Steelers Lose Key Secondary Coach as Gerald Alexander Heads to Minnesota; Jason Simmons Emerging as Potential Replacement
The Pittsburgh Steelers are undergoing another shakeup on the defensive side of the ball, and this one hits close to home in the secondary.
Defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander is headed to the Minnesota Vikings, where he’ll take on a larger role as the defensive pass game coordinator and DBs coach under defensive coordinator Brian Flores. It’s a reunion of sorts-Alexander and Flores previously worked together in Pittsburgh back in 2022, when Flores served as the Steelers’ senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach. Now, they’ll link up again in Minnesota, this time with Flores leading the Vikings’ defense and Alexander overseeing the back end.
For the Steelers, Alexander’s departure is a significant loss. His fingerprints were all over the development of cornerback Joey Porter Jr., who made noticeable strides under Alexander’s guidance. The young corner emerged as a physical, confident presence on the outside, and that kind of growth doesn’t happen without strong coaching behind the scenes.
Alexander had just returned to Pittsburgh this past season after a one-year stint with the Las Vegas Raiders, where he coached safeties under then-defensive coordinator Patrick Graham-who, in a twist of the coaching carousel, is now the defensive coordinator in Pittsburgh. Alexander previously served as an assistant DBs coach for the Steelers from 2022 to 2023, so his familiarity with the system and personnel made him a valuable asset.
The Steelers had hoped to retain Alexander, especially with Mike McCarthy assembling his staff and choosing to keep quarterbacks coach Tom Arth and linebackers coach Scott McCurley from Mike Tomlin’s group. But with the opportunity to take on a larger role in Minnesota-and reunite with a trusted colleague in Flores-Alexander is moving on. That leaves a vacancy in Pittsburgh’s defensive staff, and one name is already gaining traction as a potential replacement: Jason Simmons.
Simmons, currently the defensive pass game coordinator with the Washington Commanders, recently interviewed for the Steelers’ defensive coordinator job. While that role ultimately went elsewhere, Simmons is expected to join the Steelers in a prominent defensive capacity, according to reports. And with Alexander’s departure, Simmons could be a natural fit to take over the DBs room.
There’s plenty of familiarity here, too. Simmons worked with both McCarthy and Graham during his eight-year stint in Green Bay (2011-2019), where he held a variety of roles on the defensive and special teams staffs. He’s also no stranger to Pittsburgh-Simmons was drafted by the Steelers in the fifth round back in 1998 and spent the first four seasons of his playing career in black and gold before finishing his career with the Texans.
Simmons brings a wealth of experience to the table. In addition to his recent work in Washington, he served as the Raiders’ defensive pass game coordinator and DBs coach from 2022-2023-again under Patrick Graham. Before that, he held a similar role in Carolina from 2020-2021, overseeing the Panthers’ secondary and pass defense.
If Simmons does step into Alexander’s shoes, he’ll inherit a young but promising group, headlined by Porter Jr. and anchored by a defense that continues to be the Steelers’ calling card. With the pieces in place and a coaching staff coming together under McCarthy and Graham, the Steelers are hoping this next move keeps their secondary trending in the right direction.
For now, one thing’s clear: Gerald Alexander’s departure leaves big shoes to fill. But if Jason Simmons is the next man up, Pittsburgh may have found a coach with the right blend of experience, familiarity, and leadership to keep the momentum going.