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Mar 22, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans defensive line coach Shawn Howe at spring practice at Howard Jones Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Steelers Add College Coach to Defensive Staff

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI
By Dominic Campbell | Last updated Feb 4, 2026 5:38 PM ET

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers continue adding to their coaching staff, as they fill roles still vacant for 2026.

The Steelers are set to hire Montana State defensive coordinator Shawn Howe as a coach to their defensive staff, according to Slim Kimmel of MTN Sports. His role will be coaching outside linebackers coach and defensive ends.

Howe has spent the past two decades working in various coaching roles, most of them on defense and at different levels of college football.

Denzel Martin previously served as the Steelers outside linebackers coach the past three seasons. He also just finished his 10th season with the Steelers, working as the assistant outside linebackers coach, 2020-22, and as both a coaching assistant, 2018-19, and a scouting assistant, 2016-17.

Shawn Howe Coaching Background

Howe just completed his first season as defensive coordinator, but was in his fifth season at Montana State. He served as the defensive run game coordinator/defensive line coach for four seasons, 2021-24, and also as the co-defensive coordinator in 2024.

Montana State excelled under his tutelage, making the FCS National Championship Game the past two seasons and beating Illinois State, 35-34 in overtime in 2025 for the program's second National Title.

Mark Zaleski / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Howe also led a few players to All-American honors, including defensive end Brody Grebe three times and both defensive tackle Chase Benson and defensive tackle Daniel Hardy once.

His coaching stops have come all over, spending four seasons at USC over two stints, working as a defensive graduate assistant on the defensive line, 2011-12, and as a defensive analyst, 2019-20.

Howe started his coaching career at NAIA program Rocky Mountain College, working as an outside linebackers coach for two seasons, 2004-05, after he played for the school.

He worked for NC State as a volunteer assistant on the defensive line (2006), three seasons at Memphis as a defensive graduate assistant (2007-08), then a tight end graduate assistant (2009) and also as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Tennessee in 2010.

Howe then worked for Division II programs in Humboldt State as a defensive line coach, 2013-14, and for Dixie State as an assistant head coach and defensive coordinator, 2015-17. He also worked as a defensive line coach for Coastal Carolina in 2018.