The Pittsburgh Steelers made five assistant coaching hires official on Wednesday, naming Brian Angelichio offensive coordinator, Danny Crossman special teams coordinator, Joe Whit t assistant head coach/secondary, Domata Peko defensive line coach and Pat Reilly defensive quality control coach.
Like most of the coaches hired by the Steelers this offseason, Angelichio has a previous tie to both McCarthy and Pittsburgh. He coached for the Green Bay Packers with McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers from 2016-18. He also coached at Pitt from 2006-10.
Angelichio, 53, has been the Vikings passing game coordinator/tight ends coach since 2022. Prior to joining the Vikings, he was the Carolina Panthers tight ends coach from 2020-2021 and was the Washington Redskins tight ends coach in 2019.
After Scott Tolzien , who interviewed with the team on Monday, elected to remain with the New Orleans Saints , Angelichio was considered the front-runner for the job. The Steelers only interviewed one other candidate, Dallas Cowboys tight ends coach Lunda Wells.
Minnesota Vikings tight ends coach Brian Angelichio against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium on Jan. 13, 2025. — Mark J. Rebilas / Imagn ImageCredit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Crossman, 59, was the Dolphins' special teams coordinator for the last seven seasons. Prior to his time in Miami, he was the special teams coordinator for the Buffalo Bills (2013-2018), Detroit Lions ( 2010-2012) and Carolina Panthers (2007-2009).
Crossman is an El Paso, Texas native but he has ties to Pittsburgh. Crossman was a second-team all-America and all-Big East cornerback at Pitt in the late 1980s. He lettered two seasons (1987 and 1989) as a defensive back and one (1988) as the Panthers' starting fullback. As a senior, he served as team captain and was named the squad's MVP as he led the Panthers to the 1989 Sun Bowl.
McCarthy was a graduate assistant at Pitt for Crossman's final year with the Panthers in 1989.
Whitt, 47, was on McCarthy's staff for 11 years in Green Bay (2008-18). He started out as a defensive quality control coach for one season before moving on as a cornerbacks coach for nine years He served as the Packers' pass game coordinator in his last year under McCarthy in 2018.
Whitt was the Cleveland Browns' pass game coordinator/secondary coach in 2019 before moving on to the Atlanta Falcons in 2020, where he held the same title. Whitt reunited with McCarthy in Dallas in 2021 as the Cowboys' pass game coordinator/secondary coach.
Whitt spent the last two seasons as the Washington Commanders' defensive coordinator.
Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine talks to defense pass game coordinator Joe Whitt Jr during training camp practice at Ray Nitschke Field on Friday, August 3, 2018 in Ashwaubenon, Wis. Adam Wesley / Imagn ImagesCredit: Adam Wesley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
Peko played for the Cincinnati Bengals from 2006-16 and also spent time with the Denver Broncos (2017-18), Baltimore Ravens (2019) and Arizona Cardinals (2020). He played in 214 games during his 15-year career, totaling 616 tackles.
Peko began his coaching career with the Dallas Cowboys in 2024, working as an assistant under former Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. Peko was the defensive line coach for Deion Sanders and Colorado this past season.
Reilly was an offensive assistant with the Houston Texans last year. Prior to his time with the Texans, Reilly spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars as the assistant linebackers coach and defensive quality control coach.
He coached at several schools at the college level. Starting as a defensive analyst for Alabama, a defensive analyst and an assistant to the head coach and defensive coordinator at UCLA, as well as a defensive quality control coach working with the defensive line at UCLA. He also spent time at SUNY-Brockport, Syracuse University and SUNY-Cortland in multiple roles.
McCarthy has officially hired 14 coaches to his staff, including defensive coordinator Patrick Graham .
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Steelers Officially Add Five Coaches to Staff
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