Steelers Owner Confirms One Coach That Will Remain With Organization

The Pittsburgh Steelers need to make changes after finishing 10-7 and losing in the Wild Card round of the playoffs for the second season in a row.

Pittsburgh made many changes before this season, including bringing in quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, and others. The Steelers were off to a good start, beginning the season 10-3 before losing five straight games to end their season.

Despite the Steelers’ struggles toward the end of the season, there are some areas that the team won’t change. Steelers Owner and President Art Rooney II confirmed that the team will retain defensive coordinator Teryl Austin and, hopefully, Arthur Smith, as transcribed by Sports Illustrated’s Noah Strackbein.

“Mike (Tomlin) is evaluating the staff and will continue to do so but the coaching staff, I think most of it will stay in place,” Rooney said. “Our coordinators, I think will stay in place. I look forward to having Arthur Smith for a second year and having him have more of an opportunity to kind of really put his system in place. So, there’s work to be done and for the most part I think we have the right people in the right jobs to do it.”

Though Pittsburgh’s defense faltered toward the end of the season, it remained in the top ten in points allowed per game, with 20.4 this season. Austin has led a stout defensive unit that continues to lead the team, and he will remain under contract with the Steelers. Multiple changes will likely come to Pittsburgh’s coaching staff, but Austin will not be one of them.

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