The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a rollercoaster of a 2023 NFL season. All was going relatively well when the team sat with a 7-4 record and the playoffs seemed like they were a lock to be made. Disaster struck when the month of December came around and the team lost three straight games. The fan base quickly turned on Head Coach Mike Tomlin and several other members of his staff. Matt Canada could no longer be used as a scapegoat after his November firing and eyes started to focus not just on Tomlin, but Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin also came under heavy fire.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter / X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin walks off the field at Acrisure Stadium as the team warms up prior to a 2022 regular season game against the New York Jets in Pittsburgh, PA.
While Pittsburgh only allowed 19.1 points per game in the regular season, disastrous performances against teams like the San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts can't be forgotten. His unit was either at the middle of the pack or in the top 10 in the majority of defensive categories in 2023.
Despite relatively solid numbers, collapses in the games aforementioned made fans question if Austin is still fit to help lead the team's defense. One of his peers, special teams coordinator Danny Smith has had an up-and-down tenure, but big punt blocks and Chris Boswell's foot have been a positive. The development of Pressley Harvin III on the other hand, has not been up to par.
Team insider, Mark Kaboly, allowed fans to send in questions to him via mailbag. On Tuesday, he responded with his answers and was not having any talk of either coordinator not being with the team in 2024, unless one decides to walk away from the game.
"Austin isn’t going anywhere. The only way Smith goes is if he decides to retire, and I ’m not sure he’s there yet. There will be minimal staff changes after the season, but the heavy lifting will be at offensive coordinator," Kaboly wrote.
Austin has received a bunch of criticism for bad games, but the realty is that his group is the main reason the Steelers were able to get into the playoffs. It will be interesting to see how they play without TJ Watt against the Buffalo Bills.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter / X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers edge rusher, TJ Watt gets off the line of scrimmage and attempts to rush the passer during a 2022 preseason game at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA.
Fans could have made a case for Smith to be let go in years past, but 2023 was one of the best performances from special teams in some time. If you wipe out Harvin III being arguably the worst punter in the NFL, everything else was pretty solid. As long as Smith decides to keep chewing his gum on the sidelines, Kaboly is right to think he will return for another season.
His most important job won't just be helping to find a new punter, but get it through the brain of Tomlin that Harvin III isn't the guy of the future at the position. If he can do that, and the Steelers finally have a field positive advantage when it comes to punting the ball away, a strong defense led by Austin could lead to double-digit wins once again.
Before Pittsburgh turned it around in Week 16 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote that no assistant should feel safe entering the offseason. It's easy to assume that in the midst of a three-game losing streak, but now, according to Kaboly, Austin and Smith should go to sleep at night peacefully not thinking their jobs may be on the line.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter / X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers Head Coach, Mike Tomlin looks in the distance as his players practice during 2022 training camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Steelers Will Have Massive Decisions To Make With Offensive Staff In 2024 Offseason
If Pittsburgh decides not to retain Eddie Faulkner as the offensive coordinator or Mike Sullivan as the play-caller, there will be some big decisions to make entering the offseason. A new face in charge of the offense likely means change in several different departments. The last thing Steelers fans should be worried about is the defensive and special teams coordinators. The new hire on offense will determine if the organization can compete for a Super Bowl championship.
Do you agree with Kaboly that Austin and Smith are safe? Let us know in the comments below!
#SteelerNation
