Derius Swinton II Fired by Steelers After Club Policy Violation
The Steelers moved on from derius swinton II after a violation of club policy, ending his run as senior special teams coach. The decision leaves Pittsburgh with one special teams coach, Danny Crossman, and comes with four OTAs still remaining.
Swinton’s Role in Pittsburgh
Swinton entered 2026 as the Steelers’ top special teams assistant behind Crossman, making the dismissal a direct staff change rather than a broad overhaul. He was part of a new coaching group under head coach Mike McCarthy, and his exit trims that unit down at a point in the offseason when reps are still available.
Adam Schefter reported the move on Friday morning and used the phrase “due to a violation of club policy.” The exact details of the policy issue were not laid out, but the result was immediate: Swinton is out, and the Steelers will continue with a thinner special teams room.
Crossman Left Alone
Crossman now stands as the Steelers’ lone special teams coach. That changes the workload inside a phase that usually depends on coordination across coverage units, return work, and kick game meetings, especially with organized team activities still on the schedule.
Swinton’s path to Pittsburgh also shows why the move stands out. He first joined the NFL in 2008 as a graduate assistant with the Tennessee Titans, then was the interim special teams coordinator for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2025. He had worked alongside Patrick Graham there, and he arrived in Pittsburgh with experience on offense, defense, and special teams.
Four OTAs Remaining
The practical effect is simple: the Steelers now have to carry the rest of their spring work with one special teams coach instead of two. With four OTAs left, the staff has a limited window to absorb the change before the offseason program moves on.
For a unit built around repetition, that is the immediate story. Pittsburgh already made the personnel decision, and the next step is sorting out how the remaining coach handles the rest of the spring slate without Swinton in the room.
