Ben Roethlisberger Gives His Clear Thoughts On Steelers Hiring Former AFC North Rival Domata Peko

The Pittsburgh Steelers have not had a typical offseason and the month of February just began. After Mike Tomlin made the shocking decision to step down, the team acted relatively quickly by bringing in Super Bowl champion Mike McCarthy. There have been mixed reviews regarding the move, but no one will know if it truly was a wise hire until the 2026 regular season. With that said, the veteran leader is rounding out his coaching staff quickly, with several familiar names coming into the fold. The organization seems to be trending toward having a bigger staff than normal.

The Steelers have been criticized in the past for having small staffs compared to other franchises. A lot of the negative feedback has led to fans believing that Team President Art Rooney II is cheaper than some of the other owners in the NFL. It it starting to feel as if McCarthy had a vision and Rooney may have been open to making some concessions.

One of the more intriguing hires was reported on Monday, as Pittsburgh targeted former AFC North rival and Cincinnati Bengals defensive lineman Domata Peko. Fans probably remember him as a player that was often involved in scuffles and with clogging up the line of scrimmage, but a Steelers great gave a different point of view on Tuesday evening.

On the Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger podcast, Ben Roethlisberger gave some insight on the team's recent hirings. He immediately highlighted Peko, and in surprising fashion, complimented Pittsburgh's new coach.

"Domata Peko. [He] played [defensive] line is Cincinnati. I played against him a lot. He was a guy I have a lot of respect for. Good football player, a very smart football player," Roethlisberger said.

While Peko did play during the Vontaze Burfict days, the Steelers' former quarterback wanted to make it very clear that Peko was never a disrespectful player; he was actually the exact opposite.

"We talk many times on this show about when I played in Baltimore, you knew you were going to be sore because the physicality of it," Roethlisberger stated. "Cincinnati, you knew you were going to be sore because of the cheap shots, the bad parts. This guy was not one. This was a guy that you respected. He respected the game. He respected players. So I have a lot of respect for him. I think that's a great pick-up."

Culture will be a big piece of McCarthy's locker room, and hiring a former AFC North rival may not always go over well in this instance. However, it seems like Pittsburgh got a good one in Peko, despite his ties to the Bengals' organization.

Peko will have big shoes to fill after Karl Dunbar was not retained by Pittsburgh. The Steelers have had some troubles stopping the run in recent years, which is why it should be a point of emphasis moving forward. Someone like Peko will be coaching individuals that he played against, such as Cameron Heyward. He must be incredibly respected by McCarthy and Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham to land his gig in the Steel City.

The former Bengals defensive lineman played 15 seasons in the NFL and is just 41 years old. He never even made a Pro Bowl, but was always a consistent force in the middle for Cincinnati.

Steelers Are Completely Changing Up The Staff After Tomlin's Departure

While there have been a few coaches retained by McCarthy, most were shown the door. This represents a big-time shift for Pittsburgh, as a lot of familiar faces have now departed. For veterans like Heyward, it will be a very different-looking staff in 2026, but everyone in the building is labeled as a professional for a reason. Until Peko proves otherwise, he should be looked at as an asset, and Roethlisberger's comments should excite fans.

Do you like the Steelers' hiring of Peko? Let us know in the comments below!

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