Steelers Coordinator Ranks Among NFL’s Best Despite Fan Backlash

Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin was a controversial figure among Pittsburgh Steelers fans by the tail end of the 2024 collapse.

Headlines like, “Steelers’ Teryl Austin Not Getting Fired Since ‘They Really Went Out Of Their Comfort Zone Last Year,’” were published before Pittsburgh was even bounced from the playoffs by the division rival Baltimore Ravens, in what ended up being another feeble performance.

And those calls only grew louder after Derrick Henry ran right through the Steelers’ defense for the second straight time during the Wild Card Round.

In reality, though, Austin was never in any real danger of getting fired. As veteran Steelers beat reporter Mark Kaboly put it on a January spot with 93.7 The Fan: “[Austin] signed a two-year deal last year, so his contract goes through next year. I just don’t see [him getting fired].”

At the time, Kaboly also reminded fans that head coach Mike Tomlin’s “fingers are all over” the defense, even if Austin handles the bulk of the responsibilities on game day.

As of July 15, that prediction was proven true, and it appears Austin will return for another year. Not only that, but he just earned an unexpected ranking among the NFL’s best DCs ahead of training camp.

Steelers DC Teryl Austin Ranked No. 7 Overall Heading Into 2025 Season

In a document shared with Heavy, Pro Football Network ranked all 32 defensive coordinators, and they placed Austin inside the top 10 at No. 7 overall.

“Teryl Austin has served as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defensive coordinator since 2022, and the team has made the playoffs in two of those seasons,” Pro Football Network began their explanation.

Continuing: “Considering how miserable their quarterback play has been during that time, that’s a testament to Austin’s coaching. The Steelers were 12th in Defense+ last year, which is a respectable ranking. Most notably, they led the NFL with 33 defensive takeaways.”

The football reporting and analysis site concluded that Pittsburgh’s “[defensive] stability as an above-average unit over the previous three years shows that Austin is one of the better defensive coordinators in the game today.”

Needless to say, this ranking is likely maddening for a large contingent of Steelers fans.

Are Pittsburgh Fans Too Hard on Steelers Coaches, or Is Ownership Too Lenient?

A fan of a lowly NFL organization would likely make the argument that the Steelers are too hard on their coaching staff.

After all, Tomlin’s steady win percentage and playoff contention are impressive, albeit just as frustrating when his contenders continue to crumble down the stretch.

Some fans would argue that it’s better to bottom out than remain in NFL purgatory. But if you told that to a fan of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina Panthers, New York Jets or Cleveland Browns, they’d probably laugh.

There’s something to be said about having something to cheer about in each and every season, but the standards are also higher in Pittsburgh, and coaches like Tomlin and Austin will feel more and more heat until the end result changes.

With all that in mind, it’s difficult to determine if Steelers fans are too hard on their coaching staff or if ownership is too lenient. But right or wrong, the expectations won’t get any lower in 2025.

The local opinion of the Steelers’ coaching staff will always differ from the national one until the franchise wins another Super Bowl. If and when that day comes, perhaps fans will finally let up a bit.