Steelers look set to raid the Rams for the NFL’s brightest defensive mind and leave Sean McVay looking for answers

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a franchise built on three things.

Stability, defense, and a knack for identifying young coaching talent before the rest of the world catches on.

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For the first time in nearly two decades, the Steelers are searching for a head coach to succeed Mike Tomlin, and according to NFL insider Albert Breer, one name has risen to the top of the list: Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula.

On the surface, it might look like a search for a familiar mold.

But look deeper, and you’ll see that hiring Shula isn’t just about sticking to a franchise pattern—it’s about a calculated gamble on a defensive mastermind who could define the next era of Pittsburgh football.

It’s no secret that the Rooney family has a type and Chris Shula fits it like a custom-tailored suit.

He is 39 years old, defensive-minded, and has never held a head coaching position. If that sounds familiar, it’s because it’s the exact resume Tomlin, Bill Cowher, and Chuck Noll had when they were hired.

But Shula offers more than just a matching profile; he offers a schematic marriage that makes too much sense to ignore.

As The Athletic’s Robert Mays recently pointed out, Shula is a “front-first” defensive coach. In Los Angeles, he built a defense that wins in the trenches.

In Pittsburgh, he would inherit T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Cam Heyward. Shula doesn’t need to rebuild the Steelers’ identity; he needs to optimize it.

Tomlin was at the helm for 19 seasons and never posted a losing record, won a Super Bowl, and was as consistent as they came. But it became clear that his message had grown stale, and it was naturally time for a change.

Tomlin and the Steelers have not won a playoff game since 2016. It was time for a new voice — and that new voice may be the next great coach. After all, it’s in Shula’s blood.

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His grandfather, the legendary Don Shula, worked with Chuck Noll. His father, David, worked with former Steelers GM Kevin Colbert. The Steelers value “football people,” and Shula has the sport in his DNA.

He understands the pressure of a legacy, which is exactly what he’ll be stepping into in the Steel City.

If the Steelers land Shula, the celebration in Pittsburgh will be matched only by the mourning in Los Angeles. For Sean McVay and the Rams, losing Shula would be a gut punch to a team currently in the midst of a deep playoff run and one win away from returning to the Super Bowl.

Shula has been the architect of a Rams defense that defied expectations this season.

Following the retirement of Aaron Donald, many expected the L.A. defense to crater. Instead, Shula transformed a young, unheralded group into a unit that just stifled the Chicago Bears to punch a ticket to the NFC Championship game.

Losing Shula goes beyond what he brings to the X’s and O’s. McVay has been vocal about Shula’s leadership and his ability to get the absolute maximum out of every player in the room.

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In an era where the Rams are constantly being raided for offensive talent from their coaching staff, losing their defensive anchor would force a massive reset for a team that finally found its defensive identity post-Donald.

The Steelers are known for their patience, and Breer suggests they are willing to wait until the Rams’ season concludes to get their man.

It’s a calculated wait.

By hiring Shula, Pittsburgh isn’t just getting a coach; they’re getting a strategist who understands how to win with a dominant front—a philosophy that has been the heartbeat of the North Shore for fifty years.

For the Steelers, it’s the perfect hire. For the Rams, it’s the price of success. But if Chris Shula is half as good as the hype suggests, Pittsburgh is about to find its next long-term leader.

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