With their season over, the Pittsburgh Steelers are starting to announce some moves on the coaching staff. The first domino to fall is that of defensive coordinator Keith Butler, who has decided to retire after a life in the National Football League as both a player and a coach.
Tom Pelissero reported the news on Twitter Saturday afternoon:
#Steelers DC Keith Butler informed the team he is retiring, per sources.
Butler played 10 NFL seasons and was an assistant for 23 more, including 19 in Pittsburgh, where he was part of two Super Bowl wins. A big hole to fill on Mike Tomlin’s staff.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 22, 2022
Butler spent his entire NFL playing career with the Seattle Seahawks, after the organization drafted him in the second round of the 1978 NFL draft. He amassed 813 tackes for Seattle during his ten-year career,
Three years after his career ended, Butler returned to his alma mater and started his coaching career. He spent eight seasons as a defensive assistant for Memphis, before moving to Arkansas State where he spent one season as a defensive coordinator.
The NFL would be next, and he would spent his entire coaching career in the league in the AFC North. Butler started as a linebackers coach with the Cleveland Browns, before joining the Steelers as their linebackers coach in 2003. He served in that role until 2014, when he was promoted to defensive coordinator in the wake of Dick LeBeau’s retirement.
During his time in Pittsburgh, Butler was part of two Super Bowl-winning teams.
Now speculation will begin over his replacement. If the Steelers look to promote from within, Teryl Austin might be the choice. Austin is currently a senior defensive assistant with the Steelers as well as their secondary coach, and has experience as a defensive coordinator with both the Detroit Lions and the Cincinnati Bengals.
Another name to watch? Wink Martindale. After parting ways with the Baltimore Ravens, Martindale could be an intriguing option for the Steelers.
