PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – To get a little perspective before we get to hear from him as the Steelers new defensive coordinator, Patrick Graham had some insight this season about himself and how the defense will play under him. The team confirmed the hire Friday afternoon.
While he didn’t change teams, Graham dealt with change in the 2025 season as Super Bowl champ Pete Carroll came in as Raiders head coach. He made it a priority to retain Graham as he had opportunities elsewhere.
When Graham talks about his defense last year, there is one thing he believes makes a good unit.
“It starts with our effort,” Graham said with the Raiders. “If one thing I've learned it's to make sure to simplify the message and just keep giving it to them. Just keep giving it to them. So, it doesn't have to be 20 buzz words, or some big paragraph or anything. We've got to play with great effort.”
The 47-year-old said while he knew a lot of the players, with a new head coach he had to go over his ground rules for being a good defense. You heard several head coaches from opposing teams comment on how physical and tough the Raiders were despite being the second lowest paid defense in the league.
Linebacker Devin White finished third in the NFL in tackles with 174, Maxx Crosby had 10 sacks and 28 tackles for loss (2nd in the NFL) and Steelers fans know how hard Elandon Roberts plays. He had 90 tackles this season.
“We're building the foundation for being a physical team,” Graham said before the 2025 season began. “We've got to play smart. Those are the things in terms of what we want the defense to look like, and then make the offense earn it. No easy plays, we've got to take away seams, got to take away posts. Can't let them run the ball around the edge.”
One thing Graham says he does after every season, he takes a step back and evaluates himself. Where he can improve as a coach and play-caller, but also what was good and bad with the defense in general.
“Then you've got to look within the league and see what the trends are,” Graham said with the Raiders. “Because if you don't stay ahead of it, you can get in trouble. So, I mean, it's important. You have to ask the players, maybe they can – but we start over every year, so that's a big part of it.”
He said the other 31 teams in the NFL don’t care about your problems or challenges. When you come to a new team, or in the case last year with a new head coach, Graham said he spends a lot of time in the office and, when they can, on the field because they quickly have to get on the same page.
Graham believes he’s had some bosses and peers who have set the path for him.
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"I mean, you've got to look at my career,” Graham said in 2025. “I've been blessed just with the people I've been able to work with. Whether it was from Josh [McDaniels] to AP [Antonio Pierce], working with Flo [Brian Flores], working with Coach [Bill] Belichick, Spags [Steve Spagnuolo]. I mean, I've got a lot of football up in this brain.”
The former Yale defensive lineman and graduate describes himself as a football junkie who doesn’t have any other hobbies. He’s locked into football and now takes over a defense with some big names but not big enough results.