The Pittsburgh Steelers were forced into some big changes early this offseason when longtime head coach Mike Tomlin resigned from his post with the team. Mike McCarthy was quickly tabbed as his replacement, and one of his first moves saw him hire former Las Vegas Raiders’ defensive coordinator Patrick Graham to come in and be his new defensive coordinator.
Graham previously worked with McCarthy in 2018 as a member of his coaching staff with the Green Bay Packers, so it wasn’t a major surprise to see the two reunite in Pittsburgh. Now, Graham will take charge of a star-studded group, and he recently shared just how excited he is to have the opportunity to work with the Steelers’ defense in the 2026 campaign.
“The tradition of the Steelers, as a defensive coach, to be able to come here to try to earn our place in that tradition, it’s really near and dear to my heart, and I don’t take it lightly. I’m very fortunate to be in this situation,” Graham said in an interview with Missi Matthews. “As I’ve gone through the process so far of getting a chance to meet those men, I’m really, really excited.”
Graham has earned a reputation as one of the top defensive coaches in the league, and after Pittsburgh’s defense struggled to meet expectations last season, he will be tasked with getting this group back on the right track. And depending on who the Steelers’ quarterback is, Graham’s work with the team’s defense could quickly become much more important than initially expected.
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