Report: Steelers interviewing assistant for his first NFL coaching job

CJ Ah You spent three years as a depth piece for the then-St. Louis Rams before getting into coaching at the college level, as well as one year in the now-defunct XFL 2.0. In 2024, he held the title of interim defensive coordinator for the Texas Tech Red Raiders before going back to his role as outside linebackers coach. Now, he is interviewing for the same position, but at a higher level. 

The fact that Ah You is interviewing with another team shows that there is some interest around the NFL, as opposed to the Steelers just reaching for options. Unlike nearly every other coach currently hired, he has no connection to McCarthy, so this took some actual research to find, and in many cases, that can turn out better than just hiring an old friend that the head coach used to work with on another team. 

Steelers hope for perfect mix of youth and experience with Ah You

During his coaching career, Ah You has worked with special teams, defensive line, and outside linebackers. He was an interim defensive coordinator, as mentioned before, so he has a little bit of experience with the whole unit. Despite all that, he is still 43, so there is still a lot for him to learn. Getting his first shot at the NFL will help him learn, and he will be leading the most stacked outside linebacker group in the league.