This story originally appeared at our companion site, SteelersNow.com, our home for Pittsburgh Steelers coverage.
Mike Tomlin started the process of adding new blood to his 2019 coaching staff on Friday with the hiring of a local product that played at Pitt.
The Steelers announced today the hiring of veteran NFL assistant coach Teryl Austin as senior defensive assistant/secondary.
Austin is a native of Sharon, Pa., and a former four-year letterman and three-year starter at Pitt. Last season, Austin was defensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals before being fired mid-season by Marvin Lewis. In total, Austin has 15 years of NFL coaching experience, including stops as defensive coordinator with Detroit (2014-17) and secondary coach with Baltimore Ravens (2011-13), Arizona Cardinals (2007-09) and the Seattle Seahawks (2003-06).
Prior to coaching in the NFL, Austin was part of college programs at Penn State, Wake Forest, Syracuse, Michigan and Florida.
Nothing official from the Steelers concerning Austin’s exact responsibilities but considering his vast experience and the teams struggles, on paper it looks like a good hire by Tomlin.
