As the fallout from Mike Tomlin’s coaching staff purge continues, another former assistant is back on his feet. Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni is joining the Las Vegas Raiders in the same role, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
The Raiders are expected to hire Zach Azzanni as wide receivers coach, per source.
Azzanni will enter his 10th season in the NFL and was most recently with the Steelers. pic.twitter.com/3Giok1dD2w
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 18, 2026
Azzanni joined Tomlin’s staff in 2024 following the departure of Frisman Jackson. In two seasons with the team, he worked with receivers like George Pickens, DK Metcalf, Calvin Austin III, Roman Wilson, Adam Thielen, Scotty Miller, Robert Woods, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and others.
It’s hard to evaluate position coaches based solely on the performance of the players with many more variables at play, but the results were a mixed bag under Azzanni. Austin had two of his best seasons, while Wilson was benched in his second season after being the team’s third-round pick in 2024.
Metcalf didn’t live up to his price tag in year one, but that can’t all be blamed on Azzanni. Arthur Smith’s offensive system didn’t live up to expectations either and the lack of continuity in the QB and WR rooms can be difficult to overcome.
He was brought in to add some structure and discipline to a room that was lacking. Perhaps his most memorable moment was immediately getting into a tiff with Pickens at one of the first practices in 2024. The vision with Pickens ultimately did not work out, and the Steelers traded him prior to the fourth and final season of his rookie contract.
Now Azzanni will work under Klint Kubiak’s inaugural staff with the Raiders. With a new staff and the first overall pick, expected to be used on QB Fernando Mendoza, the Raiders may be a decent landing spot for Azzanni to continue to raise his profile entering year 10 as a coach in the NFL.
For a full list of the landing spots for Mike Tomlin’s former coaching staff, check out our tracker.
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