Domata Peko Cam Heyward
Domata Peko Cam Heyward
Cam Heyward has had some good defensive line coaches, but he’s a fan of his new coach—and old rival—Domata Peko. Hired by new HC Mike McCarthy this offseason, he is among the least experienced coaches on the roster. But he brings ample hands-on NFL experience from his playing days, a fact the old dog appreciates.
“I love [Domata] Peko. He brings a player’s mind to it, but he knows you’ve got to kick a whole lot of ass up front”, Heyward said, via the Steelers’ website, talking about his new defensive line coach. Having learned under the great John Mitchell and then Karl Dunbar, this is just his third position coach since 2011. But he has been all about embracing change this offseason, not that he has much choice otherwise.
A former fourth-round draft pick, Domata Peko had a 15-year NFL career, mostly with the Bengals, playing there for Heyward’s first six seasons in the NFL. After 11 years in Cincinnati, he played four more seasons with the Cardinals, Broncos, and Ravens.
After retiring in 2021, Peko didn’t begin his coaching career until Mike McCarthy hired him in Dallas in 2024 as a defensive assistant. In 2025, he spent the season at the college level at Colorado under Deion Sanders as the defensive line coach. Now he is with the Steelers, coaching up Cam Heyward, who is only a few years younger.
Heyward, in case you’ve forgotten, has had a long-lived NFL career like Peko, too. In fact, he is going into his 16th season and is already committed to a 17th. He made the All-Pro team as recently as last year, too, so it’s not as though he is running on legacy in his old age.
And perhaps having the younger Peko’s perspective as a coach will help keep Heyward energized and focused. Both John Mitchell and Karl Dunbar had hands-on experience as defensive linemen. But Peko played just a few years ago. He’s just 41 years old—Heyward’s quarterback is older than his new position coach.
It’s too early to say what impact Domata Peko will have on the defensive line, even on the defense as a whole. The Steelers have given him some talent to work with, though, starting with Heyward, naturally. They also have two young bucks from last year in Derrick Harmon and Yahya Black, each playing 400-plus snaps. Add in Keeanu Benton and new veteran free agent Sebastian Joseph-Day, and that’s your game-day roster right there. And who knows, maybe Gabriel Rubio is their latest find. If Peko can coach him up, that would be a nice feather in his cap early in his coaching career.