With the finalization of the team’s coaching staff, the Steelers added the following: tight ends coach Rob Kugler, outside linebackers coach C.J. Ah You, senior special teams assistant Derius Swinton II, game management/quarterbacks Tim Berbenich, senior offensive assistant Frank Cignetti Jr., offensive quality control coach Eric Simonelli, and defensive assistant Shawn Howe.
The team also announced their strength and conditioning staff, which includes head strength and conditioning coach Mark Lovat, director of performance integration/sports science Grant Thorne, and assistant strength and conditioning coaches Justus Galac and Abe Munayer.
Kugler spent the last two seasons (2024-25) as assistant offensive line coach for the New England Patriots.
In 2025, the Patriots, who reached Super Bowl LX, were ranked first in the AFC in overall offense and passing offense, and third in rushing offense. The unit finished the season ranked third in the NFL in overall offense, fourth in passing and sixth in rushing.
The Patriots were first in passing net yards per play, second in total yards per play, third in total yards per game, fourth in passing net yards per game, fifth in first downs per game and sixth in rushing yards per game in the NFL last season.
Prior to his time with the Patriots, he spent two seasons as the assistant offensive line coach for the Carolina Panthers (2022-23). He was the assistant offensive line coach for the Houston Texans in 2021.
Kugler broke into the coaching ranks at the college level, first as a graduate assistant and tight ends coach at the University of Texas at El Paso in 2017. He spent the 2018-19 seasons at the University of Washington as a graduate assistant. In 2020, he was an offensive quality control coach Appalachian State.
Kugler played college football at Purdue (2012-15) where he started 43 consecutive games at center and was a two-time team captain. He was signed by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2016, spending training camp with the team.
Kugler played football at North Allegheny High School in the Pittsburgh area for his senior year while his father, Sean Kugler, was the Steelers offensive line coach.
Ah You spent the last four seasons (2022-25) as the outside linebackers coach at Texas Tech.
During his time at Texas Tech, the Red Raiders made three bowl appearances, with two victories. They defeated Ole Miss in the TaxAct Texas Bowl and beat Cal in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl.
Texas Tech is also one of only two schools in the Big 12 Conference to post a winning league record in each of the last three seasons.
In 2022, Texas Tech led the Big 12 Conference and were ranked 18th in the FBS for tackles for a loss with 91. In the Texas Bowl the Red Raiders had eight tackles for a loss, with young players Myles Cole and Isaac Smith emerging for the defense.
Under the guidance of Ah You, Tyree Wilson developed into a first team All-American, an All-Big 12 first team honoree, and was the Big 12 leader in tackles for loss per game. He was the first defensive end or outside linebacker to earn first team All-America honors for the Red Raiders since 1998. Wilson was selected seventh overall in the 2023 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders.
In addition, Cole was selected in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Cole transferred to Texas Tech after starting his college career at Louisiana-Monroe and grew under Ah You’s teaching.
Prior to joining Texas Tech, Ah You was the defensive quality control coach at USC (2021), minority coaching intern for the Los Angeles Chargers (2020), defensive line coach for the XFL’s New York Guardians (2019-20), defensive line coach at Vanderbilt (2016-18) and defensive quality control assistant at Oklahoma (2014-15).
Ah You finished his college career at Oklahoma where he was the Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year as a junior in 2005 and All-Big 12 first team selection in 2006.
He was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft.
Swinton was the Las Vegas Raiders interim special teams coordinator in 2025, promoted in mid-season, after being the Raiders assistant special teams coach since 2023.
In 2025, the Raiders were ranked sixth in kickoff return, while in 2024 Swinton helped punter A.J. Cole to a league-high and single-season career best 50.8 gross punting average. Cole also finished seventh in the NFL with a 42.5 net punt average. Kicker Daniel Carlson also became the 15th player in NFL history to reach 800 career points in his first seven seasons.
During the 2023 season, Swinton worked with the special teams unit that were among the best in the NFL and helped Cole earn his third straight Pro Bowl appearance.
Prior to his time with the Raiders, Swinton was the special teams coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2021. Swinton oversaw an improvement in the Chargers special teams performance in both the kicking and return game in his one season. The Chargers went from 29th in the NFL in field goal percentage to nine in one season, while the kickoff return team went from 15th to fourth in his lone season.
Swinton spent time with the Arizona Cardinals as part of the Bill Walsh NFL diversity coaching fellowship in 2019 and was the team’s assistant special teams coach in 2020.
Swinton spent one season as an offensive assistant for the Detroit Lions (2018), but the rest of his career was focused on special teams.
In 2016, Swinton was the special teams coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers kickoff coverage improved from 25th fewest average return yards allowed to fifth fewest in his one season.
Swinton had roles as assistant special teams coach, including the Chicago Bears (2015, 2017) and Denver Broncos (2013-14). In addition, he was the special teams quality control coach for the Kansas City Chiefs (2012) and Los Angeles Rams (2009-11). He began his coaching career as a defensive graduate assistant for the University of Tennessee (2007-08).
Swinton was a standout at Hampton University for both the football and basketball teams.
Berbenich spent the last two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons as the pass game specialist/game management.
In 2025, the Falcons were ranked 14th in total offense. In 2024, the Falcons finished sixth in total offense, moving up from a 17th ranking prior to Berbenich’s arrival.
Prior to joining the Falcons, Berbenich was a coaching analyst for the Los Angeles Rams in 2023.
Berbenich spent one season with the Houston Texans (2022) as the team’s tight end coach. Tight end Jordan Akins had 37 receptions for 495 yards and five touchdowns, while leading all tight ends with a 13.4-yard per catch average.
He spent three seasons as the offensive quality control coach for the Las Vegas Raiders (2018-20), and one season as the team’s running backs coach. Under his guidance Josh Jacobs rushed for 872 yards and nine touchdowns.
Berbenich spent five seasons with the Indianapolis Colts in multiple roles, including offensive assistant (2013-14), offensive assistant/assistant quarterbacks (2016-17) and defensive assistant (2015).
In addition, he spent six seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in multiple roles, including offensive quality control coach (2006-07), assistant running backs coach (2008) and assistant receivers coach (2009-11).
Berbenich broke into the NFL as an offensive assistant with the New York Jets (2003-04) and offensive quality control coach (2005).
Cignetti was the offensive coordinator at his alma mater, Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2025.
Cignetti, a Pittsburgh native, spent the 2022-23 seasons as the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at the University of Pittsburgh. He was also the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach for Pitt in 2009-10, and a graduate assistant at Pitt in 1989.
Cignetti brings a mix of professional and college experience with him. He has 24 years of experience coaching on the college level, 11 years in the NFL.
He has been an offensive coordinator at eight different places, seven in college and one in the NFL, with the Los Angeles Rams in 2015. Among the quarterbacks he has worked with are Aaron Rodgers and Eli Manning.
Prior to his arrival at Pitt, Cignetti was the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Boston College. While with the Eagles, quarterback Phil Jurkovec ranked among the ACC’s top quarterbacks as a first-year starter.
Cignetti was the quarterbacks coach for the Green Bay Packers in 2018 under Coach Mike McCarthy. While with the Packers he worked with Rodgers, who was the Steelers starting quarterback in 2025.
Cignetti’s NFL resume includes working as the quarterbacks coach for the New York Giants (2016-17) and Los Angeles Rams (2012-14). He was also the Rams offensive coordinator in 2015.
He also was the quarterbacks coach for the San Francisco 49ers (2007) and New Orleans Saints (2000-01). He entered the NFL as a quality control coach for the Kansas City Chiefs in 1999.
Cignetti’s college rounds also included Rutgers (2011) where he was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, California (2008) as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach, North Carolina (2006), as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach, Fresno State (2002-05) as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach.
In addition, he coached at his alma mater, Indiana University of Pa., where he was the receivers coach (1990-92), secondary coach (1993-94), quarterbacks coach (1995-96), offensive coordinator and quarterbacks (1997-98).
Simonelli was the assistant linebackers coach at TCU in 2025, part of a coaching staff that led the team to a No. 25 ranking in the Associated Press poll and an Alamo Bowl championship.
Prior to his time at TCU, Simonelli spent six years with the Dallas Cowboys in a variety of roles.
He started in 2019 as a football research assistant and was promoted to special teams quality control coach/football analytics under Coach Mike McCarthy in 2020. He spent the 2021 season as the offensive quality control coach/football analytics, before moving to defensive quality control coach/football analytics in 2022, where he has remained ever since.
Simonelli was a student assistant coach at Wesleyan University from 2017-19, and an independent football research consultant for the San Francisco 49ers in 2018.
Howe has been at Montana State since 2021, serving as the defensive coordinator in 2025.
In 2024, when he was the co-defensive coordinator, Montana State had a school-record 15 wins, including winning the Big Sky Championship, and finished 11th in scoring defense (18.1) and 24th in rushing defense (121.2) in the FCS. They were also first in the Big Sky in sacks.
In his role as defensive run game coordinator/defensive line (2021-24), the defense led the FCS with 3.42 sacks per game in 2023. They were also 21st with 6.8 tackles for a loss per game, leading the Big Sky in both categories.
In 2022, the defense helped lead them to another Big Sky Championship, leading the conference in rushing defense.
Prior to his time at Montana State, he was a defensive analyst at USC (2019-20), defensive line coach at Coastal Carolina (2018), assistant head coach/defensive coordinator Dixie State (now Utah Tech, 2015-17), defensive line coach Humboldt State (2013-14), defensive graduate assistant/defensive line at USC (2011-12), assistant strength and conditioning coach at Tennessee (2010), graduate assistant at Memphis (2007-09), volunteer assistant at North Carolina State (2006), and outside linebackers coach at his alma mater Rocky Mountain College (2004-05).
Lovat spent the last two seasons with the Tennessee Titans as the assistant strength and conditioning coach.
Prior to his time with the Titans, he spent 25 years with the Green Bay Packers, where he worked with Coach Mike McCarthy.
Lovat was the Packers strength and conditioning assistant for 16 seasons, and the team’s strength and conditioning coordinator from 2010-2018.
Lovat was named the NFL Strength Coach of the Year by the Professional Football Strength and Conditioning Coach Society in 2011, and they also honored him with the Super Bowl Achievement Award in 2010.
Lovat attended Butler University where he played baseball. He is the son of longtime NFL offensive line coach Tom Lovat, who worked for the Packers, Arizona Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts and Seattle Seahawks.
Thorne spent the last two years with the Tennessee Titans, after spending 11 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, where he worked with head coach Mike McCarthy.
Thorne was with the Packers from 2015-2023 as a strength and conditioning assistant. He spent the 2013-14 season as a strength and conditioning consultant for the Packers.
Thorne also spent time at Purdue University as a sports performance coach (2011-14), Stanford University as assistant performance coach (2011) and New York Jets as performance and monitoring assistant (2010).
Thorne played college football at Long Beach City College (2004-05) and Nicholls State (2006-07), and also played in the Arena Football League and for Rugby Union’s Sedgley Park Tigers.
Galac is in his third season as strength and conditioning assistant. He also spent the 2021 season with the team as a seasonal strength and conditioning assistant.
Galac spent two seasons (2022-23) as the assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Temple University football team.
Prior to that he spent nine seasons with the New York Jets (2012-20), including eight as the team’s head strength and conditioning coach.
He also spent seven seasons at Villanova University (2005-12), where he was the head strength and conditioning coach and the defensive line coach. He graduated from SUNY-Brockport where he was a member of the football team.
Munayer had been the Head of Athletic Performance, Olympic Sports at San Jose State since 2021, overseeing all 21 Olympic Sports at the school. His responsibilities also included management of daily operations of the athletic performance facility, as well as overseeing men’s basketball and track & field athletic performance. He took part in a strength and conditioning fellowship with the Green Bay Packers in 2021 during Organized Team Activities (OTAs).
Munayer spent four years at the City College of San Francisco at the Director of Strength and Conditioning, where he oversaw the football program in addition to other sports.In addition, he spent time at Stanford University (2017-18) as sports performance coach and the University of California, Berkeley (2014-17) as strength and conditioning coach.
Munayer worked with the Cleveland Browns in the summer of 2014 as part of the Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship. He was a strength and conditioning intern at Stanford in 2014, and got his start at Texas Tech where he was a strength and conditioning intern and graduate research and teaching assistant in 2013.