Defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander is leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers to become the defensive pass game coordinator and DBs coach with the Minnesota Vikings , according to Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Alexander will work under defensive coordinator Brian Flores in Minnesota. Flores was a finalist for the Steelers' head coach position.
Alexander returned to take over the Steelers' secondary this past season after having previously served as an assistant defensive backs coach for Mike Tomlin from 2022-23. Alexander worked with Flores when they were both with the Steelers in 2022. Flores served as the Steelers' senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach for one season before taking the Vikings' DC position.
Alexander is a big loss for the Steelers, especially with how corneback Joey Porter Jr. developed under his stewardship.
Alexander spent the 2024 season with the Las Vegas Raiders as a safeties coach under defensive coordinator Patrick Graham , who's now the DC with the Steelers.
Mike McCarthy has hired several coaches to his staff this week. He has also kept two coaches from Tomlin's staff in quarterbacks coach Tom Arth and linebackers coach Scott McCurley . McCarthy planned to keep Alexander, but he'll have to look for a new defensive backs coach.
Washington Commanders defensive pass game coordinator Jason Simmons , who interviewed for the Steelers defensive coordinator job, is expected to join the staff in a prominent defensive role, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Simmons reunites with Graham and McCarthy from Green Bay .
Simmons could be a candidate to replace Alexander as the Steelers' defensive backs coach.
Simmons coached with McCarthy in Green Bay for eight years (2011-2019). Simmons, 49, was selected in the fifth round out of Arizona State by the Steelers in 1998. Simmons, who played safety, played four years in Pittsburgh before playing six years with the Houston Texans .
Before his last two seasons with Washington, Simmons was the Las Vegas Raiders' defensive pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach from 2022-2023. Graham was the Raiders' DC during those two years. Prior to his stint in Las Vegas, Simmons was the Carolina Panthers ' defensive pass game coordinator and secondary coach from 2020-2021.
Simmons held several different roles in his nine years in Green Bay, serving as a defensive assistant and secondary coach (2011-2015), assistant special teams coach (2016-2017), secondary coach (2018) and defensive backs coach (2019).
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Steelers Lose Promising Coach to NFC Team
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