Steelers defensive coordinator Keith Butler is retiring, and Pittsburgh will replace him internally. Per Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network, the club will promote senior defensive assistant/secondary coach Teryl Austin to DC (Twitter link).
After spending three years as the Ravens’ secondary coach, Austin left Baltimore for Detroit, where he became defensive coordinator for Jim Caldwell‘s first Lions staff in 2014. That team was the Lions’ best since 1991, finishing the season 11-5 and earning a wildcard berth. Austin’s defense finished second in the league in terms of both yards per game and points per game, and he garnered plenty of head coaching interest as a result.
He did not land an HC job in the 2015 cycle, and his defenses would regress over the rest of his Motor City tenure (though he would get at least one head coaching interview after each of his four seasons in Detroit). When Caldwell was dismissed following the 2017 campaign, Austin interviewed for the Lions’ head coaching gig, which ultimately went to Matt Patricia. He landed on his feet as the Bengals’ DC, but his time in Cincinnati was nothing short of a disaster.
Though the club’s talent (or lack thereof) certainly had plenty to do with the defense’s struggles, Austin did not even make it through the end of the 2018 season with the Bengals. His unit was the first in NFL history to give up 500 or more yards in three consecutive games, and he was fired in November 2018.
He joined the Steelers in his current capacity in January 2019, and he will now inherit a defense that had a disappointing 2021 in terms of yards allowed (361.1 per game, good for 24th in the league) but that led the NFL in sacks. Pittsburgh boasts a fair amount of high-end defensive talent, and Austin will be tasked with getting his group back to the form it displayed over the 2017-20 seasons. His secondary, at least, did a good job of limiting opposing passing games, as it was the Steelers’ run defense that let the team down more often than not.
This is such a dumb hire. Nothing will change because Tomlin won’t look OUTSIDE the organization for better coordinators.
Austin CAME from outside of the org.
Disappointing.
Well, he can’t be worse than Butler. But like Martingdale, he can only be as good as the personnel he is provided and let’s face it, he will have a lot of holes to plug
Found it interesting that a PG reporter prognosticated on who should stay and who should go, saying among other things that Maulet did a solid job. Clearly, I must have been watching another team this past season. Really?
If nothing else, this hire continues “the Steelers way” Promote from within where coaches and players are concerned. Will be surprised if this mentality isn’t standard operating procedure all off season long
Turns out Butler was a DC in name only. Tomlin has been calling defense for past 10 years including LeBeau’s last 2 years. Tomlin is apparently a control freak. Who new and we blamed Butler for the defensive calls and lack of adjustments in game!
This is disappointing from Tomlin all the way up through Rooney. When will they realize that for a good decade now they have failed miserably at the Xs and Os, consistently being outschemed and out coached at the coordinator and position coach level.
It dawned on me that every year there’s about four to seven HC openings and a near equal number of OC and DC openings around the league. Can anyone name for me a single coordinator or coach from the Steelers’ sideline that has been requested to be interviewed for an opening. It should say something to our ownership that 31 other franchises have zero interest in anyone we have.
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Until we decide to bring in truly fresh perspective and empower someone to actually have a say in our O and D, we’re going to consistently be a second (or third) tier team in this league.
None have been hired since Cowher retired.
Unfortunately the Steelers and Bengals have now flip flopped roles.
That’s because Tomlin is a control freak and since Dan Rooney died Art II has let Tomlin do as he pleases! Listen to DK Sports podcast “Daily shot of Steelers” for 1/25/22.
Why not interview other candidates? The current system does not work. We got smoked the last few years and nothing is changing. Not very optimistic about this promotion.
This should surprise absolutely no one. For better or worse it the way the Steelers do things. It’s not as if Austin is unqualified or that he has done a poor job coaching the secondary… but would it hurt anything to at least interview other candidates and get a fresh perspective or two?
It’s only been that way since Tomlin arrived!
T Austin did a great job at Detroit with marginal talent
The Steelers need to create their own Rooney-esque Rule, where they promise to at least interview one out of organization candidate before promoting from within. Maybe they still have nightmares over how Todd Haley turned out
More concerned with offensive side of the ball a lot of 3 and outs kills a defense. Need some players to solidify Defense. Offense is another story, No QB, No OLine, and OC shows nothing. The need to get rid of Danny Smithans his not so special team. They are awful.
This isn’t a promotion for Austin, it’s a job title change. He won’t do anything different than he did before. He will never call a play or have any input into the defensive philosophy.
Even Ron Cook is clamoring for Tomlin to leave the calls to his DC this morn in the PG. When you’ve lost Cook…
In the end, nothing is gonna change here. Watch any of these playoff teams and you understand the problem. It’s like the Steelers are in the Stone Age
Steelers will get 3rd round pick due to new Rooney Rule