According to a Thursday morning report by Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, Karl Dunbar, who is currently an Alabama assistant coach, is in discussions with the Pittsburgh Steelers to be their next defensive line coach.
Sources: Alabama assistant (and Former Rex Ryan assistant) Karl Dunbar is in discussions with the #Steelers to be their next defensive line coach.
— Manish Mehta (@MMehtaNYDN) February 8, 2018
If this report is true, it could mean that current Steelers defensive line coach John Mitchell might be retiring, or isn’t having his contract renewed, or that he might be retiring after the 2018 season. Mitchell has been the Steelers defensive line coach since 1994. According to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Mitchell is likely staying on the Steelers staff.
Confirming report by @MMehtaNYDN that Karl Dunbar interviewing for defensive coaching position with Steelers. He has been a DL coach. Current DL coach John Mitchell likely staying on
— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) February 8, 2018
DL coach John Mitchell is not being let go or retiring. He will be with Steelers in 2018. But they are looking at candidates to come in and perhaps tutor under him till he retires.
— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) February 8, 2018
Dunbar has been the Alabama defensive line coach for the past two seasons and prior to that he spent one season with the Buffalo Bills, three seasons with the New York Jets and 6 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings.
In 2006, when Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was the Vikings defensive coordinator, Dunbar was hired to be the Minnesota defensive line coach.
On Wednesday, Steelers team president Art Rooney II indicated that the organization was still working on some contracts and said Tomlin may add another coach somewhere because they did not replace former offensive coordinator Todd Haley with an outsider recently.
Dunbar, who played three seasons in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals, was selected originally by the Steelers in the eighth round, 209th overall, of the 1990 NFL Draft out of LSU.
UPDATE: This is reportedly a done deal now, according to AL.com, and thus the Steelers are expected to announce the move very soon.
