With a new head coach comes a new coaching staff. That’s only fair and right. The Pittsburgh Steelers should have enough confidence in their head coach to entrust him with picking the coaches who will surround him daily. Reportedly, the team’s current assistant coaches will only return should the new hire elect to keep them. The team would benefit by keeping two of them: RBs Coach Eddie Faulkner and DBs Coach Gerald Alexander.

Faulkner’s resume is impressive. The longest-tenured offensive coach on staff, he has found success with nearly every player he has coached. Former first-rounder Najee Harris notched four-straight 1,000-yard seasons, the first Steeler to ever do that to begin a pro career. Undrafted Jaylen Warren has been molded into a starter, the first – and only – Pittsburgh runner to receive a contract extension in the Mike Tomlin era. Kenneth Gainwell went from an unheralded free agent signing to team MVP with an appropriate raise coming in March.

That isn’t an accident. Faulkner is a quality coach who keeps players engaged in practice. At training camp, he was incorporating new drills to keep things fresh and engaging for players, even if the coaching point was the same. Catch a football? Try catching cards instead.

Often, he focused on ball security. That was paramount, as ball security is job security. Though it’s something every coach in Faulkner’s position prioritizes, he repped it hard, and the results paid off. Najee Harris rarely fumbled. He only fumbled five times on nearly 1,100 carries (a sixth one was blamed on Russell Wilson instead, but the point still stands). Warren improved greatly in the area. On his first 226 carries in his first two seasons, he fumbled five times. On 211 carries in 2025, he fumbled just once.

Faulkner is a leader and organizer. Mike Tomlin recognized those traits when he promoted him to co-offensive coordinator in 2023. Mike Sullivan handled play calls, but Faulkner led the important work Monday through Saturday. He led the staff in its preparation.

Warren felt the need to go to bat for Faulkner. In a rare social media post from him, Warren added Faulkner’s name to Mark Kaboly’s list of coaches the Steelers should keep.

While a small point, Faulkner’s presence could help bring in Dwayne Ledford as offensive line coach (assuming Pat Meyer isn’t retained). A top candidate now that Bill Callahan is joining Kevin Stefanski’s staff in Atlanta, Ledford and Faulkner coached together at NC State from 2016-2018. Synergy between the running backs and offensive line coach is important and would be a big boost to a new head coach, especially a first-time hire.

Faulkner is the one whom I feel most strongly should stay. Alexander is second. His best work came with CB Joey Porter Jr., helping him take the next step as a lockdown NFL corner. His interceptions didn’t increase, but his play was cleaner. This was a specific coaching point Alexander implemented last spring. Brandin Echols played above his contract, James Pierre had a career year, and Jalen Ramsey made a serviceable mid-season adjustment from cornerback to safety. All this happened while navigating the loss of DeShon Elliott for half the season.

Though a minor point, Alexander should also still be under contract. Hired back for 2025 after an initial stint with Pittsburgh in 2022-2023, most positional coaches ink two-year deals. That should put Alexander through 2026, making it easy for the new head coach to retain him. Just tell Art Rooney II that Alexander should stay, and the deal is done.

You can make an argument for other coaches. This list does not include Danny Smith. As much as I personally favor him, a new head coach may want to get younger than a 72-year-old. And for all the good Smith has done, Pittsburgh has been a downright terrible kick return team under the new “dynamic” rules. In 2024, the Steelers ranked last. In 2025, they were only 28th. It’s a real Et Tu, Brute? moment, but the Steelers’ special teams have more work to do.

Still others have valid cases for returning. QBs Coach Tom Arth, WRs Coach Zach Azzanni, OLB Coach Denzel Martin, and even OL Coach Pat Meyer. But the list must be selective, as change is needed.

Perhaps the new hire will have natural ties to these names. According to my research, there are numerous connections. 49ers’ OC Klay Kubiak played quarterback at Colorado State, where Pat Meyer served as OL Coach and run game coordinator. Rams’ DC Chris Shula served under Arth at John Carroll a decade ago. Panthers DC Ejiro Evero coached alongside Azzanni in Denver. Vikings DC Brian Flores hired Alexander in Miami. Longtime coach Mike McCarthy hired ILBs Coach Scott McCurley for his first NFL job. The two were linked until the Steelers hired McCurley last year.

But the number of returners will be small. Far less than the six Tomlin kept – Bruce Arians, James Daniel, John Mitchell, Dick LeBeau, Ray Horton, and Lou Spanos – after being hired in 2007. It’s also unlikely the entire staff will be brand new. Often, there is some carryover, even if it’s just one name. If it’s two, make it Eddie Faulkner and Gerald Alexander.