Steelers dismiss senior special teams coach Derius Swinton

The Pittsburgh Steelers have parted ways with senior special teams coach Derius Swinton, citing a violation of club policy. The move was reported on Friday, May 29, and comes just three months after Swinton was hired by new head coach Mike McCarthy in February.

The specific nature of the policy violation has not been disclosed by the team or in reports. Swinton, 41, was hired to serve as a top assistant to special teams coordinator Danny Crossman, who was also brought in this offseason. With Swinton’s departure, Crossman is now the only special teams coach on the Steelers’ staff.

Swinton has been an NFL assistant since 2009, working for ten different teams. His career began as a special teams quality control coach with the St. Louis Rams. He later served as a special teams coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers in 2016 and the Los Angeles Chargers in 2021. Most recently, he spent three seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders, where he was promoted to interim special teams coordinator during the 2025 season after a mid-season coaching change. During his time in Las Vegas, he worked alongside Patrick Graham, who is now the Steelers’ defensive coordinator.