PITTSBURGH — The coaching staff under Pittsburgh Steelers’ new head coach Mike McCarthy already had a drastically different look than the one under previous head coach Mike Tomlin. McCarthy brought in a whole new group of coaches and assistants to work under him, one of the many changes this organization has made since moving on from Tomlin. Early into his tenure with the Steelers, McCarthy hired a senior assistant special teams coach. Derius Swinton II was appointed in that role to help new special teams coordinator, Danny Crossman. Swinton II and the teams quickly parted ways, however, after he was fired for violating club rules. But according to the Steelers’ own website, they have hired a replacement. The team’s coaching staff page has Darian Thompson listed under Crossman with the title of special teams quality control. What Thompson Brings to SteelersThompson fits the mold of multiple other new assistants. He brings an NFL playing career with him, playing six seasons in the league with the New York Giants, the Arizona Cardinals and the Dallas Cowboys. A cornerback out of Boise State, he appeared in 63 NFL contests and accumulated 173 total tackles. His career best came during the 2017 campaign, when he put up 75 tackles with the Giants over 16 games. After ending his playing career in 2021, Thompson quickly moved into a coaching role. And can you guess who hired Thompson? It was none other than McCarthy during his time running the Cowboys. McCarthy brought Thompson on as an assistant linebackers and quality control coach for the 2023 season. He served in that role for two years before being promoted to the secondary coach in 2025. That relationship between McCarthy and Thompson carried over to Pittsburgh, as he now joins the Steelers’ staff in a totally different role. Jul 26, 2023; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys quality control/assistant linebackers coach Darian Thompson watches over training camp drills at River Ridge Playing Fields in Oxnard, CA. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn ImagesAre Steelers Done Adding to Staff?One would think Thompson was the final addition to McCarthy’s inaugural staff in Pittsburgh. After the team parted ways with Swinton II, the organization made clear their intention to replace him. Thompson is effectively that replacement, and also rounds out the staff. With the hiring of Thompson, that brings the staff working under McCarthy up to 25 folks. Not only is this an increase compared to Tomlin's usual stuff, but this group also includes multiple positions and roles that Tomlin never utilized. One example is a chief of staff. Steve Scarnecchia, who has worked in that role with five other NFL franchises before landing with the Steelers. Another is an assistant head coach. Joe Whitt Jr. brings 20 years of NFL experience and will hold dual roles as the assistant head coach and secondary coach in Pittsburgh. It will be a completely different look for the Steelers under McCarthy, and the results are to be determined. But with the addition of Thompson, we can likely call the staff turnover complete in Pittsburgh. Make sure to bookmark Steelers On SI, and find our podcast All Steelers Talk on YouTube or anywhere you listen!Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow