Mike Tomlin is done subtracting from his coaching staff. And now he's starting to add.
Friday, Tomlin hired former Pitt star Teryl Austin in the role of senior assistant/secondary to assist Tom Bradley with the defensive backs.
Austin, a native of Sharon, Pa., has been an NFL assistant coach the past 15 years, most recently with the Bengals, where he was defensive coordinator. Austin was fired by the Bengals midway through the 2018 season.
Austin has also coached with the Seahawks (2003-2006), Cardinals (2007-2009), Ravens (2011-2013) and Lions (2014-2017). He has coached in three Super Bowls (2005, 2008 and 2012), winning with Baltimore in 2012.
Austin, who has been a head coaching candidate in previous seasons, played defensive back in the World League of American Football for one season (1991) with the Montreal Machine after graduating from Pitt with a degree in communications. He was a graduate assistant at Penn State, and spent time on the defensive coaching staffs of Wake Forest, Syracuse, Michigan and Florida.
Austin's position is essentially a new one for the Steelers. Bradley was hired to replace Carnell Lake last year.
The Steelers ranked 10th in the league, allowing 231 yards passing per game last season. But their eight interceptions were 28th.