Pittsburgh Steelers: Best Coaches All-Time

Pittsburgh Steelers.  Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The Top Men and Right Hand Men

Before profiling those men who held the job of head coach for the Black and Gold, it’s worth mentioning the names of coaches who served as the “right hand man” to those at the top, specifically speaking of the offensive and defensive coordinators (OC & DC). 

With Dick LeBeau gone in 2015, he would have to be considered the greatest DC. On the flip side, there have been some outstanding OCs. Among them are Kevin Gilbride, Chan Gailey, Ron Erhardt, and Tom Moore. The Steelers only started adding men to the staff of coaches in those roles in 1972 with Bud Carson becoming Chuck Noll’s first defensive coordinator.

Other offensive and defensive coordinator’s have come under fire and considered only as good as the team performs. Current OC Todd Haley is a perfect example. Bruce Arians received the same treatment. Ray Sherman may be the worst offensive coordinator in history and lasted just one season under Bill Cowher in 1996. As for the remaining men who stood next to Noll, Cowher, and Tomlin over the years, they were as following:

• Chuck Noll: DC-Bud Carson, George Perles, Woody Widenhofer, Tony Dungy, Rod Rust, Dave Brazil
• OC-Tom Moore, Joe Walton
• Bill Cowher: DC-Dom Capers, Dick LeBeau, Jim Haslett, Tim Lewis
• OC-Ron Erhardt, Chan Gailey, Ray Sherman, Kevin Gilbride, Mike Mularkey, Ken Whisenhunt
• Mike Tomlin: DC-Dick LeBeau, Kevin Butler
• OC-Bruce Arians, Todd Haley

Saving the best for last, the head coaching profiles begin with a man who was a player who had a peculiar nickname.

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