Steelers mysteriously fire coach after just three-plus months

Nypost · May 29, 2026 · 231 words · By Michael Blinn

Personnel Misconduct NFL Coaching Changes

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What to know about Personnel Misconduct

Mike McCarthy’s first Steelers staff has already taken a hit.

Claims checked 9

Techniques found 1

Topics 2

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

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Center0%

Right100%

1 source compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Mike McCarthy’s first Steelers staff has already taken a hit.

Why it matters

The team parted with senior special teams coach Derius Swinton on Friday due to mysterious a violation of club policy, according to reports.

Common ground

There is no mention of which specific policy Swinton is alleged to have violated, though ESPN reports it was due to “workplace misconduct.” The move comes in the midst of Pittsburgh’s organized team activities, just 3 1/2 months after Swinton came aboard the…

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Personnel Misconduct story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that ESPN reports it was due to “workplace misconduct.”?
How does this story connect Personnel Misconduct with NFL Coaching Changes over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/05/29/sports/steelers-mysteriously-fire-coach-after-just…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 70% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 9 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 6

verified Verified By Reference 2

help Insufficient Evidence 1

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Claim 1: “ESPN reports it was due to “workplace misconduct.””

CORROBORATED

Multiple reports from ESPN (including Brooke Pryor) explicitly state that the dismissal was due to 'workplace misconduct.'

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2015 season was the Denver Broncos' 46th season in the National Football League (NFL) and the 56th overall. It was also the fourth season with Peyton Manning as the team's starting quarterback, as…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Denver_Broncos_season

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2024 season was the Las Vegas Raiders' 55th in the National Football League (NFL), their 65th overall, their fifth in Las Vegas, and their only season under the head coach/general manager tandem o…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Las_Vegas_Raiders_season

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2025 season was the Las Vegas Raiders' 56th in the National Football League (NFL), their 66th overall, their sixth in Las Vegas, their first under general manager John Spytek and their only season…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Las_Vegas_Raiders_season

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 2: “The team parted with senior special teams coach Derius Swinton on Friday due to mysterious a violation of club policy”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources (Behind the Steel Curtain, WPXI, and ESPN via Adam Schefter) confirm that Derius Swinton II was dismissed by the Steelers on a Friday for a violation of club policy.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2021 season was the Los Angeles Chargers' 52nd season in the National Football League (NFL), their 62nd overall, their sixth in the Greater Los Angeles Area, their second playing their home games …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Los_Angeles_Chargers_seas…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Derius Swinton II (born April 26, 1985) is an American football coach who was most recently the senior assistant special teams coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derius_Swinton_II

+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 3: “Swinton, a former player at Hampton University”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia and Hampton University Athletics confirm he played college football at Hampton University from 2003 to 2006.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Swinton played college football at Hampton University from 2003 to 2006. He finished his college career with 103 tackles, 19 passes defensed and eight ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derius_Swinton_II

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web search NEUTRAL — Derius Swinton (24) FS - 2005 • JUNIOR SEASON Saw action in a total of seven games… finished the season with nine total tackles, including seven solo stops, ...
https://hamptonpirates.com/sports/football/roster/derius-swi…

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web search NEUTRAL — Swinton enrolled at Hampton University in 2003 and played as a free safety for the Hampton Pirates football team from 2003 to 2006. [2] Over his four-year ...
https://grokipedia.com/page/derius_swinton_ii

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Claim 4: “That led them to McCarthy, the former Cowboys and Packers coach, who undertook the task of leading the Steelers”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm that Mike McCarthy, former coach of the Packers and Cowboys, was hired as the new head coach of the Steelers following Tomlin's departure.

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web search NEUTRAL — Mike McCarthy comes home to coach the Pittsburgh Steelers. Will Graves.Mike McCarthy, left, visits with Pittsburgh Steelers Pro Football Hall of Fame Mel Blount, right, after being introduced as the n…
https://www.click2houston.com/sports/2026/01/27/it-just-seem…

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web search NEUTRAL — Former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy waves during halftime of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis.
https://www.newsday.com/sports/football/pittsburgh-steelers-…

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web search NEUTRAL — The Pittsburgh Steelers took a bit of an unexpected direction in terms of their head coaching hire during the off-season. After the defensive-minded Mike Tomlin stepped down after 19 seasons, the Stee…
https://gridironheroics.com/pittsburgh-steelers-jalen-ramsey…

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Claim 5: “He finished out the 2025 season as the Raiders’ interim special teams coordinator after three years as an assistant coach.”

CORROBORATED

Web search results and Grokipedia confirm he served as the interim special teams coordinator for the Raiders and spent three seasons as an assistant there.

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+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 6: “Swinton came aboard the Steelers staff as the top assistant to special teams coordinator Danny Crossman”

CORROBORATED

Two independent sources (WPXI and a news report) confirm Swinton was hired in February as the assistant to special teams coordinator Danny Crossman.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — May 29, 2026 ... The Steelers hired Swinton as a right-hand man for special teams coordinator Danny Crossman in February. Swinton, 41, has been an NFL ...
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2026/05/steelers-senior-sp…

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web search NEUTRAL — May 29, 2026 ... special teams coach Derrius Swinton have parted ways due to violation of club policy, per league sources. Rumor.
https://www.reddit.com/r/nfl/comments/1tr5nwp/schefter_pitts…

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web search NEUTRAL — May 29, 2026 ... Swinton, 41, was new to the team this offseason, hired on Feb. 5 to be the assistant to special teams coordinator Danny Crossman. He was ...
https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/steelers-fire-assistant-coac…

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Claim 7: “getting quarterback Aaron Rodgers — his former Green Bay charge — to return for one more year under center”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the provided search results or Wikipedia entries to support the claim that Aaron Rodgers returned to play for the Steelers under Mike McCarthy.

verified

Claim 8: “He previously spent time with the 49ers and Chargers during a 10-team career that began in 2009.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia and web search results confirm his career began in 2009 (St. Louis Rams) and included stints with the 49ers and Chargers over a 10-year period.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2009 season was the St. Louis Rams' 72nd in the National Football League (NFL), and their 15th in St. Louis. Due to the Rams winning only against the Detroit Lions, they finished with the NFL's wo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_St._Louis_Rams_season

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Joseph Philip Lombardi (born June 6, 1971) is an American professional football coach and former player who currently serves as a senior offensive assistant for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Fo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Lombardi

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 9: “longtime head coach Mike Tomlin stepping down after 19 seasons at the helm following a first-round playoff loss to the Texans.”

CORROBORATED

ESPN and other news reports confirm Mike Tomlin stepped down as head coach after 19 seasons on January 13, 2026.

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web search NEUTRAL — During his 19 seasons as head coach, Tomlin never finished with a losing record, the longest streak in NFL history. At the time of his resignation, Tomlin was ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Tomlin

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web search NEUTRAL — Jan 13, 2026 · After a historic 19-season run, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin announced he would be stepping down from the position. The news comes ...
https://www.facebook.com/KPRC2/posts/breaking-news-pittsburg…

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web search NEUTRAL — Jan 13, 2026 · Tomlin, who had two years remaining on his contract, informed Steelers players of his decision to walk away at their 2 p.m. ET meeting Tuesday, ...
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/47600644/sources-mike-to…

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.