Eric Simonelli, the Horned Frogs' assistant linebackers coach, is leaving TCU to return to the NFL.
After a brief stint in Fort Worth, Eric Simonelli is headed back to the NFL.
Simonelli was the assistant linebacker's coach for Sonny Dykes at TCU, but now reunites with his boss from before his work began with the Horned Frogs.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, now led by former Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy, are set to hire Simonelli to be a quality control coach - the same position Simonelli held in Dallas while McCarthy was in charge.
The news comes first from CBS Sports insider Matt Zenitz.
McCarthy is hoping to bring as much familiarity as he can to his hometown team after taking a year off in 2025.
The Steelers organization is also one that has thrived on familiarity and continuity.
"Big Mike" is just the fourth Pittsburgh head coach over the last 57 years following Chuck Noll (1969-91), Bill Cowher (1992-06) and Mike Tomlin (2007-25).
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The Steelers have also poached another position coach from a Texas-based university, hiring CJ Ah-You from Texas Tech to lead the outside linebackers.
Simonelli worked on a TCU defense in 2025 that ranked ninth in the Big 12 in overall defense at 25.3 opponent points per game. The Horned Frogs ended the season 9-4 after an upset win in the Alamo Bowl over USC, topping the Trojans 30-27 on Dec. 30.
With the Cowboys from 2019-21, Simonelli spent time at multiple areas of the team as an assistant to the head coach McCarthy. He now returns to the NFL ranks to help a Pittsburgh defense that features star pass rusher T.J. Watt.
The Steelers finished first in the AFC North with another winning record under Tomlin (something he's never not had) at 10-7. Pittsburgh would ultimately lose big in the Wild Card round, 30-6, to the Houston Texans.
McCarthy takes over one of the worst passing defenses in the NFL from last season (29th with 4,146 passing yards allowed). The run defense ranked 13th in yards and third in touchdowns given up.