The Pittsburgh Steelers have already started the 2025 offseason process. Just because the combine, draft, and free agency are still in the future, doesn't mean that there isn't a lot that needs to be done prior. Which coaches will be not be re-signed? Who will replace them? Who should be cut, extended, or put on the hot seat? The organization has already let two coaches walk and hired one replacement. More moves will be expected. On Valentine's Day, the Steelers both showed some love while also making a decision to let a player go.
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Steelers General Manager Omar Khan picks up the phone in the team's war room during the 2023 NFL Draft weekend.
Gerry Dulac officially reported that the Steelers hired Scott McCurley as the new inside linebackers coach. He will be taking over for Aaron Curry, who left to be the linebackers coach for the New York Jets.
McCurley grew up in Pennsylvania and even went to the University of Pittsburgh. Since becoming a coach, he spent most of his career with the Green Bay Packers as an assistant, and even got a Super Bowl ring from when they beat the Steelers. After that, he spent five seasons as the linebackers coach for the Dallas Cowboys.
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Scott McCurley during practice with the Dallas Cowboys.
McCurley helped with developing Micah Parsons, who seems to be a generational talent at this point. Parsons was originally drafted as an inside linebacker, but he made the swap to the outside as an edge rusher and hasn't looked back. With a coaching change in Dallas, it seems like the new regime has other ideas for that position coach, though.
While the Cowboys' defense was great for three years under Defensive Coordinator Dan Quinn, it fell off hard in 2024. new Defensive Coordinator Mike Zimmer came in and everything went bad quickly. Because of that, McCurley went from rising star to unemployed in just a year's time, but he clearly bounced back on his feet quickly.
Steelers' Payton Wilson scores the first touchdown of his young career against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2024.
Steelers Have Great Talent For McCurley To Utilize
While there are still decisions to be made about some of the Steelers' linebackers, McCurley still has a pair of quality players to work with. Patrick Queen is the quarterback of the defense. He was somewhat inconsistent in 2024, but with another year in the system, he could be a better leader.
Meanwhile, Payton Wilson should expect to see more playing time after his rookie season. the former third-round pick was an absolute steal for the Steelers. He showed off his talents in all kinds of ways during his first year in the NFL, and he looks like he can be the star linebacker that the Steelers have been missing for almost a decade.
