New Colts coach Chuck Pagano is raiding his former AFC North rivals in order to build his new staff.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Steelers linebackers coach Keith Butler will become Pagano’s defensive coordinator in Indianapolis. Butler will fly to Indianapolis on Tuesday to review and sign the contract. The team is also expected to hire Bruce Arians as offensive coordinator after the Steelers made him “retire.”
The Steelers prevented Butler from taking a coordinator job with the Cardinals in the past, but his contract was up this year. They reportedly didn’t want to lose him, but he wanted to become a coordinator. Pagano, Arians, and Butler all worked under Butch Davis on Cleveland’s staff in 2001.
Even though Pagano talked about building around the players he has, hiring Butler is a sign this will be a 3-4 defense sooner than later.
Pittsburgh has lost a lot of coaching talent lately. Ray Horton left for Arizona last year. Butler is now in Indianapolis and the Steelers have a vacancy at offensive coordinator.
UPDATE 12:12 p.m. ET: Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says via Butler this isn’t a done deal just yet. But it sounds like a “formality” before he takes the job.