Steelers Tap Former Rival Domata Peko as Defensive Line Coach - and Even Big Ben Approves
The Pittsburgh Steelers are leaning into some AFC North history with their latest coaching hire. New head coach Mike McCarthy has added former longtime Bengals defensive lineman Domata Peko to his staff as the team’s new defensive line coach - and while that might raise a few eyebrows in Pittsburgh, it’s a move that’s earning respect from someone who knows Peko all too well: Ben Roethlisberger.
Yes, that Domata Peko - the relentless nose tackle who spent over a decade dishing out punishment in Cincinnati, often at Roethlisberger’s expense.
“Domata Peko. Played D-line in Cincinnati.
I played against him a lot,” Roethlisberger said on a recent episode of his podcast, Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger. “He was a guy I have a lot of respect for.
Good football player, a very smart football player. You knew you were going to be sore because of the cheap shots, the bad parts.”
That comment comes with a grin and a nod to the physicality that defined those Steelers-Bengals matchups in the 2000s and 2010s. Peko was never shy about mixing it up in the trenches, and his 15-year NFL résumé backs it up: 214 games, 616 tackles, 20 sacks, two forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, and 14 passes defensed. He wasn’t just a space-eater - he was a tone-setter.
But Roethlisberger made it clear: whatever the bruises, the respect was mutual.
“This was a guy that you respected. He respected the game.
He respected players,” Roethlisberger said. “So I have a lot of respect for him.
I think that’s a great pick-up.”
Peko’s coaching journey has picked up steam in recent years. He got his first taste of the sidelines in 2024 with the Dallas Cowboys, working under defensive guru Mike Zimmer - his former defensive coordinator in Cincinnati. This past season, he took on the defensive line coach role at Colorado under Deion Sanders, helping mold young talent in the college ranks.
Now, he steps into a key role in Pittsburgh, replacing Karl Dunbar, who held the position since 2018. Peko joins a defensive staff that’s already undergone a significant facelift under McCarthy, including the additions of Patrick Graham as defensive coordinator, Jason Simmons overseeing the pass game and secondary, and Scott McCurley coaching the linebackers.
He’ll be working with a group that blends veteran leadership and promising youth. Cam Heyward is gearing up for his 16th season - a remarkable run for a defensive lineman - while Keeanu Benton, Derrick Harmon, and Yahya Black represent the next wave of talent up front.
For a Steelers defense that prides itself on toughness in the trenches, bringing in a guy like Peko - who lived and breathed that mentality as a player - makes a lot of sense. He knows what it takes to win in the AFC North.
He knows how to play with an edge. And now, he’s tasked with instilling that same mindset into Pittsburgh’s defensive front.
It might feel a little strange at first seeing a former Bengal wearing black and gold on the sidelines, but if you ask Big Ben, the Steelers just added someone who understands exactly what this rivalry - and this organization - is all about.