondary coach was Austin’s chance to finally win a Super Bowl beating the 49rs in Super Bowl XLVII (47) and to work with Jim Caldwell (was with Tomlin at the Bucks as QB coach) interim offensive coordinator & quarterbacks coach. Caldwell will take Austin with him to his next post at the Detroit Lions as defensive coordinator.
The Lions defensive backs coach Alan Williams (2014– 2017) makes an old connection to Mike Tomlin. Williams played running back at William & Mary 1988-91 alongside wide receiver Mike Tomlin (and future Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott). In 2001 Alan Williams was defensive assistant with Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Teryl Austin’s short forgettable stint with the Cincinnati Bengals (2018) preceded his appointment as the Steelers Senior defensive assistant & secondary coach. In 2022 he was promoted to Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator.
Defensive line – Karl Dunbar
Karl attended LSU and played as defensive lineman under head coach Mike Archer (1987–1990), who will be Linebackers coach Pittsburgh Steelers (1996– 2002). He was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers as the 209th overall pick in the 1990 NFL draft though never played for the team. His first NFL coaching opportunity came in 2004 as Chicago Bears defensive line coach under Lovie Smith as head coach. He spent 2006–2011 with Minnesota Vikings as defensive line coach.
The 2006 season was under Mike Tomlin as Defensive coordinator. New York Jets (2012–2014) as defensive line coach under HC Rex Ryan. Dunbar will reunite with Rex Ryan at the 2015 Buffalo Bills as DL coach. For 2016-17 he went back to college football at Alabama under Nick Saban. Crimson Tide defensive backs coach Derrick Ansley will be the Los Angeles Chargers defensive backs coach and Defensive coordinator (2021–2023) with Tom Arth as Pass game specialist (2022–2023). Mike Locksley - Analyst, Co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach, will in 2019 become the Maryland Terrapins football head coach and will sign WR Dino Tomlin. KarlDunbar has been Pittsburgh Steelers Defensive line coach since 2018.
Inside linebackers – Scott McCurley
New inside linebackers coach replacing Aaron Curry now LB coach with the New York Jets. McCurley is from New Castle, Pennsylvania about 55 miles north of Pittsburgh and went to Pitt and played as linebacker. Spent most of his coaching career in Green Bay from 2006-18, Including the 2010 Super Bowl win over the Steelers (Defensive quality control), he Followed Mike McCarthy to Dallas as Linebackers coach (2020–2024) under defensive coordinator Dan Quinn until Pittsburgh came calling.
Defensive backs – Gerald Alexander
In 2020-21 was defensive backs coach at the Dolphins under Brian Flores. Followed Flores to Pittsburgh as Assistant defensive backs coach (2022-23). Then went to the Raiders for 2024 as Safeties coach. The Steelers hired Alexander as their new defensive backs coach.
Special teams coordinator – Danny Smith
Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Graduated from Central Catholic
High School in 1974. Came back in 1978-79 as defensive backs coach also helping one student quarterback - Dan Marino. The 1995 Philadelphia Eagles gave him his first chance coaching at NFL level and his first taste as special teams coach. Later on he moved to defensive backs coach. During his time at Philadelphia Smith worked along side Jon Gruden (OC), Sean Payton (QB), John Harbaugh (Special teams). Danny Smith spent 2004–2012 with the Washington Redskins. Allow me to remind you of the coaching team the Redskins had in 2012: Mike Shanahan, Kyle Shanahan, Jim Haslett, Matt LaFleur, SeanMcVay, Mike McDaniel, Raheem Morris, Bobby Slowik.
The monster gum chewer has been Special teams coordinator at the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2013.
Head of strength and conditioning – Phil Matusz
In 2024 Phil Matusz (replaced Marcel Pastoor, who had spent 23 years with the Steelers) was hired. He most recently was the strength and conditioning coach at Boston College under head coach Jeff Hafley (now the Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator) and before that was an assistant as Ohio State. At Boston College, Matusz worked with players like Zay Flowers and Dino Tomlin. “I just thought it was time,” Tomlin said in an interview. “I just thought we got so many talented young big people. I wanted to put some fresh expertise into their growth and development. As an organization we own the development of our young players”.
CONCLUSION
So, you managed to survive the journey and hopefully not got too lost in the maze of red string, references and tree roots. If you’re still awake, and don’t mind reading a bit more, here’s my unassuming construal of Tomlin’s coaching legacy:
In my eyes Mike Tomlin’s influence is not manifested in a “traditional” coaching tree way but should rather be seen in the players he developed. I believe Tomlin is treating his players in a way he would have loved to be treated had he had a career as a player in the NFL. Perhaps he’s living his dream vicariously through his understudies. There is a possibility when some of Tomlin’s long-term players, past or present, scales the coaching ladder, we’ll see his seedlings baring fruit in the development of their own player’s.
Mike Tomlin doesn’t change coordinators very often, and when he does, they tend to have experience as head coach or coordinator of some sort which means Tomlin is not after moulding his coaches and rather have fully-fledged coaches that would fit his philosophy. He only had eight coordinators (three
DCs and five OCs) during his eighteen-year tenure. One he inherited, one he promoted, six he appointed and fired only one. The current crop of Steelers coaches might be the last generation with a direct link to Tomlin’s coaching mentors. As the playing prospects are growing up in a hedonistic NIL world and are increasingly removed from the football environment Tomlin helped to create, I wonder, when it’s time to choose new staff members, which way would Mike Tomlin and the Steelers go? Where would they find volunteers to help paint the barn red?
In 1993 a film starring Will Smith and Stockard Channing came out. The film,
Six Degrees of Separation, based on a short story from 1929, plays with the idea of how seemingly unrelated people are connected and how any two people in the world can be linked by six ‘handshakes’. I wonder if the young Mike
Tomlin making his way as a wide receiver at William & Mary Tribe football team had a chance to go to the cinema?
Bonus chapter…
Matt Canada – A clean cut?
2022-23 Los Angeles Chargers
Chris Beatty - wide receivers coach Tom Arth - pass game specialist
2019 Maryland Terrapins football team
Mike Locksley - head coach (won CFP as OC with Nick Saban’s Alabama)
Scottie Montgomery - offensive coordinator (Steelers WR coach 2010–12) Locksley and Montgomery signed WR Dino Tomlin from Shady Side Academy, Pit.
2018 Maryland Terrapins football team
Matt Canada - offensive coordinator / quarterbacks Chris Beatty - associate head coach / wide receivers
2016 University of Pittsburgh
Matt Canada – offensive coordinator & quarterbacks coach
Kevin Sherman- wide receivers coach
2014 NC State Wolfpack
Matt Canada – offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach
Eddie Faulkner - Special teams coordinator/tight ends coach/fullbacks coach
2012 Wisconsin
Matt Canada - offensive coordinator/Quarterbacks coach
Zach Azzanni - wide receivers coach Eddie Faulkner - tight ends coach
1995 Virginia Military institute Kevin Sherman - quarterbacks coach Mike Tomlin - wide receivers coach
Kyle Shanahan offensive quality control Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2004–2005) alongside Tomlin as defensive backs coach. When Shanahan became San Francisco 49ers head coach (2017) Jeff Hafley was defensive backs coach.
At 2013 Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant defensive backs - Jeff Hafley, offensive coordinator – Mike Sullivan
Hafley was Boston College head coach (2020–2023) when Dino Tomlin transferred from Maryland Terrapins. Now he’s Matt LaFleur’s DC at the Packers.
Allegedly it was Matt Canada that helped Tino move to Boston College.
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