Ah You spent time as a defensive end with the Buffalo Bills and St. Louis Rams from 2007-11. In 33 NFL games, he started three, recording 41 total tackles, six sacks, seven tackles for loss, 13 quarterback hits, three passes defended and one forced fumble. All of his regular-season appearances came with the Rams between 2009-11.
Since his playing days, Ah You has built a college coaching résumé, including stops at Oklahoma, Vanderbilt and USC, and most recently spent the past four seasons coaching outside linebackers at Texas Tech. He also spent a season in the XFL with the New York Guardians in 2020.
There is some uncertainty around the outside linebackers coach role, as MontanaSports.com’s Slim Kimmel reported that Shawn Howe, the Montana State defensive coordinator, was joining the Steelers as outside linebackers coach. Pittsburgh has not officially announced Howe, so it remains unclear whether he’ll join, or if he and Ah You will split duties.
Entering 2026, Pittsburgh’s edge-rushing depth remains a focal point. T.J. Watt is still a Pro Bowl-caliber player, but his production dipped in 2025, posting seven sacks, 10 tackles for loss and 19 quarterback hits across 14 games (he missed three games due to lung surgery). Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig return as the presumptive starters opposite Watt, with Jack Sawyer showing promise as a rookie.
Ah You’s hiring would add to a revamped edge-rushing room as the Steelers look to maximize Watt’s impact and distribute opportunities across a growing group, including potential increased playing time for Sawyer. The Steelers’ coaching alignment for outside linebackers could influence how they deploy their pass rush in 2026.
