Steelers eye Miami's Mario Cristobal amid coaching search. Insider reports suggest the team's interest in the former Oregon coach for the open position.
The Pittsburgh Steelers missed out on the next potential head coach on Thursday, but a new name surfaced as a possible successor to Mike Tomlin.
According to multiple outlets, the Steelers are interested in University of Miami coach Mario Cristobal. However, the team has neither confirmed their interest nor announced any interviews with Cristobal.
“Not out here trying to play reporter or doing any of that nonsense, but I hear the Steelers are very interested in Mario Cristobal, the coach at the University of Miami,” NFL insider Brian Baldinger said on his The Best Football Show podcast. “I think Mario Cristobal actually would really translate to the NFL. I watched his practice in the spring. The way that Mario coached that team reminded me of what old-school coaches used to do."
Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter will not replace Tomlin, as the Baltimore Ravens hired him to replace John Harbaugh.
Minter became the second candidate interviewed by Pittsburgh to be hired by another team. On Monday, the Dolphins chose Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley to replace Mike McDaniel.
Cristobal led Miami to the CFP championship game, where it lost to Indiana 27-21 on Monday night to conclude the third season as his alma mater’s head coach. Cristobal has also been the head coach at Florida International (2007-12) and Oregon (2018-21) and has a 97-79 record over 13 seasons.
Cristobal is the second college coach linked to the Steelers; they also were rumored to have interest in Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman, who stayed after a contract extension.
During his collegiate playing career, Cristobal was an offensive tackle and part of Miami’s national championship teams in 1989-91. He played professionally with the Amsterdam Admirals in NFL Europe from 1995 96. Cristobal was an assistant coach for six seasons at Miami (1998-2000, 2004-06), three seasons at Rutgers (2001-03), and four at Alabama (2013-16).
Looking at recent transitions from college to the NFL, Chargers’ Jim Harbaugh is currently the only coach to have made the switch. Notably, Harbaugh previously served as an NFL head coach with the 49ers from 2011-14 after his collegiate achievements.
Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver will be the third candidate to interview with Pittsburgh on Friday, following earlier in-person meetings this week with Brian Flores and Mike McCarthy.
The Steelers have interviewed Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak, Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, and Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula via video conference. In-person interviews with the Rams coaches must wait until next week, as Los Angeles faces the Seahawks in the NFC Championship on Sunday.
Many NFL insiders believe that Pittsburgh owner Art Rooney II is leaning toward hiring Shula.