Steelers hiring Brian Angelichio to be offensive coordinator

Gerry Dulac and Ray Fittipaldo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Feb 4, 2026

Published in Football

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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed Minnesota Vikings tight ends coach Brian Angelichio to be Mike McCarthy’s offensive coordinator and hired former Washington Commanders defensive assistant Joe Whitt Jr. as assistant head coach/secondary, the team announced Wednesday.

Angelichio, 53, was McCarthy’s tight ends coach for three seasons in Green Bay (2016-2018) and spent the past four seasons as the Vikings’ pass game coordinator/tight ends coach. He also spent five seasons at Pitt as a tight ends coach (2006-2010).

Even though McCarthy will call the plays, being an offensive coordinator on his staff has been beneficial for the past two coaches to hold that position. Kellen Moore (Saints) and Brian Schottenheimer (Cowboys) each went on to become an NFL head coach.

Whitt, 47, spent the past two seasons as the Commanders’ pass game coordinator/secondary coach, but was with McCarthy for 11 seasons in Green Bay as a cornerbacks coach/pass-game coordinator.

Meantime, Montana State defensive coordinator Shawn Hoqwe said on social media he has been hired as the outside linebackers/edge rushers coach with the Steelers.

The Steelers also officially announced the hiring of former Pitt cornerback Danny Crossman as special teams coordinator, former Bengals defensive lineman Domata Peko as defensive line coach and Pat Reilly as defensive quality control. Crossman played at Pitt when McCarthy was a grad assistant on the staff.

Angelichio didn’t call plays with the Vikings, but as pass-game coordinator he helped to resurrect Sam Darnold’s career in 2024. Darnold finished fifth in passing yards (4,319) and touchdowns (35) and sixth in passer rating (102.5) after six mostly pedestrian years with three different teams in the league.

His performance earned him a three-year, $100.5 million contract in free agency with the Seattle Seahawks, and he is one of the top MVP candidates after leading the Seahawks to the Super Bowl.

It will be curious to see if Angelichio’s tight-end background will lead to more catches for Pat Freiermuth, something that didn’t occur under Arthur Smith, who had a similar background as a tight ends coach.

With the Vikings, tight end T.J. Hockenson was third on the team in targets each of the past two seasons, despite playing in an offense with wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.

In 2023, when Jefferson missed seven games, Hockenson led the team in targets (127) and receptions (95) and was second in receiving yards (960) and touchdowns (five).

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