The Steelers have hired Sharon native Teryl Austin as a senior defensive assistant who will work mainly with the secondary.
Austin, 53, who was a defensive back at Pitt in the late 1980s, was the defensive coordinator for nine games last season before he was fired by the Cincinnati Bengals. He had been the defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions from 2014-17.
Meantime, it’s possible the Steelers could have a new linebackers coach who has ties to the organization.
His name is Keith Butler.
The Steelers are considering having their defensive coordinator also take on a role he formerly held for 12 years before being promoted — coaching the outside linebackers.
But they have not dismissed the possibility of bringing in a new assistant to replace Joey Porter, who did not have his contract renewed.
Austin will assist secondary coach Tom Bradley, with whom he worked as a graduate assistant at Penn State in 1991-92. Their roles are expected to be divided between safeties and cornerbacks.
The Steelers wanted an additional coach in the secondary because they were in their sub-package defenses nearly 80 percent of the time this season. That means they have between five to seven defensive backs on the field at any one time — more than any other position.
If the Steelers decide to expand Butler’s duties, they would not interfere much with his job as defensive coordinator.
When the Steelers are in their sub-package defenses, outside linebackers T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree are deployed more as defensive ends and are then instructed by defensive line coach Karl Dunbar. Butler would work with the outside linebackers only in those limited situations when they actually line in their base 3-4 defense, which is approximately 20 percent of the time.
What’s more, Coach Mike Tomlin has taken a more active role in the defensive game plan and play-calling — something he wanted to do when he named Butler to replace Dick LeBeau as coordinator in 2015. Tomlin was a defensive backs coach at Memphis University (1996) and Arkansas State (1998) when Butler was the defensive coordinator at those schools and they have a comfortable working relationship.
Tomlin has dispatched Butler and his entire coaching staff to the Senior Bowl, which begins next week in Mobile, Ala. — an indication he will stand pat with his assistants and not make any more moves.
Gerry Dulac: gdulac@post-gazette.com and Twitter @gerrydulac
Editor’s note, posted Jan. 11, 2019: This story has been updated to reflect the Friday afternoon hiring of Teryl Austin.
First Published: January 11, 2019, 6:57 p.m.
Updated: January 11, 2019, 8:57 p.m.
