Since Mike McCarthy took over as head coach, the Pittsburgh Steelers have wasted no time reshaping their 2026 coaching staff. After confirming a new defensive coordinator, the franchise has now turned its attention to the strength department, lining up two more hires to keep the changes rolling.

“The #Steelers are expected to hire former #Packers strength and conditioning coordinator Mark Lovat, sources tell @CBSSports,” reported CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz on X.

Soon after, CBS Sports’ Chris Hummer reported the Steelers will also hire Titans’ assistant strength and conditioning coach Grant Thorne.

Naturally, Lovat’s connection to McCarthy stands out. During McCarthy’s full run with the Green Bay Packers, Lovat worked alongside him and handled most of his responsibilities as the strength and conditioning coordinator. Eventually, in 2024, he left Green Bay and joined the Titans in the same assistant strength and conditioning role, adding another stop to his long resume.

Similarly, Thorne brings a familiar background. Like Lovat, he arrived in Tennessee after a long stint with the Packers’ strength staff, where he also crossed paths with McCarthy. Thorne spent a decade in Green Bay from 2013 through 2023 as an assistant strength coach before both men made the move to the Titans.

For now, however, the exact plan inside the Steel City remains unclear. While both Lovat and Thorne served as assistants in Tennessee, no report has clarified who will lead the group. As a result, it remains to be seen whether one earns a promotion or if both will support the unit together at Acrisure Stadium.

Meanwhile, last year’s coordinators have already left the Steelers camp. The 2025 season was a middling mess on both sides of the ball. OC Arthur Smith is now headed to Ohio State. Defensively, Teryl Austin is out too, and has been interviewing for the DC role. With both coordinators gone, Pittsburgh enters the offseason with fresh faces.

The new Steelers additions suggest that changes are coming. With two new names entering the picture, departures from the previous staff feel almost inevitable. Senior Conditioning Coordinator Garrett Giemont, who has been with the Steelers since Mike Tomlin arrived in 2007, remains the longest-tenured member.

However, with Tomlin stepping down, this offseason is in a big transition. With the defensive coordinator’s role filled, the incoming hires of Lovat and Thorne are the next step.

The Steelers announce Patrick Graham as Mike McCarthy’s DC

On Friday afternoon, the Steelers announced Patrick Graham as their new defensive coordinator. Soon after that, head coach Mike McCarthy shared his excitement about Graham’s appointment to the team.

“I’m really excited about the defense. …Defense wins championships,” McCarthy said, as per ESPN. “The history of the Steelers defense and staying with the 3-4 is important, as far as the origin of it. That’s something we have to build off of.”

Graham has experience in both 3-4 and 4-3 systems, something McCarthy can use in the upcoming season.

Back in 2023, his Raiders’ defense was in the league’s top 10, finishing ninth in points allowed after living near the bottom the year before. However, the recent numbers tell a more uneven story.

In 2025, Graham’s defense ranked 13th in yards allowed at 317.8 and ranked 25th in points per game at 25.4. The run defense sat 18th, while the pass coverage struggled badly, landing 29th in completion rate allowed.

Graham’s background carries real weight. Earlier in his career, he sharpened his instincts under Bill Belichick with the Patriots. After that, he crossed paths with Steve Spagnuolo with the Giants and later teamed up with Brian Flores in Miami, and most recently, he worked alongside Pete Carroll.

All in all, Graham joining McCarthy’s staff is a big move ahead of next season for a team that would surely want to leave their mark with their first head coach hired who is not in his 30s in a long time.