As the Pittsburgh Steelers focus on refining their search for top coaching candidates, the market is slowly starting to clear up. Although most prominent NFL coaching hopefuls have yet to engage in face-to-face interviews with teams, recent developments over the weekend brought a wave of positive news for the Steelers.
While the Steelers planned to continue their virtual interviews throughout the weekend, the movements regarding other coaching vacancies have impacted their strategy significantly.
Notably, two of the Steelers’ primary AFC North rivals recently made significant coaching changes that removed potential competition from the Steelers’ candidate pool. Former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh has been appointed as the new head coach of the New York Giants. Given Harbaugh's extensive tenure of 18 years with the Ravens—the Steelers' most formidable adversary—it is understandable why he did not appear on the Steelers' list of eight candidates they were interested in interviewing shortly after Mike Tomlin's resignation.
Similarly, Kevin Stefanski, who twice won the NFL Coach of the Year award while leading the Cleveland Browns from 2020 to 2025, has taken a position with the Atlanta Falcons. This further narrows the field of contenders the Steelers must consider, as the Falcons expressed interest in at least four of the same coaching candidates that the Steelers are evaluating, including Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, and Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver.
Recent reports from the NFL Network indicate that Hafley has emerged as a strong frontrunner for the Dolphins’ head coaching role. He was originally slated for a virtual interview with the Steelers on Friday; however, this meeting was postponed, likely due to his potential hiring by the Dolphins. It remains unclear if Hafley ultimately met with the Steelers on Saturday.
The Dolphins have already conducted virtual interviews with other candidates the Steelers are considering, namely Minter and Shula. Meanwhile, the Steelers proceeded with virtual interviews on Friday with two members of the Los Angeles Rams’ coaching staff: passing game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase and defensive coordinator Chris Shula. They also planned to connect virtually with Minter on Saturday and have requested interviews with Klay Kubiak, the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, as well as Brian Flores, the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings.
In the past 24 hours, the Ravens have confirmed that they held virtual interviews with Scheelhaase, Shula, and Minter. Unlike many other teams, the Steelers do not announce their virtual interviews on social media but are expected to share updates following in-person interviews.
It's important to note that until Monday, teams cannot conduct face-to-face interviews with any candidates currently employed by other NFL teams. This situational clause grants a potential advantage to Harbaugh and Stefanski, as they were both recently dismissed from their respective positions, allowing them to move forward in the hiring process more swiftly than others still tied to their teams.
Additionally, the Steelers' plans could be influenced depending on the outcomes of the NFC divisional round playoff games involving the Rams and/or the 49ers. Coaches from teams still competing for the championship are unable to participate in head coaching interviews until their season concludes.
In a related development, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti, who hails from Pittsburgh, remarked during a press conference in Miami that he does not identify as an NFL-oriented coach. He recounted that 26 years ago, he had the opportunity to join the Green Bay Packers, but opted instead for a role at NC State, stating that this moment solidified his preference for college football. With his father being a long-time coach at IUP, Cignetti has successfully transformed the Hoosiers from being the league’s underperformers to contenders for the national title against Miami on Monday night.
Despite his interesting background and local ties, there is no indication that the Steelers are considering Cignetti for their head coach vacancy.
