Steelers' Patrick Graham Receives Glowing Comments From NFL Senior Offensive Assistant: "A Really Nice Fit"

The Pittsburgh Steelers are starting to put together a new coaching staff ahead of the 2026 season, led by Head Coach Mike McCarthy. The team hired Patrick Graham as their next defensive coordinator on Friday. Graham is coming over from the Las Vegas Raiders to join McCarthy's staff in the Steel City, as he's spent the last four seasons with the Raiders in the same role. He was also with the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins having similar duties. Graham spent time with McCarthy with the Green Bay Packers as well.

Graham, who previously worked under McCarthy in Green Bay in 2018 as their linebackers coach and defensive run game coordinator, received some praise by a senior offensive assistant. Luke Getsy, who is currently in that role in Green Bay, spoke on the Kaboly + Mack Show with Chris Mack and Mark Kaboly about the hiring of Graham. Getsy provided a glowing endorsement of Graham and how he will fit in great in Pittsburgh. 

"Pat's extremely brilliant, you know, like crazy smart," Getsy said. "The style of defense will really fit what everyone in Pittsburgh's accustomed to. I think it will be a really nice fit. Pat worked for him, for Mike [McCarthy] in Green Bay, I think it was in 2018, so the relationship is already there as well." 

The Steelers' defense was inconsistent in the 2025 season, giving up some big point totals in several games. However, the Steelers won four of their final five regular season contests, which propelled them to an AFC North division title and postseason berth. A big factor in that success during that stretch was the Steelers' defense, who allowed 19.6 points per game across those final five contests. 

While the defense was inconsistent early on, they found a way to give the team a chance to win in the latter portion of the regular season.

Steelers' Graham Should Be Better Suited For Success In Pittsburgh

Graham did a pretty solid job in 2025 in Las Vegas, as the Raiders were 14th in total defense, allowing 317.8 yards per game. The Steelers' defensive unit ranked 26th, allowing 356.9 yards per game in the 2025 season. Graham now joins McCarthy in Pittsburgh with a fresh opportunity to showcase his expertise as a defensive coordinator. The Steelers and Raiders are in entirely opposite situations, as while the Steelers are coming off a division title in 2025, the Raiders went just 3-14 and have the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft -- which will be hosted in Pittsburgh. 

The Steelers also need to improve on the offensive side of the ball, as they failed to reach the end zone in their home playoff loss to the Houston Texans. However, with an improved defense under Graham, that could have a snowball effect and loosen up the offensive attack for the Steelers. 

The defense has plenty of room for improvement, and Graham has plenty of work cut out for him with that unit in 2026. Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen has 53 missed tackles the last two seasons, and had 31 missed tackles in 2025 per Pro Football Focus. This is one area Graham can work to improve in 2026 as his first season as the defensive coordinator in Pittsburgh.

The Steelers are far better suited for success than the Raiders and that alone gives Graham an edge to finding continued success in his career in Pittsburgh. For a fan base starving for a playoff win and to end a nearly decade-long drought without having a playoff victory, both units will need to improve in Pittsburgh. Graham having the Raiders near the middle of the league defensively is an encouraging sign that he can elevate the performance of Pittsburgh's defense in 2026. Getsy's endorsement of Graham is encouraging as well, as the Steelers look to retool heading into 2026 under McCarthy's regime.

Do you think Patrick Graham will be a good fit in Pittsburgh as Getsy mentioned? Let us know in the comments below!

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