Texas Tech's coaching star C.J. Ah You brings a proven track record of developing elite talent to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
New Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebackers coach C.J. Ah You is returning to the NFL. The Steelers hope Ah You has as much success in the pros as he did in college.
Ah You spent the last four seasons as the outside linebackers coach at Texas Tech. The Red Raiders made three bowl appearances, winning twice, and received a College Football Playoff bid last season.
In 2025, Texas Tech went 12-2 and won the Big 12 championship. The Red Raiders lost to Miami 23-0 in the Orange Bowl in the CFP quarterfinals.
Under the guidance of Ah You, Tyree Wilson developed into a first-team All-American, an All-Big 12 first-team honoree, and set the conference record for tackles for loss per game. He was the first edge rusher to be a first-team All-American for Texas Tech since Montae Reagor in 1998. Wilson was the seventh overall pick in the 2023 draft by the Las Vegas Raiders.
Ah You was a linebacker collegiately at Oklahoma. He was the Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year in 2005 and an all-Big 12 first-team selection in 2006. The Bills selected Ah You in the seventh round of the 2007 draft, but he did not play a regular-season game with Buffalo.
Ah You went on to play three seasons with the St. Louis Rams from 2009-11. He appeared in 33 games and made three starts.
Ah You began his coaching career at the college level as a defensive quality control assistant at Oklahoma (2014-15), then served as the defensive line coach at Vanderbilt (2016-18).
In 2019, Ah You moved to the professional ranks and spent two seasons in the XFL as the New York Guardians’ defensive line coach. He then completed a minority coaching internship with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2020 and served as the defensive quality coach at USC in 2021.
Ah You joins the coaching staff of Mike McCarthy, who was hired last month after Mike Tomlin resigned following 19 seasons. The rest of the staff includes offensive coordinator: Brian Angelichio, quarterbacks coach Tom Arth, offensive line coach James Campen, running backs coach Ramon Chinyoung Sr., wide receivers coach Adam Henry, tight ends coach Robert Kugler, senior offensive assistant Frank Cignetti Jr., game management/quarterbacks coach Tim Berbenich, assistant offensive line coach Jahri Evans, offensive quality control coach Eric Simonelli, defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, assistant head coach/secondary coach Joe Whitt Jr., defensive pass-game coordinator/defensive backs coach Jason Simmons, defensive line coach Domata Peko, inside linebackers coach Scott McCurley, defensive assistant Shawn Howe, defensive assistant: Pat Reilly, special teams coordinator Danny Crossman and senior special teams assistant Derius Swinton II.
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