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When the Cleveland Browns fired Alex Van Pelt, Pittsburgh Steelers media immediately connected him to the Steelers offensive coordinator opening. After the Steelers hired Arthur Smith as offensive coordinator, the media floated Van Pelt as a possible pass game coordinator.
As it turns out, that won’t happen either. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported on February 1 that the New England Patriots have hired Van Pelt as offensive coordinator.
“A former NFL quarterback and longtime respected assistant, Van Pelt spent the past four seasons as the Browns OC,” Pelissero wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Now he fills a big spot on Jerod Mayo’s staff in New England.”
A Pittsburgh native, Van Pelt played quarterback for the Pitt Panthers from 1989-92. He also began his NFL career in Pittsburgh when the Steelers drafted Van Pelt in the eighth round of the 1993 NFL draft.
Steelers Won’t Be Adding Ex-Browns OC to Coaching Staff
The Steelers didn’t interview Van Pelt for their offensive coordinator opening. It’s also not clear if the Steelers are considering adding a pass game coordinator to their coaching staff.
If they were, though, Van Pelt was a natural fit with his Pittsburgh ties and having already coached in the AFC North.
Van Pelt broke many Pitt passing records previously held by Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino. He then spent his first NFL training camp with the Steelers in 1993.
He didn’t make the Steelers out of training camp. But eventually, Van Pelt earned the backup quarterback role with the Buffalo Bills. He appeared in 31 games with the Bills from 1995-2003.
His NFL coaching career began in 2006. He’s served as an offensive assistant for five different NFL teams over 18 seasons.
He didn’t call offensive plays as offensive coordinator for the Browns. That could have been why the Steelers didn’t consider Van Pelt a candidate.
But he served as Buffalo’s offensive play caller during the 2009 season. He also called offensive plays in his first coaching job with Frankfurt Galaxy in NFL Europe in 2005.
Patriots Hire Alex Van Pelt as Offensive Coordinator
Although he doesn’t have recent play calling experience, the Patriots landed an offensive coordinator with a good track record with quarterbacks. Van Pelt appeared to maximize what was at his disposal behind center after Deshaun Watson’s injury in 2023.
Despite starting P.J. Walker, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Joe Flacco during the second half of the season, the Browns went 11-6 and earned the top wild card spot in the AFC.
Cleveland’s offense also didn’t have running back Nick Chubb or their starting offensive tackles for a vast majority of the season.
As Van Pelt leaves the open market, the Steelers still face questions on who else will make up their offensive coaching staff.
Quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan has interviewed for other jobs but hasn’t landed an offensive coordinator role. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac had mixed reports in January about whether he will return.
The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly, though, predicted additions to the staff were more likely to happen than changes.
“Honestly, I can see the Steelers adding to the offensive staff under Artie Smith more than changing the staff,” Kaboly wrote on X. “I am sure there will be one, maybe two switched out but I don’t anticipate an upheaval.”
But if the Steelers do add a pass game coordinator, it will not be Van Pelt.
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