The Steelers have almost an entirely new coaching staff, but which coach could make the biggest difference at their position? Gone are some significant figures, although Mike Tomlin turned over his staff more than usual in recent years. Ray Fittipaldo has one name in mind, though, and that’s Domata Peko.

A former defensive tackle, Peko joins the Steelers’ staff as the new defensive line coach. He replaces Karl Dunbar, who succeeded John Mitchell, who had been Pittsburgh’s defensive line coach basically since defensive lines existed. That might be slight hyperbole, but the point is he was there for a long time.

And considering Mitchell once coached Dunbar in college(!), it’s fair to ascertain that Peko is by far the biggest shift for the Steelers’ defensive line in a long time. Fittipaldo argues that they needed some kind of change, and he sees that in the new coach.

“I don’t think there could be more of a contrast between this new position coach and the position coach he replaced, and that’s Domata Peko,” he said on the Steelers Collective podcast. “Huge difference. Karl Dunbar was a pro, but he was laid back, man. If ever there was a reason to make a change, … that defensive line room needs some spark, needs some energy.”

Pittsburgh invested in the defensive line last year, drafting Derrick Harmon in the first round and Yahya Black in the fifth. They join starters Cam Heyward and Keeanu Benton, the latter in his fourth season. And the former spent much of his career as a division rival of his new position coach with the Steelers.

The change is greatest, of course, for Heyward, who carries forth the Steelers’ lineage of defensive line coach history. He learned under Mitchell, along with those Mitchell taught, and helped bridge the next generation to Dunbar. Now there’s a new head coach, new defensive coordinator, new line coach, and everything is different for the Steelers. But Heyward and others have embraced it—not that they had a choice.

“He’s got a ton of energy. I love it. I think that’ll be good for Cam [Heyward], obviously great for the young guys,” Fittipaldo said of how the Steelers’ new defensive line coach will impact the unit. “Derrick Harmon, Keeanu Benton. I think they need somebody like that coaching the position.”

Peko doesn’t have much experience as a coach, but the Steelers reporter isn’t worried. “You’ve just got to be able to get through to those guys and teach them a few things. I think Peko was a really good fit for this defense”, Fittipaldo said.

Domata Peko played from 2006 through 2020. He started coaching two years ago under new Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy in Dallas in 2024. There, he held the title of defensive assistant. Last year, he spent a season in college at Colorado as the defensive line coach. McCarthy brought him back into the NFL as his defensive line coach when he got the Steelers’ job.