Why Chargers Stealing Coach from Steelers is Good News for Future

The Los Angeles Chargers have undergone some major coaching staff changes around Jim Harbaugh this offseason.

Some of that was by Harbaugh’s own design. He fired friend Greg Roman, then brought on former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel to breathe some new life into the offense around Justin Herbert.

Some of it couldn’t be helped. Jesse Minter, as predicted, left to become the next head coach of the Baltimore Ravens. Harbaugh brought back Chris O’Leary from the college ranks to serve as his next defensive coordinator.

Now, O’Leary has spurred yet another change by looking at the Pittsburgh Steelers and swiping one of their key coaches.

Chargers hire Steelers coach

According to NFL reporter Jordan Schultz, the Chargers will hire Steelers outside linebackers coach Denzel Martin as an assistant in the same role in 2026.

At first glance, this doesn’t seem like that big of a deal.

But Martin has been with the Steelers since 2016 and played a direct role in the development of T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and others.

Sources: The #Chargers are hiring former #Steelers OLBs coach Denzel Martin as assistant OLBs coach on Jim Harbaugh’s staff.

Martin was in Pittsburgh since 2016 and has worked with the likes of TJ Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nate Herbig, among others. He now joins the Chargers with… pic.twitter.com/oO0RO6bbo5
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) February 15, 2026

That’s pretty key context to remember for a Chargers team that has Khalil Mack and Odafe Oweh headed to free agency. They certainly want Oweh back after seeing the trade work out so well.

Oweh and Tuli Tuipulotu are the core foundational building blocks of the pass-rush for a long time in Los Angeles. The Chargers going out and getting a guy who has helped some of the NFL’s best develop, then, is a good sign.

Martin helped Watt to four First-Team All-Pro nods and eventually got the 14.5-sack season out of Highsmith in 2022, among other notables. Like plenty of others, he’s on his way out the door with the Mike Tomlin era over and the Mike McCarthy era just getting started in Pittsburgh.

Harbaugh and the Chargers seem to really like Steelers coaches and/or players this offseason, too, albeit quietly. They also recently hired former Steelers linebacker Sean Spence to the coaching staff, too.

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