The tea leaves in Pittsburgh suggest Keith Butler will retire this offseason, opening up the door for someone else to take over at defensive coordinator. The Steelers often hire within the organization for such hirings and it seems they’ll do that if/when Butler does retire.
Secondary coach Teryl Austin has been the name most connected to replacing Butler. When Butler was unavailable in Week 18 due to COVID-19 issues, Austin stepped in and filled those duties. Austin’s played an integral role in the 2021 Steelers, playing a part in the progression of defensive backs like Terrell Edmunds and rookie Tre Norwood.