Mike Tomlin does not currently plan to make a change at defensive coordinator despite all the struggles the Pittsburgh Steelers have faced during the 2025 season.
This is how the head coach evaluates the work Teryl Austin has done up to this point. “I’ve known Teryl a long time. He’s very capable. He’s very thorough. I’ve largely been pleased with his work. But certainly he and I are not pleased with where we are right now from a defensive unit perspective. So, we’re just going to keep working.”
Early projections indicated that, for the Steelers to have hopes of reaching the Super Bowl, the defense would be their strong point, considering that Aaron Rodgers was an unknown factor at 41 years old. Everything has turned out the opposite. The veteran quarterback has been very solid, and the defense has been one of the worst in the NFL.
Will Steelers fire Mike Tomlin’s defensive coordinator Teryl Austin?
The Steelers will not fire Teryl Austin for now, despite the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense being a disaster. Additionally, historically, the team has always been known for not making midseason changes to its coaching staff.
However, a major exception occurred as recently as 2023, when Tomlin decided to fire his offensive coordinator, Matt Canada. In fact, that was the first time the Steelers made a midseason coaching change since 1941.