A former Detroit Lions assistant coach is unexpectedly back in the headlines.

According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Pittsburgh Steelers have parted ways with senior special teams coach Derius Swinton II.

Schefter reported that the separation was the result of a violation of club policy.

“Pittsburgh Steelers and Sr. special teams coach Derrius Swinton have parted ways due to violation of club policy, per league sources.”

At this time, no additional details regarding the nature of the policy violation have been released.

Swinton Previously Worked for the Detroit Lions

While many Lions fans may not immediately recognize the name, Swinton does have ties to Detroit.

The Lions hired Swinton as an offensive assistant in 2018 during Matt Patricia’s first season as head coach. His stay in Detroit lasted one season before he moved on to other coaching opportunities around the league.

Since leaving Detroit, Swinton has built a lengthy NFL coaching résumé that includes stops with the Steelers, Raiders, Chargers, Cardinals, Bears, Chiefs, Broncos, Rams, and 49ers.

He had most recently served as Pittsburgh’s senior special teams coach.

Steelers Now Face Coaching Vacancy

The timing of the move is notable as teams around the league are currently conducting Organized Team Activities and preparing for mandatory minicamp.

The Steelers will now have to determine how they plan to handle special teams responsibilities moving forward as the 2026 season approaches.

For now, Pittsburgh has not publicly announced a replacement, and further details regarding Swinton’s departure remain unavailable.