NFL roundup

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Teryl Austin joins team as defensive assistant

PITTSBURGH

The Pittsburgh Steelers have hired Teryl Austin as a senior defensive assistant coach.

The team announced the move Friday, adding that Austin’s focus will be the secondary. Austin has coached in the NFL for the better part of two decades, including stops in Detroit and Cincinnati as defensive coordinator. Austin previously worked as a secondary coach for Seattle, Arizona and Baltimore.

Pittsburgh finished a respectable 10th against the pass in 2018 but struggled to generate takeaways and couldn’t find any consistency at the spot opposite veteran Joe Haden. The Steelers finished with just eight interceptions, the fewest in the AFC.

The 53-year-old Austin grew up in western Pennsylvania and played four seasons at defensive back for the University of Pittsburgh during the 1980s.

The hiring is the latest in a series of staff adjustments made by Pittsburgh after finishing 9-6-1 and missing the playoffs. The team fired running backs coach James Saxon and outside linebackers coach Joey Porter last week.

GREEN BAY PACKERS

Ex-Browns head coach stays on to run defense

GREEN BAY, WIS.

Former Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine is staying as defensive coordinator of the Packers.

New coach Matt LaFleur announced the decision Friday, answering one of his biggest questions just three days after being hired.

In his first year, Pettine installed a 3-4 scheme and had mixed results. First-round draft pick Jaire Alexander showed signs he will become the top cornerback the Packers desperately need, and Green Bay was ranked No. 12 in pass defense (234.5 yards per game), a big improvement over 2017.

The Packers also piled up 44 sacks, tied for eighth in the league, though injuries struck the defensive line. Green Bay lacked a consistent rush at outside linebacker except for surprise sacks leader Kyler Fackrell (101/2 ). Clay Matthews is also a free agent after finishing with a career-low 31/2 sacks in his 10th season with the Packers.

Green Bay finished 6-9-1 and out of the playoffs for the second straight year.

CHICAGO BEARS

Chuck Pagano hired as defensive coordinator

LAKE FOREST, ILL.

The NFC North-champion Chicago Bears have hired former Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano as their defensive coordinator to replace Vic Fangio.

Pagano inherits one of the NFL’s stingiest defenses after Fangio left to take the Denver Broncos’ head coaching job. He will get to work with one of the league’s best pass rushers in Khalil Mack as well as two other All-Pros — cornerback Kyle Fuller and safety Eddie Jackson.

Pagano led Indianapolis to a 53-43 record and two AFC South championships from 2012 to 2017.

DENVER BRONCOS

Gary Kubiak won’t join Fangio’s offensive staff

ENGLEWOOD, COLO.

Gary Kubiak won’t return to run the Denver Broncos offense after all for new head coach Vic Fangio, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Friday.

The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the discussions, said it became apparent over the last 24 hours that Kubiak wasn’t the right fit because of philosophical differences over scheme and staff.

Kubiak had wanted to bring back some of the assistant coaches who have followed him throughout his coaching career along with dusting off schemes that were successful in another era but don’t fit with the Broncos’ quest to modernize their approach.

Kubiak remains under contract with the Broncos and will continue in his role as a senior personnel adviser to general manager John Elway.

Associated Press