Steelers' AFC North Rival Now Has An Opportunity To Gain Private Intel On Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Steelers haven't been the only AFC North franchise in the sports news cycle since the regular season ended. The Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns also had head-coaching vacancies that garnered plenty of attention. This will make for an extremely interesting 2026 campaign, with a lot of new faces on the coaching staffs of the three organizations. Mike McCarthy, Todd Monken and Jesse Minter will all have to earn the trust of their respective fan bases, and personnel decisions made over the next several months could turn one of the franchises into a legitimate threat moving forward for the long-term.

As the offseason rolls along, more important moves will be made. McCarthy has rounded out his staff nicely, as has Minter, but the Browns were a little late to the party in hiring Monken. Most pundits thought that the job was Jim Schwartz's to lose; however, that ended up not being the case. This immediately sparked speculation of whether or not the defensive mastermind would like to remain in Cleveland.

On Friday, NFL insider Tom Pelissero posted on social media regarding Schwartz and his decision to walk away from the Browns. This was out of frustration due to not being named the team's next head coach. It's pretty crazy to think General Manager Andrew Berry and Owner Jimmy Haslam passed on keeping someone around that led a dominant defense.

Now, Monken will be tasked with finding a new individual to run the defense for his collective. It will be expected to be someone who has a lot of experience, and it would be a bonus if there was someone who has serious experience within the AFC North. For Cleveland, it could make total sense to look into former Steelers defensive coordinator, Teryl Austin, who was not retained in Pittsburgh after McCarthy's hiring.

Fans in the Steel City weren't in love with Austin's tenure, but he had a lot of talent on his side of the ball. He had a big part in the turnover culture that the Steelers have consistently emphasized in recent seasons. Not only that, but he has a lot of intel on players' strengths and weaknesses. He could be hired by the Browns not just to call the defense, but also to provide information about Pittsburgh's roster.

There will start to be speculation about Monken's preferences for his defensive coordinator, but fans should not be surprised if Austin ends up on the list. Cleveland's new head coach has had some time to think about which direction to go in if Schwartz decided not to return, and now that he has elected to step away, Austin's name could absolutely surface.

Austin has plenty of experience at the NFL level, including two different stints as a defensive coordinator. Monken will want someone who can run things, particularly because his focus is on offense. Adding Austin to his staff does more than just allow for an experienced play-caller to arrive, but also gives him more knowledge about Pittsburgh's roster.

Steelers Didn't Retain Austin For A Reason

Austin was on the last year of his contract and it was always going to be up for discussion if he would be re-signed, even if Mike Tomlin remained the head coach. Now, there is a new regime in town. While Pittsburgh's former defensive coordinator won't know much about the new scheme, he is very familiar with the personnel. That could be an extremely helpful thing for Monken and the Browns to have access to.

Do you think the Steelers will be playing Austin twice a year starting in 2026? Let us know in the comments below!

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