Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Patrick Graham is already envisioning his life after football, but fans can take a deep breath; he is not stepping away anytime soon.
Ahead of the team’s upcoming international showdown in Paris, France, the veteran coach brought up his post-coaching retirement plans with a laugh. Having already coached in three NFL international series games across London, twice at Wembley Stadium and once at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Graham expressed genuine excitement about adding Paris to his personal travel list.
“I've told you, that's where I'm going when I retire, I'm out of here,” Graham joked to reporters. “Somewhere in Europe, so, to be able to be a part of it, I've been a part of three games, you know. Wembley twice, in Tottenham one time, and to be in Paris to play a game, this is going to be pretty cool.”
Before packing any bags for France, Graham’s unit had to orchestrate a dramatic second-half turnaround. The Pittsburgh Steelers rallied from a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit to pull off a thrilling 26-19 overtime victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
Graham brought relentless heat in the fourth quarter and overtime, dialing up clever simulated pressures to throw Tampa Bay off rhythm. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey spearheaded the effort with a dominant stat line, racking up 10 tackles, four tackles for loss, and two sacks, including the game-ending sack in extra time. Outside linebacker Nick Herbig chipped in with two sacks of his own as Pittsburgh shut down the Buccaneers when it mattered most.
On the other side of the ball, rookie wide receiver Germie Bernard made history with a team rookie record 11 catches for 87 yards and a touchdown, while kicker Chris Boswell provided four clutch field goals.
Riding high off their first 13-plus point fourth-quarter comeback since 1992, Graham and the Steelers are taking their momentum overseas. If his defense keeps delivering game-winning plays like Sunday’s, Graham might end up putting those European retirement dreams on hold just a bit longer.