DC Patrick Graham just received a compliment that could come to bite the Steelers ahead of his first season in Pittsburgh
The Steelers have a new defensive coordinator, and more importantly, a new defensive philosophy for the first time in nearly two decades. That could turn out to be both a blessing and a curse come the end of the season.
The Pittsburgh Steelers report to training camp in Latrobe next week, and the conversation around breakout candidates is already heating up. But Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic offered a fresh twist on the typical preseason exercise, naming assistant coaches instead of players as potential breakout stars. Her pick for Pittsburgh? Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.
The truth is, Graham’s hiring didn’t generate universal excitement among Steelers fans. His track record with the Las Vegas Raiders didn’t exactly scream elite defensive mind on the surface. But context matters. The cupboard was pretty bare in Vegas. Graham was coaching players who wouldn’t have started at just about any level of Pittsburgh’s defense. And yet that Raiders unit was still pretty efficient when you dig into the advanced metrics and the tape.
Patrick Graham Facts
- Went to Yale.
- Coached under Bill Belichick in New England.
- Spent last 4 years as Raiders DC.
Why Graham is positioned for a leap in Pittsburgh
So the immediate question becomes: what happens when you give a coach like Graham actual talent to work with?
For one, the Steelers are going to see outside linebacker T.J. Watt move around the formation for the first time in years. Graham’s scheme should unlock the kind of versatility Watt has never truly been asked to deploy. On top of that, Pittsburgh’s “NASCAR” package of three pass rushers, with Nick Herbig, Alex Highsmith, and Watt all on the field together, figures to see significantly more snaps under the new coordinator.
The secondary is where things get particularly interesting from a schematic standpoint. Jalen Ramsey is expected to play multiple positions. Safeties DeShon Elliott and Jaquan Brisker should move across the formation in varied roles. Corners will rotate in and out of different alignments. The Steelers are building a defense designed to be multiple in ways the franchise hasn’t seen in roughly two decades.
A fresh brand of football for Pittsburgh’s defense
Graham represents a complete philosophical reboot for the Steelers on that side of the ball. Pittsburgh’s defense, for all its success over the years, has operated with a certain rigidity. Graham’s background suggests a willingness to play a more aggressive, shape-shifting style that puts players in position to make plays rather than asking them to win strictly from static alignments.
Rodrigue also noted that Graham is already receiving head coaching consideration around the league. If this defense performs the way the talent suggests it should, Graham will be a legitimate head coaching candidate after the 2026 season. The combination of elite pass rushers, a versatile secondary, and a coordinator willing to deploy them creatively is a recipe for something special.
The bottom line is, Graham walked into one of the better defensive rosters in the NFL. If he can schematically maximize what Pittsburgh has assembled, this pick by Rodrigue won’t just look good — it’ll look obvious in hindsight.