The Pittsburgh Steelers have added several key assistants in the first week of the Mike McCarthy era. But one assistant they will not be hiring is Bubba Ventrone.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported Thursday night the Los Angeles Rams signed Ventrone as their next special teams coordinator.
The Rams had one of the worst special teams units in the league this past season. NFL insiders widely regard Ventrone as one of the best coordinators of special teams in the league.
Special teams were a massive weakness last season for L.A., which now lands one of the NFL’s best.
Ventrone served as the special teams coordinator and as an assistant head coach for the Cleveland Browns the past three years.
Additionally on Thursday, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported former Steelers offensive line coach Pat Meyer accepted a job to hold the same role with the Buffalo Bills next season.
The 2022 campaign was Meyer’s fourth in Pittsburgh. Under his tutelage, the Steelers offensive line took a significant step forward during the 2025 campaign.
Steelers Lose out on Special Teams Coordinator Bubba Ventrone: Report
The Rams special teams was so bad during the 2025 season the team fired special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn late in December.
At the time, the Rams held an 11-4 record. In all four of their losses, they had special teams miscues.
So, it makes a lot of sense Los Angeles added one of the best special teams coaches in the league.
A Pittsburgh native, Ventrone was a special teams player himself for eight years in the NFL. Of the 724 snaps he played during his final three seasons in the league, 708 of them were on special teams.
Ventrone began his career playing for Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots from 2007-08. Ventrone then spent four seasons with the Browns. He finished his playing career with the San Francisco 49ers from 2013-14.
In 97 NFL games, he posted 64 combined tackles.
Ventrone also coached for the Patriots as an assistant special teams coach from 2015-17. He then coordinated the Indianapolis Colts special teams under Frank Reich from 2018-22.
Other than Ventrone, the Steelers have yet to express interest in any other potential special teams coordinator candidates this offseason.
In 2026, the Steelers will have a new special teams coordinator for the first time since 2012. Danny Smith left to become the Tampa Bay Buccaneers special teams coordinator shortly after Mike Tomlin resigned.
Pat Meyer Lands With Buffalo Bills
In addition to Ventrone going to the Rams, the former Steelers offensive line coach accepted a job with the Bills.
Meyer has coached offensive linemen for nearly two decades. During that time, he has coached at the college level and in the CFL in addition to the NFL.
Since 2013, he’s coached with the Bills, Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Chargers and Carolina Panthers in addition to the Steelers. Meyer is returning to coach in Buffalo for the first time since 2016.
Under Meyer, the Steelers finished 2025 with the eighth-best offensive line according to Pro Football Focus. Center Zach Frazier begun fulfilling his upside while left tackle Broderick Jones, right tackle Troy Fautanu and right guard Mason McCormick developed into reliable starters.
The next Steelers offensive line coach, though, will be tasked with those high draft picks reaching their full potential.
To try and achieve that, the Steelers have already hired offensive line coach James Campen. The veteran coach served under McCarthy with the Green Bay Packers for 13 years.
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