Scott McCurley is in his second season as the Steelers' inside linebackers coach in 2026.
In his first season, Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson were the club's top-two tacklers. His unit also tallied 3.0 sacks in the regular season. Queen, who started all 17 games in his second season wearing the green dot, finished the regular season with 120 tackles (56 solo), 1.0 sack, eight TFL, four passes defensed and one forced fumble. Wilson, in his second year in the NFL, tallied 109 tackles (62 solo), 2.0 sacks, six TFL, one interception and one fumble recovery.
McCurley most recently served as the linebackers coach for the Dallas Cowboys for five seasons (2020-24). With the Cowboys, McCurley guided a linebacker unit that accounted for 22 of the team's 52 sacks during the 2024 season, which was the third-highest total in the NFL. His group was led by Micah Parsons, who recorded a team-best 12.0 sacks on the season, becoming the first player since Reggie White in 1982 to record at least 12.0 sacks in their first four seasons. Parsons went on to be named to his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl in 2024.
In 2023, the Cowboys defense surrendered 104 missed tackles, which were the fewest missed tackles in the NFL that season. McCurley's group was part of a defense that led the NFL in takeaways in 2021 (34) and 2022 (33), which was the first time a team led the League in takeaways in consecutive seasons since the Steelers from 1972-74.
McCurley's second season with the Cowboys linebackers was highlighted by the 2021 first round selection Micah Parsons. Parsons went on to produce one of the best years by a rookie in NFL history, totaling a franchise rookie record 13.0 sacks, tied for the third-most by a rookie in NFL history. He became the first player in team history to be named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
His first year with Dallas in 2020 saw linebacker Jaylon Smith finish with a team-high 160 tackles, which was the second-most in the NFL. The Cowboys finished seventh in the NFL with 23 takeaways that season.
Prior to his time with the Cowboys, he spent 13 seasons with the Green Bay Packers working as a defensive assistant (2018), assistant linebackers coach (2014-17), defensive quality control coach (2009-13) and in coaching administration (2006-08). He spent the 2019 season away from football.
As a defensive assistant with the Packers, McCurley helped guide linebacker Blake Martinez to his second consecutive season with over 100 tackles in 2018, finishing with a team-best 147 stops. Additionally, the Packers defense finished tied for eighth in the NFL with 44.0 sacks.
McCurley's role as assistant linebackers coach from 2014-17 involved the oversight of the entire linebacker unit with a focus on the inside linebackers.
In 2017, Martinez led Green Bay with 158 tackles and 12 tackles for a loss. In 2015, McCurley helped utilize the versatility of Clay Matthews in a switch to middle linebacker, as he started all 16 games for the first time in his career and made his sixth Pro Bowl with a career-high 85 tackles along with 6.5 sacks, both second on the team.
During his time as quality control coach with the Packers, McCurley assisted with various positions throughout the defense.
McCurley started his NFL career as a coaching admin with the Packers from 2006-08.
Prior to joining the Packers, McCurley enjoyed a lengthy playing and coaching career at the University of Pittsburgh. Originally a walk-on athlete who redshirted his first year, McCurley earned a scholarship after his freshman season. He lettered all four years at linebacker (1999-2002) and earned a spot on the 1999 Big East All-Academic team. After graduating in 2003 with a bachelor's degree in movement science with a coaching minor, McCurley remained with the program as a defensive graduate assistant, where the 2004 team he coached won the Big East championship and a spot in the Fiesta Bowl.
A native of New Castle, Pa., McCurley attended Mohawk High School in Bessemer, Pa., where he earned all-conference honors in his junior and senior years, playing linebacker and offensive line, while also playing basketball.
McCurley and his wife, Colleen, have two sons, Quentin and Deacon.
