Pittsburgh Steelers Abruptly Fire Assistant Coach
The Pittsburgh Steelers seem to be dominating the offseason headlines.
Immediately after the 2025 season ended, longtime Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin stepped down from his role and the team eventually hired former Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy as his replacement.
After McCarthy was hired, all of the attention was on whether or not Aaron Rodgers would come back for another season. The 42-year-old eventually signed a new one-year contract to play in Pittsburgh for the 2026 season, which Rodgers announced will be his last in the NFL.
Steelers Fire Special Teams Coach
Now the Steelers are back in the headlines after the team abruptly fired senior special teams coach Derius Swinton II.
"Pittsburgh Steelers and Sr. special teams coach Derrius Swinton have parted ways due to violation of club policy," ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Friday afternoon.
Pittsburgh Steelers and Sr. special teams coach Derrius Swinton have parted ways due to violation of club policy, per league sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 29, 2026
Swinton was hired by the Steelers in February to a new role created by the new head coach.
Last season he served as interim special teams coordinator for the Las Vegas Raiders, a role he took on after then-coach Pete Carroll fired Tom McMahon near midseason.
Steelers Made Several Special Teams Moves This Offseason
Coordinator Danny Crossman, who took over for longtime Steelers special teams coach Danny Smith now stands as the lone coach for the special teams unit. He'll have his hands full as the Steelers look to incorporate two rookies in fourth-round wide receiver and return specialist Kaden Wetjen and seventh-round running back Eli Heidenreich.
Earlier this offseason the Steelers special teams unit received good news when the team re-signed Chris Boswell to a four-year, $28 million contract extension, tying him with the Dallas Cowboys' Brandon Aubrey for the title of the NFL's highest-paid kicker.
Pittsburgh opens the 2026 NFL season at home against the Atlanta Falcons.
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This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 29, 2026, where it first appeared in the Sports section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published May 29, 2026 at 12:54 PM.