Steelers make official promotion of Adrian Klemm to offensive line coach

After the public backing of some former and current Pittsburgh Steelers offensive linemen, Adrian Klemm’s promotion to the team’s offensive line coach became official Tuesday. News had leaked of the move involving the former assistant offensive line coach Monday, and the Steelers touted Klemm’s developmental bona fides in a press release announcing the move.

Klemm, according to the Steelers, coached seven linemen who would be drafted by NFL teams and four others who would stick as undrafted free agents over his five seasons as UCLA’s offensive line coach. Prior to Klemm’s arrival, UCLA had gone a streak of a dozen years without a lineman being drafted.

Also holding titles of associate head coach and run game coordinator at UCLA, Klemm also was recognized as one of the Pac 12’s best recruiters. But before being hired by the Steelers in 2019, Klemm’s lone coaching experience outside of UCLA was four prior years at SMU.

Klemm was out of coaching in 2017-18 while serving a show-cause penalty from the NCAA relating to recruiting violations while at UCLA. In 2019, Klemm and former Bruins coach Jim Mora were named in three civil suits that alleged bullying and a cavalier attitude toward head injuries. The pending suits sought $15 million in damages.

But Klemm apparently impressed the Steelers in his two seasons on staff as an assistant to Shaun Sarrett, who was let go last month after a season in which the Steelers finished dead last in the NFL in rushing.

The Steelers reportedly interviewed multiple candidates from outside the organization after parting ways with Sarrett on Jan. 14, so circling back to an internal hire 2 ½ weeks later spawned some curiosity. Klemm, though, got an endorsement from longtime Steelers guard Ramon Foster.

“Klemm is the BEST option,” read a message on the verified Twitter account of Foster, who retired last year after 11 years with the Steelers. “Having been around him, he’s a guy who gets it and knows how to challenge everyone in the room with an ego removed. Solid solid hire. With the room transitioning soon, he’s the guy for the job. I co-sign this.”

“Y’all are going to like Klemm!” read another tweet of Foster’s. “Trust me.”

Three offensive linemen who started games in 2020 for the Steelers are free agents — opening-day tackles Alejendro Villanueva and Zach Banner, and tackle/guard Matt Feiler. Also, perennial Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey could be mulling retirement. Another starter, right guard David DeCastro, is 31 and coming off what was not his best season.

Chuks Okorafor, who started the season’s final 15 games at right tackle, posted complimentary messages about Klemm on his verified Instagram account.

Another former Steelers offensive lineman approved of the move to promote Klemm.

“Was hoping he got the job,” read a message posted the verified Twitter account of Super Bowl-winning guard Trai Essex. “There is no substitute as a coach when your players look at you and know that you’ve seen and done it before. Klemm was a part of some great OLs & teams when he played so he knows what it’s supposed to look like.”

A 43-year-old Los Angeles native, Klemm earned three Super Bowl rings as a lineman for the New England Patriots, mostly in a backup role during the 2000’s.

Essex credited Klemm for the strong season by rookie fourth-round pick Kevin Dotson, who started four games and is the heir apparent to Feiler at left guard.

Presumably, the Steelers now will search for an assistant for Klemm, although there is no guarantee they will fill that position. The team still hasn’t named replacements for former defensive backs coach Tom Bradley or former quarterbacks coach Matt Canada. Canada was promoted to offensive coordinator last month.

Note: The Steelers on Tuesday also announced the signing of tackle Aviante Collins to a reserve/future deal. The 6-foot-4, 292-pound Collins spent parts of the past four seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, with whom he signed in 2017 as an undrafted free agent out of TCU. He has appeared in five career NFL regular-season games.

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