February 20, 2026 • 6 mins
Missi Matthews catches up new DC Patrick Graham on joining the Steelers coaching staff and more
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
Coach.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Can you start with why coming here to Pittsburgh to
be the defensive coordinator made sense for you?
Speaker 3 (00:14):
One starts with Mike and just knowing Mike for my
time at Green Bay and just you know how much
I admired him throughout my career being a young coach,
and you know, respect for I had for him, and
then finally get to work with him for one year,
and then you stayed in contact to the tradition of
the Steelers, you know, as a defensive coach.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
To be able to come here, to be up.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
To try to earn our place in that tradition, that's
really near and dear to my heart, and I don't
take it lightly. I'm very fortunate to be in that situation.
And then, as it always comes down to when you
have a choice, that it comes down to the players.
There's so many good and productive football players on that
side of the ball here, and just as I've gone
(00:56):
through the process so far a getting a chance to
meet those men, I'm really really excited.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
What are you most excited about the Steelers defensive rosters
We sit here today, the size.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
The year than the mass of the human beings that
we have lined up out there. This is I mean,
this is what you envision in terms of your defense
to look like. In terms of you know, length, size, mass,
They're just they're just big men. Like every time I've
met one of them, most of them are all bigger
than me. And you know I'm not a small guy,
but you know they just dwarfed me. And I'm like, yes,
(01:30):
this is exactly what I wanted.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
To look like.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Coach McCarthy said in his introductory press conference, wants to
stay with the three four, wants to try to keep
the language the same. How do you go about doing that?
What are the steps that you have to take to
get there.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
It's so much easier for myself and the coaching staff
because we're less and lesser in numbers. We can learn
the language as opposed to having all forty five of
these guys learned the new language as we go. So
wherever we keep it consistent, because again, it's been successful here,
you know, Coach tomlin Bilt, what the coaches before and
(02:07):
built all those guys that have been here has been successful.
So whatever we could use the same, like, we'll go
ahead and.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Use the same.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
It's not it's easier for us as coaches to learn
something new that makes sense.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
You mentioned coach McCarthy in your time that you spent
with him in Green Bay while it was short. What
did you take away or learn from him being able
to be on his staff the first time, you know.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Just prior to getting there, and I just admired how
he sequenced the game as an offensive play caller. I
remember Coach Belichick talking about him, like when we get
ready for the games against Green Bay and just watching
and being on defense and having to go against it,
how he was able to sequence the game.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
And so that really stuck with me.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Then when I got there and got a chance to
talk ball with him and then work for him, just
how organized and how thought out everything is in terms
of seeing things in advance, and you can see how
it and then you're like, oh, it makes sense.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
That's his day to day.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
That's how it carries over to the game planning, and
that's how it carries over to how he calls the
game in terms of he's able to see ahead of
you know, and anticipate things, and he's so organized that
I've used a lot of those things I learned from
him as I've moved along in my career.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Were you surprised or excited? What was the feeling when
you got the phone call from him to come in.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
And interveal Thankfully, you know, coach, you know, was able
to see he knew me, know what I've been able
to do working with the defensive units I've had to
work with, and and you know, knowing what the vision
I have for a defense and so I was. I
was happy that was still in place, and when he called,
I was very happy.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
I was very I was very excited.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
What do you think about the rest of the staff
under you? Some familiar faces, some new faces for everybody,
But it feels like Coach McCarthy had a rhyme or
rhythm of why he chose the guys to build the staff.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
I love the fact that a few of us have
worked together before, and then some of the guys have
worked together away from me for a long time, so
there's some familiarity there, especially on the back end. You know,
whether it's Joe wid Jason Simmons and Scott McCurley, those
guys have spent a lot of time together and understand
one the vision of the three four In terms of
(04:16):
when you're looking over the totality of the defense.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
Two.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
We've all worked together at some point, so there's some
common language and we all know how to work around
each other in terms of you know, everybody knows in
the morning, I'm a little you know, I need my time.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Everybody, they all know that. I don't have to go
through that process there.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
And then up front, these guys are just really I
mean NFL playing experience, really really hungry, really detailed teachers.
When they went through the interview process, I'm excited about that.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
And then great energy.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
So you know, again, I think anytime you bring in
the less experienced coaches, I'm gonna tell them I need
to feel your energy, you know, so like there's no.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Moping around in the building.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
I don't care how what's going on when you're young people,
young guy, there's no moping for you guys. You got
once you're ended. We gotta feel your energy. And I'm
glad that they're here and the fact that they're good
coaches and they've had success where they've been.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
One of the other characteristics that coach McCarthy mentioned was
a grinder. Do you feel like you kind of grew
up with that mentality of being a grinder in the
coaching world.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
That's how I learned it.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
You know, it starts back to my first job of
Walt Hamline at Wagner College. Then my last job in
college with coach Charlie Weiss and Cormyn Brown and John Tanuda.
Those are the guys I worked for and Notre Dame.
And then I go to New England and coach Belichick.
You know, Matt Patricia, you know Josh mcdan, all those guys.
(05:40):
That's those are the people I learned from in terms
of grinding. And again people think grinmings, we just stay
in the office for hours. Now it's all the you know,
we stayed in office ade of the one. We got
to stay in the office to get worked onne. But
really the grind part is trying to find the age.
Can I find the age? Not selfishly before the players?
That's what everybody has. When you grind like that, it's
(06:02):
searching for answers and ways for the players to be successful.
So I always think it's funny when people are like,
who's a player's coach? I'm like the people that grind
and try to find the information for the player to
help them play better.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
On Sunday, those if I was a player.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
That's what I want is my players, coach and most grinders,
I know that's what they're doing.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
How can I help him play better? On Sunday?
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Is there anything you want Steelers fans to.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Know about you football? I take this thing very seriously.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
If you're not serious about football, you're probably not in
my life outside of having to be. And I'm very
fortunate and I feel fortunate to be part to have
an opportunity to earn my place.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
In this tradition. And I'm not going to take that lightly.
It's it's very special to me.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
I'm very excited about this, all right, trying all right,
thank you,
Coach.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Can you start with why coming here to Pittsburgh to
be the defensive coordinator made sense for you?
Speaker 3 (00:14):
One starts with Mike and just knowing Mike for my
time at Green Bay and just you know how much
I admired him throughout my career being a young coach,
and you know, respect for I had for him, and
then finally get to work with him for one year,
and then you stayed in contact to the tradition of
the Steelers, you know, as a defensive coach.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
To be able to come here, to be up.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
To try to earn our place in that tradition, that's
really near and dear to my heart, and I don't
take it lightly. I'm very fortunate to be in that situation.
And then, as it always comes down to when you
have a choice, that it comes down to the players.
There's so many good and productive football players on that
side of the ball here, and just as I've gone
(00:56):
through the process so far a getting a chance to
meet those men, I'm really really excited.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
What are you most excited about the Steelers defensive rosters
We sit here today, the size.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
The year than the mass of the human beings that
we have lined up out there. This is I mean,
this is what you envision in terms of your defense
to look like. In terms of you know, length, size, mass,
They're just they're just big men. Like every time I've
met one of them, most of them are all bigger
than me. And you know I'm not a small guy,
but you know they just dwarfed me. And I'm like, yes,
(01:30):
this is exactly what I wanted.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
To look like.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Coach McCarthy said in his introductory press conference, wants to
stay with the three four, wants to try to keep
the language the same. How do you go about doing that?
What are the steps that you have to take to
get there.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
It's so much easier for myself and the coaching staff
because we're less and lesser in numbers. We can learn
the language as opposed to having all forty five of
these guys learned the new language as we go. So
wherever we keep it consistent, because again, it's been successful here,
you know, Coach tomlin Bilt, what the coaches before and
(02:07):
built all those guys that have been here has been successful.
So whatever we could use the same, like, we'll go
ahead and.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Use the same.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
It's not it's easier for us as coaches to learn
something new that makes sense.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
You mentioned coach McCarthy in your time that you spent
with him in Green Bay while it was short. What
did you take away or learn from him being able
to be on his staff the first time, you know.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Just prior to getting there, and I just admired how
he sequenced the game as an offensive play caller. I
remember Coach Belichick talking about him, like when we get
ready for the games against Green Bay and just watching
and being on defense and having to go against it,
how he was able to sequence the game.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
And so that really stuck with me.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Then when I got there and got a chance to
talk ball with him and then work for him, just
how organized and how thought out everything is in terms
of seeing things in advance, and you can see how
it and then you're like, oh, it makes sense.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
That's his day to day.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
That's how it carries over to the game planning, and
that's how it carries over to how he calls the
game in terms of he's able to see ahead of
you know, and anticipate things, and he's so organized that
I've used a lot of those things I learned from
him as I've moved along in my career.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Were you surprised or excited? What was the feeling when
you got the phone call from him to come in.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
And interveal Thankfully, you know, coach, you know, was able
to see he knew me, know what I've been able
to do working with the defensive units I've had to
work with, and and you know, knowing what the vision
I have for a defense and so I was. I
was happy that was still in place, and when he called,
I was very happy.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
I was very I was very excited.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
What do you think about the rest of the staff
under you? Some familiar faces, some new faces for everybody,
But it feels like Coach McCarthy had a rhyme or
rhythm of why he chose the guys to build the staff.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
I love the fact that a few of us have
worked together before, and then some of the guys have
worked together away from me for a long time, so
there's some familiarity there, especially on the back end. You know,
whether it's Joe wid Jason Simmons and Scott McCurley, those
guys have spent a lot of time together and understand
one the vision of the three four In terms of
(04:16):
when you're looking over the totality of the defense.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
Two.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
We've all worked together at some point, so there's some
common language and we all know how to work around
each other in terms of you know, everybody knows in
the morning, I'm a little you know, I need my time.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Everybody, they all know that. I don't have to go
through that process there.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
And then up front, these guys are just really I
mean NFL playing experience, really really hungry, really detailed teachers.
When they went through the interview process, I'm excited about that.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
And then great energy.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
So you know, again, I think anytime you bring in
the less experienced coaches, I'm gonna tell them I need
to feel your energy, you know, so like there's no.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Moping around in the building.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
I don't care how what's going on when you're young people,
young guy, there's no moping for you guys. You got
once you're ended. We gotta feel your energy. And I'm
glad that they're here and the fact that they're good
coaches and they've had success where they've been.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
One of the other characteristics that coach McCarthy mentioned was
a grinder. Do you feel like you kind of grew
up with that mentality of being a grinder in the
coaching world.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
That's how I learned it.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
You know, it starts back to my first job of
Walt Hamline at Wagner College. Then my last job in
college with coach Charlie Weiss and Cormyn Brown and John Tanuda.
Those are the guys I worked for and Notre Dame.
And then I go to New England and coach Belichick.
You know, Matt Patricia, you know Josh mcdan, all those guys.
(05:40):
That's those are the people I learned from in terms
of grinding. And again people think grinmings, we just stay
in the office for hours. Now it's all the you know,
we stayed in office ade of the one. We got
to stay in the office to get worked onne. But
really the grind part is trying to find the age.
Can I find the age? Not selfishly before the players?
That's what everybody has. When you grind like that, it's
(06:02):
searching for answers and ways for the players to be successful.
So I always think it's funny when people are like,
who's a player's coach? I'm like the people that grind
and try to find the information for the player to
help them play better.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
On Sunday, those if I was a player.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
That's what I want is my players, coach and most grinders,
I know that's what they're doing.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
How can I help him play better? On Sunday?
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Is there anything you want Steelers fans to.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Know about you football? I take this thing very seriously.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
If you're not serious about football, you're probably not in
my life outside of having to be. And I'm very
fortunate and I feel fortunate to be part to have
an opportunity to earn my place.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
In this tradition. And I'm not going to take that lightly.
It's it's very special to me.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
I'm very excited about this, all right, trying all right,
thank you,
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