Patrick Graham Takes on Defensive Coordinator Role for the Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers have hired Patrick Graham, former defensive coordinator for the Las Vegas Raiders, to perform the same function on the team led by Mike McCarthy. The official announcement was made on Friday afternoon. Graham, who arrived in Pittsburgh late in the week for an in-person interview, spent the last four years as the Raiders’ defensive coordinator. Previously, he was part of Mike McCarthy’s coaching staff with the Green Bay Packers, where he was linebackers coach and run game coordinator during McCarthy’s last season in 2018. During that season, the Packers ranked 16th in rushing yards allowed per game (116.3) and 11th in rushing yards per attempt (4.2). Before his time in Green Bay, Graham trained under Bill Belichick and Brian Flores in New England, performing various functions as a defensive assistant from 2009 to 2015. Subsequently, he spent two seasons as a defensive line coach for the New York Giants under defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. He was also defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins in 2019 and returned to the Giants as defensive coordinator under Joe Judge from 2020 to 2021. In 2025, the Raiders’ defense ranked 13th in yards allowed (317.8) and 25th in points per game (25.4). In addition, the Raiders ranked 18th in rushing yards allowed per game (116.8) and 29th in completion percentage allowed (68.51%). However, Graham’s defense was a top-10 unit in 2023, ranking ninth in points allowed (19.5), after having been in 26th place a year earlier. In his introductory press conference, McCarthy stated that he wanted the Steelers to maintain a 3-4 defense and build on the already established base. Graham has experience coordinating 3-4 and 4-3 defenses. “I feel good about the direction,” McCarthy said on Tuesday, adding that “he loves the roster.” “I’m very excited about the defense… Defense wins championships. The history of the Steelers’ defense and sticking with the 3-4 is important, as far as its origin. That’s something we have to build on. I’ve been a head coach for 18 years. I’ve had a top-five defense, and we won the Super Bowl that year. The importance of the defense is crucial.” It is also expected that the Steelers will add Washington Commanders assistant Jason Simmons to a “prominent” defensive role. Simmons, a former linebacker drafted by the Steelers in the fifth round of the 1998 NFL draft, was also interviewed for the defensive coordinator position and worked with Graham and McCarthy in Green Bay as a secondary coach. Simmons has been the Commanders’ defensive pass game coordinator since 2024. On the offensive side of the ball, the Steelers notified the New Orleans Saints that they plan to interview assistant Scott Tolzien, a quarterback in Green Bay under McCarthy, for the offensive coordinator position. McCarthy said on Tuesday that he planned to call plays, but Tolzien brings experience in quarterback development after working with rookie Tyler Shough last season. The team also hired offensive line coach James Campen, who also worked with McCarthy in Green Bay. Although McCarthy is incorporating some new faces into his staff, he expressed a desire to retain some staff members at his introductory press conference. Among them could be linebackers coach Scott McCurley, who coached with McCarthy in Green Bay and Dallas. McCarthy could also target secondary coach Gerald Alexander as a coach to retain, but he is expected to have interest in joining Brian Flores’ defensive staff in Minnesota.“We are building the staff. Ideally, we want to keep the same language. So, I think those are big decisions when you get here, because when you have something that works the way it has worked here for so long, I think you should try to do everything possible to build on that, if possible.”“I don’t believe in the method of throwing the baby out with the bathwater,” McCarthy said on Tuesday. “I believe in building on what’s in place. There’s a lot here in place. I mean, the defense system has been here since 1992. So, it came here with coach Bill Cowher and Dom Capers. I’ve always been a fan and always felt it was the most difficult to compete against as an offensive coach. Part of the reason I went to that in Green Bay. So those are the things we’re focusing on now.
Mike McCarthy
