The Pittsburgh Steelers parted ways Friday with senior assistant special teams coach Derius Swinton II, removing him from Mike McCarthy’s staff during organized team activities, the team confirmed.
Swinton had been a recent hire — McCarthy brought him to Pittsburgh in February — and his departure comes only about three and a half months after joining the club, which explains why searches are spiking for Derius Swinton II now.
Swinton was the top assistant to special teams coordinator Danny Crossman and arrived in Pittsburgh after finishing the 2025 season as the Las Vegas Raiders’ interim special teams coordinator. His coaching career began in 2009 and included stops as an assistant with the Rams, Chiefs, Broncos, Bears, 49ers, Lions, Cardinals, Chargers and Raiders; he also played at Hampton University.
A team source said Swinton was removed for a violation of team policy. The Steelers did not specify which policy was at issue, and the nature of the breach was not disclosed by the team.
That lack of specificity sharpens the practical impact on McCarthy’s first Steelers staff. Swinton was brought in as a senior assistant to shore up special teams coaching during a transition year; his exit creates an immediate staffing gap during OTA work and before mandatory minicamp, and the club has not announced whether it will replace him.
Swinton’s most recent on-field role — being named Las Vegas’ interim special teams coordinator following Week 10 of the 2025 season and finishing that year as the Raiders’ interim — underscores that he arrived in Pittsburgh with recent coordinator experience, making his sudden removal during the offseason notable for roster and preparation continuity.
The central unresolved issue is straightforward and consequential: the team has cited a policy violation but has not identified which team rule was broken. Until the Steelers provide that detail, McCarthy’s staff must absorb an abrupt personnel change without public clarity on whether this was a conduct matter, a procedural lapse or something internal that could trigger further moves.
