The Pittsburgh Steelers have their coordinators in place for the 2024 season. But rumors are circling that other coaching staff additions are still a possibility for the Steelers.
Steelers Now’s Nick Farabaugh argued on February 4 that Pittsburgh should consider hiring former NFL offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton as an offensive assistant.
Farabaugh referred to Hamilton as an “acclaimed QB guru.”
“With how they want to salvage Kenny Pickett’s development, Hamilton makes sense for the Steelers to consider,” Farabaugh wrote. “Hamilton’s scheme is not too crazy, but it works for quarterbacks. He even got productive play out of a rookie version of Davis Mills to slightly buff up the pedigree at the quarterback position.”
Hamilton coached Mills in his most recent stint as an NFL offensive coordinator with the Houston Texans in 2022. He did not coach in the NFL last season.
Hamilton also experienced success as offensive coordinator of the Indianapolis Colts and as an assistant with the Los Angeles Chargers.
“Before his stint in Houston, Hamilton helped Justin Herbert win the 2020 Rookie of the Year award as the Chargers quarterbacks coach,” Farabaugh wrote. “In addition, from 2013 to 2015, Hamilton served as the Colts offensive coordinator and was a vital reason that Andrew Luck threw for a league-high 40 passing touchdowns in 2014.
“He’s proven to have developed guys in that gig and could strengthen the staff.”
Could the Steelers Hire Pep Hamilton as an Offensive Assistant?
The Steelers have one of the smaller coaching staffs in the NFL. So it wouldn’t be shocking to see the team add more assistants, especially if they fit the team’s philosophy and are going to help quarterback Kenny Pickett.
“Honestly, I can see the Steelers adding to the offensive staff under Artie Smith more than changing the staff,” The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly tweeted on February 2. “I am sure there will be one, maybe two switched out but I don’t anticipate an upheaval.”
Honestly, I can see the Steelers adding to the offensive staff under Artie Smith more than changing the staff. I am sure there will be one, maybe two switched out but I don’t anticipate an upheaval.
SI.com’s All Steelers’ Noah Strackbein reported on February 3 that the Steelers were planning to interview three candidates for a potential offensive assistant role. Hamilton was not one of the three candidates on Strackbein’s list, but the Steelers have interviewed him previously.
Before promoting Matt Canada from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator, the Steelers interviewed Hamilton for the job in 2021.
Farabaugh argued that Hamilton makes even more sense for Pittsburgh in 2024 because of how he would fit with new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
“It could see Hamilton come to Pittsburgh to help work with Smith’s motion, condensed formations, and play action-heavy attack,” Farabaugh wrote. “If there is one thing that Hamilton could help with though, it would be creating traffic in a dropback passing game, especially from shogun looks.
“Smith lacks that one thing and someone like Hamilton could bring the quarterback familiarity and that shotgun passing game with it as a candidate.”
Could the Steelers Also Target Mike Vrabel?
The Steelers officially announced hiring Smith as their new offensive coordinator on February 2. Smith served as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 2021-23.
If Strackbein gets what he wants, the Steelers will also add another former head coach to the defensive coaching staff.
Strackbein and his All Steelers Talk co-host Stephen Thompson both argued for the Steelers to hire Mike Vrabel as a senior defensive assistant.
“Art Rooney makes a billion dollars a year,” Strackbein said on February 2. “Go sign Mike Vrabel.”
The Steelers have a bit of a track record of creating an additional defensive coaching position for former NFL head coaches that don’t land new head coaching gigs. In 2022, the Steelers hired Brian Flores after his messy divorcee from the Miami Dolphins resulted in him receiving no coaching offers that offseason.
Vrabel had far more success as a head coach than either Flores or Smith. But Vrabel did not land another head coaching job and hasn’t been received much attention as a defensive coordinator candidate this offseason.
The big roles on Pittsburgh’s coaching staff are filled. But clearly, Steelers media hasn’t ruled out the team making at least one more splash during this hiring cycle.
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Steelers Encouraged to Consider Adding ‘Acclaimed QB Guru’ to Coaching Staff