HEADLINES

John Mitchell

Steelers Assistant HC John Mitchell Retires

February 15th, 2023 at 12:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

The longest-tenured coach on the Steelers’ staff, John Mitchell announced his retirement Wednesday. The Steelers announced the assistant head coach, who has been with the franchise since 1994, will not return in 2023.

Mitchell, 71, has been an NFL assistant since 1991, when he joined Bill Belichick‘s Browns staff. He signed on to be the Steelers’ defensive line coach under Bill Cowher in 1994 and continued to work in that role for most of his Pittsburgh tenure. This will obviously mark a significant change for the Steelers. Mitchell has been in coaching at the pro or college levels for 50 years.

“I’m grateful to the Rooney family for the wonderful opportunity to coach and work for the Steelers for nearly 30 years,” Mitchell said. “It was truly an honor. I’d also like to thank Coach Tomlin for giving me the opportunity to stay with the franchise when Coach Cowher retired. I will treasure my time in Pittsburgh and appreciate everyone affiliated with the organization.”

A former running back, Mitchell carved out a memorable legacy as a player as well. Mitchell was the first Black player to play football for Alabama, breaking that barrier in 1971. He also became the first Black All-American for the team. Shortly after his playing career ended, Mitchell became Bear Bryant’s first Black assistant coach. Mitchell remained in the college ranks for many years, with a USFL tenure breaking up that run, before signing on with the Browns in 1991.

Mitchell oversaw the likes of Cameron Heyward, Stephon Tuitt, Aaron Smith and Casey Hampton during his time with the Steelers, who rode elite defenses to Super Bowl trips in 1995, 2005, 2008 and 2010. The Steelers ranked in the top 10 against the run 17 times during Mitchell’s 24-year stay as defensive line coach, slotting first in that department on five occasions. Mitchell stepped away from that post after the 2017 season but continued with the team in an AHC capacity.

“Coach Mitch has been a pivotal member of the Steelers organization, in a variety of roles, for the better part of 30 years,” Steelers president Art Rooney II said. “When you consider his path, as both a player and coach, Mitch created opportunities in football for young Black men that quite honestly didn’t previously exist. He has left an imprint on this franchise, and the sport and culture of football, that will continue well beyond his retirement.”

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/13/22

May 13th, 2022 at 7:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

Today’s minor moves around the league:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Chicago Bears 

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Signed: CB Abu Daramy-Swaray

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Jacksonville Jaguars

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks 

Washington Commanders

Seahawks Sign 14 UDFAs

May 6th, 2022 at 10:02pm CST by Ely Allen

After adding 9 rookies to the team through the NFL Draft, Seattle announced the signing of 14 undrafted free agents today that they’ll add to their 2022 class:

After trading away quarterback Russell Wilson and failing to address the position in the Draft, Seattle signed Lewis out of Louisiana-Lafayette. Over a career that saw him start four out of five seasons, Lewis broke a Ragin’ Cajuns record throwing 74 touchdowns against 18 interceptions while amassing a 35-7 record as a starter.

The Seahawks also wanted to add some depth behind starting safeties Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams. They added 17 career college interceptions to the roster through Blount (9), Williams (6), Nelson (4), and Bolden (2).

Seattle brought in an interesting receiver prospect, as well, in Robertson. After signing to California as a 5-star recruit, Robertson was a Freshman All-American for the Golden Bears before eventually transferring and bouncing around from Georgia to Auburn.

Coaching Rumors: Colts, Steelers, Morton

February 11th, 2018 at 8:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

John Morton and Jim Harbaugh worked together during the best stretch of 21st-century 49ers football, with Morton coaching San Francisco’s wide receivers from 2011-14. That duo could link up again in Ann Arbor. Michigan is interested in the one-and-done Jets OC to coach its wideouts, Bruce Feldman of SI.com reports. Former Florida head coach Jim McElwain is also in the running for this job, Feldman reports, noting the ex-Gators leader interviewed recently. Morton spent one year as an NFL OC but has experience on the college level, having overseen the 2009 and ’10 USC offenses. He coached the Trojans’ WRs in the two years prior. Morton spent the past seven seasons in the NFL. The Jets fired Morton last month.

Here’s the latest from the coaching ranks, now that every NFL team has a head coach again.

  • Frank Reich has been contacting coaches about joining his first Colts staff over the past few days, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets, and former Lions defensive backs coach (and ex-Vikings DC) Alan Williams is a candidate to join Reich in Indianapolis. If hired, Williams would be returning to Indianapolis, along with Reich. Williams served as Colts DBs coach throughout the Tony Dungy and Jim Caldwell tenures, which spanned 10 years from 2002-11. Reich was on Caldwell’s three Colts staffs. Matt Patricia did not retain any Lions defensive coaches upon taking the job in Detroit.
  • A defensive line coach for four NFL teams between 2004 and 2015, Karl Dunbar will join a fifth staff in that capacity. The Steelers hired Dunbar after he’d spent the past two seasons coaching at Alabama. He’ll head up the Pittsburgh D-line and rejoin forces with Mike Tomlin. Dunbar served under Tomlin for one season with the Vikings (2006) before the defensive assistant took the top coaching job in Pittsburgh. Dunbar, who coached in Minnesota for six years, also was an eighth-round Steelers pick in 1990. John Mitchell served as Pittsburgh’s defensive line coach from 1994-2017. The longtime Steelers assistant will remain on staff and retain his assistant head coach title next season.
  • The Steelers also promoted Shaun Sarrett to assistant offensive line coach, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic tweets. Sarrett has worked with Steelers blockers since 2012.
  • Ricky Manning Jr. will not return for a third season with the Seahawks, Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk tweets. The former NFL cornerback had been the teams’ assistant defensive backs coach the past two seasons.