The Pittsburgh Steelers were set to have two special teams coaches for the first time in a decade and a half this season. Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters Tuesday, though, that despite Derius Swinton II’s abrupt firing, the Steelers will still have two coaches for the unit this fall.
McCarthy addressed Swinton’s departure publicly for the first time at the team’s mandatory minicamp Tuesday. The Steelers head coach concluded the matter by stating the organization will replace the fired coach.
“The situation has been dealt with internally, and we’re definitely moving forward,” said McCarthy. “As far as the hiring process, it’s going on.
“I’m taking the steps necessary, but yes, we will be hiring a coach here in the future.”
ESPN’s Brooke Pryor reported on May 29 the Steelers fired Swinton for a “violation of club policy.” His departure came just months after the team hired Swinton, who arrived in Pittsburgh with nearly two decades of coaching experience, as a senior special teams assistant.
The Steelers also hired Danny Crossman as special teams coordinator this offseason. Crossman was a direct replacement for Danny Smith, who held the special teams coordinator role under Mike Tomlin for 13 years.
Mike McCarthy Confirms Steelers Will Hire New Special Teams Assistant
GettyPittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy addressed the team suddenly moving on from special teams assistant Derius Swinton II.
Before this offseason, the Steelers hadn’t possessed two special teams coaches on staff since 2011. So when the team parted with Swinton, it didn’t seem guaranteed the Steelers would find an immediate replacement.
Under Tomlin, the team had one of the smaller staffs around the league. The Steelers hadn’t hired a coach in Swinton’s position in 15 years. Therefore, the team could just allow the position to remain unfilled for 2026, especially since it’s late in the offseason to be hiring a coach.
But the first-year Steelers head coach confirmed Tuesday that he will replace Swinton for this season.
Despite training camp roughly six weeks away, Steelers Depot’s Joe Clark doesn’t anticipate the team struggling to find another special teams coach.
“While it’s late in the hiring process and the candidate pool is much more limited than when the Steelers initially hired Swinton, there’s no shortage of coaches looking for work,” wrote Clark. “McCarthy and the Steelers should be able to find a qualified candidate even with training camp over a month away.
Steelers Moved On From Senior Special Teams Assistant Derius Swinton II
GettyESPN’s Brooke Pryor reported the Pittsburgh Steelers parted ways with Derius Swinton II for violating club policy.
The Steelers will be going through some significant special teams changes in McCarthy’s first season. That’s all the more reason why the organization should hire another assistant for Crossman.
Fourth-round rookie Kaden Wetjen is likely to return kickoffs and punts this season. The Steelers lost punt returner Calvin Austin III in NFL free agency.
Fellow rookies Robert Spears-Jennings and Riley Nowakowski could play roles on the unit as well. The Steelers also lost Miles Killebrew and Connor Heyward in free agency.
Kicker Chris Boswell, though, will be back. Boswell signed a four-year, $28 million extension on May 11.
The Steelers will host their mandatory minicamp from June 2-4. They will wrap up their offseason workout program with their final voluntary practice on June 12.
Mike McCarthy Opens Up on Steelers Sudden Assistant Coach Firing