PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Steelers have hired Sharon native Teryl Austin to be their next defensive coordinator, the team announced Wednesday.
Austin, a 1984 Sharon High School graduate, replaces Keith Butler, who spent the last 19 years with the organization, including as defensive coordinator since January of 2015.
Austin has spent the last three seasons as the Steelers’ senior defensive assistant/secondary coach and has twice served as a defensive coordinator in the NFL, most recently with the Cincinnati Bengals under Marvin Lewis in 2018.
Austin also spent four seasons as the defensive coordinator in Detroit (2014-17) under head coach Jim Caldwell.
Austin began his coaching career in 1991 as a graduate assistant at Penn State and moved to the NFL in 2003 as defensive backs coach for the Seattle Seahawks.
He also spent four seasons with the Arizona Cardinals after his stint in Seattle and had a brief return to college as the defensive coordinator of the Florida Gators in 2010.
He returned to the NFL in 2011, where he coached the Baltimore Ravens’ secondary for three seasons before being hired as the DC in Detroit.
At Sharon, Austin helped the Tigers go 10-1 overall and capture the first-ever Keystone League Championship in 1983.
Moving on to the University of Pittsburgh, Austin was a 3-year starter and 4-year letterman for the Panthers between 1984 and 1987. In 1985, he led Pitt with seven interceptions and finished his career with 10 interceptions. He was also the primary punt returner for the Panthers and averaged 6.7 yards per return on 96 career returns.
During his senior season in 1987, Austin helped Pitt to an 8-4 record, including a 10-0 win over rival Penn State, and an appearance in the Bluebonnet Bowl in Houston (Texas beat Pitt 32-27).
In 1991, Austin played in the World League of American Football for the Montreal Machine.
Editor’s note: Chris Rossetti contributed to this story
