A former Pittsburgh Steelers assistant coach is eyeing a new NFC East job, while another is still hunting for an opportunity.
A Steelers player is pulling out of the Pro Bowl. His replacement is ironic.
And the Pitt basketball team is trying to get back on the winning track. All that and more in Tuesday’s “First Call.”
Nothing yet
Former Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin was passed over for a job with the Washington Commanders.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Vikings defensive passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach Daronte Jones is heading to D.C. to become the team’s defensive coordinator.
Source: Commanders are finalizing a deal to hire Vikings defensive passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach Daronte Jones as their defensive coordinator.
Jones has been one of Brian Flores’ most trusted defensive coaches the past three seasons, and he also has coached… pic.twitter.com/SZKKFocpgO
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 27, 2026
Austin interviewed for that position last week.
Unless he is retained in that role or another capacity by new coach Mike McCarthy, Austin will be seeking his fourth defensive coordinator position elsewhere. He had that title in Cincinnati and Detroit prior to landing the secondary coach’s job in Pittsburgh back in 2019.
Austin got promoted to defensive coordinator in 2022.
On the move?
A former Steelers assistant coach may be heading to a new spot.
According to Fox’s Jordan Schultz, outside linebackers coach Denzel Martin is interviewing with the Cowboys for that same position in Dallas.
Sources: The #Cowboys requested and have now interview #Steelers OLBs coach Denzel Martin for the same role on their staff.
Martin has been in Pittsburgh since 2016 and worked his way up to OLBs coach, where he’s seen TJ Watt go from a 1st-round pick to one of the NFL’s best… pic.twitter.com/9WhJuvATO4
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) January 26, 2026
Martin has been with the Steelers in various roles since 2016. The 2025 season was his third as Pittsburgh’s OLB coach after previously serving three seasons as the assistant outside linebackers coach (2020-22).
Before that, he spent two seasons as a coaching assistant (2018-19) and two more as the Steelers’ scouting assistant (2016-17).
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• Joe Starkey’s Cup of Joe: Patriots went from great to bad to great again while Steelers stayed the same
Stepping aside
A Steeler is giving up his spot in the Pro Bowl festivities. Defensive back Jalen Ramsey is bowing out.
It’s unclear if Ramsey is giving up his slot because of injury or for some other reason. He’s been named to the Pro Bowl seven other times in the past.
Houston’s Calen Bullock will be replacing Ramsey.
Calen will be replacing Steelers S Jalen Ramsey and Kamari is replacing Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) January 26, 2026
It was Bullock who ran back a fourth-quarter interception for a touchdown during the Texans’ 30-6 beatdown of the Steelers during the AFC playoffs.
Calen Bullock takes it back for six!
HOUvsPIT on ESPN/ABC
Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN App pic.twitter.com/3ma9Dt0g73— NFL (@NFL) January 13, 2026
Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt also pulled out of the Pro Bowl weekend. He’s being replaced by Jacksonville’s Devin Lloyd.
Panthers prowling
The Pitt Panthers basketball team is in desperate need of a victory. Jeff Capel’s club hosts Wake Forest at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
Pitt has lost six of its last seven games. The Panthers are 8-12, 1-6 in ACC play. The Demon Deacons are struggling too. They are 11-9, 2-5 in ACC action, having dropped four of their last five.
Pitt is a 2½-point favorite in the game. The Panthers haven’t won a home game at the Petersen Events Center since a Dec. 17 defeat of Binghamton (103-63). Their only wins since then have been in Hershey over Penn State (80-46) and at Georgia Tech (89-66).
The Panthers have lost four conference games in a row on their home court by a combined 66 points (41 of which were the result of a blowout loss to Louisville, 100-59).
Wake won the lone meeting between the clubs last year, 76-74.