Former Dallas Cowboys skipper and current first-year Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy has once again opened the Dallas -to-Pittsburgh pipeline, hiring former Cowboys safety Darian Thompson to his staff as the new special teams quality control assistant. The opening was created after McCarthy dismissed Derius Swinton back in May due to workplace misconduct after being hired just months before.
Thompson, a former third-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, carved out a respectable playing career that began with the Giants but was released during final cuts entering his third season. After a short stint in Arizona, Thompson latched on with the Cowboys playing in ten games for Dallas in 2018.
Over the next three seasons, Thompson would play in 35 more games with the team starting 11 times with the bulk of his contributions coming through special teams.
This won’t be the first time Thompson will work under McCarthy. Following his playing days in 2021, Thompson quickly made the move into coaching, rejoining the Cowboys in 2023 as an assistant linebackers coach and defensive quality control assistant.
By 2025, Thompsons familiarity with the organization and strong work ethic helped him earn a promotion to secondary/nickel coach. After a disastrous 2025 defensive campaign in Dallas, the Cowboys decided it would be best for a complete overhaul and Thompson was not retained.
In his new position, Thompson gets to focus on a familiar task under a head coach he knows well. He also gets to work with former Cowboys defensive assistant Joe Whitt Jr., the Steelers new assistant head coach / secondary coach, who coached and tutored Thompson in Dallas for three seasons.
The move now represents a fresh start and continued climb in the coaching ranks with potential to grow into a larger role as he gains experience on an NFL staff.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Steelers add former Cowboys part-time starter to defensive staff
Reporting by Angel Torres, Cowboys Wire / Cowboys Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Angel Torres, Cowboys Wire | USA TODAY Network
