Raiders to Hire Away Steelers Assistant Coach

Originally appeared at Steelers Now: Raiders to Hire Away Steelers Assistant Coach

The Las Vegas Raiders are hiring Pittsburgh Steelers assistant coach Gerald Alexander as their safeties coach, according to a report by Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network.

Alexander has spend the last two seasons as the Steelers’ assistant defensive backs coach. He also interviewed for the New England Patriots defensive coordinator position this offseason and will be working with the linebackers at the East-West Shrine Bowl next week.
A former NFL safety for the Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina Panthers, Miami Dolphins and New York Jets, Alexander joined the Steelers’ staff in 2022 on the recommendation of Brian Flores, who he had worked for in Miami. 

Alexander spent the last two seasons working as the team’s assistant defensive backs coach under Grady Brown, usually working with the safeties and slot cornerbacks. He coached Minkah Fitzpatrick to an All-Pro selection in 2022 and consecutive Pro Bowl nominations, as well as helped keep the Steelers’ safety position intact in the face of a huge slate of injuries in 2023, with Fitzpatrick, Keanu Neal, Trenton Thompson, Elijah Riley all missing time and Damontae Kazee serving a three-game suspension.

Before his two seasons with the Dolphins under Flores, Alexander coached at Arkansas State, Washington, Indiana State, Montana State and California at the collegiate level and interned with the Tennessee Titans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

It’s unclear if Alexander was still under contract with the Steelers. Because Alexander will be moving from an assistant position coach to a full position coach, he would be free to move to another team, anyway.

Alexander is the third coach to officially depart the Steelers following the end of the 2023 season, following offensive assistant Glenn Thomas and strength and conditioning coach Marcel Pastoor.