A look at the connections between the New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
NEW ENGLAND TIES
- Steelers LB Tyler Matakevich is originally from Stratford, Conn. and attended St. Joseph's High School in Trumbull, Conn. He helped the Cadets capture back-to-back state championships and was all-state honoree at linebacker his senior year.
FORMER PATRIOTS
- The Patriots drafted Steelers RB Stevan Ridley in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft (73rd overall). Ridley played for New England from 2011-14, appearing in 52 games and recording 2,817 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns.
- Steelers LB L.J. Fort spent a brief period of time on the Patriots roster during the team's 2015 training camp.
- Both Steelers TE Xavier Grimble and CB Mike Hilton were on the Patriots practice squad for a short period of time in 2014 and 2016, respectively.
- Steelers LB Jon Bostic played for the Patriots in 2015, appearing in 11 games and making one start.
FORMER STEELERS
- Patriots QB Brian Hoyer was on the Steelers roster for Weeks 12 and 13 of the 2012 season, though he did not see game action.
FORMER NFL TEAMMATES
- Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin was the defensive coordinator in Minnesota in 2006 when Patriots defensive line coach Brendan Daly was the defensive assistant/defensive line coach and wide receivers coach Chad O'Shea was an offensive assistant/ wide receivers for the Vikings. Steelers defensive line coach Karl Dunbar was also with the Vikings at the time in the same capacity.
- Pittsburgh assistant head coach John Mitchell was the defensive line coach for the Browns from 1991-93 when Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was the head coach in Cleveland.
- Patriots CB Stephon Gilmore and LB Ramon Humber were teammates with Steelers WR Justin Hunter at Buffalo in 2016.
- Steelers defensive line coach Karl Dunbar coached in the same role at Buffalo in 2015 when Patriots CB Stephon Gilmore and WR Chris Hogan played for the Bills.
- Patriots DB Jason McCourty played with Steelers WR Justin Hunter at Tennessee from 2013-15. Steelers offensive line coach Mike Munchak was head coach at Tennessee with McCourty from 2011-13.
- Patriots QB Brian Hoyer, DL Danny Shelton and WR Josh Gordon were teammates with Steelers CB Joe Haden at Cleveland.
- Patriots WR Josh Gordon played with Steelers LB L.J. Fort at Cleveland in 2012.
- Fort also played at Cincinnati in 2014, teaming up with Patriots RB Rex Burkhead.
- Steelers WR Darrius Heyward-Bey played with Patriots TE Dwayne Allen and DL Lawrence Guy at Indianapolis in 2013.
- Patriots OL Trent Brown played with Steelers TE Vance McDonald at San Francisco from 2015-16.
- Steelers running backs coach James Saxon served in the same capacity at Kansas City when Patriots wide receivers coach Chad O'Shea was with the Chiefs from 2003-05 as an assistant special teams and linebackers coach. Saxon also coached the running backs at Minnesota when New England defensive line coach Brendan Daly was at Minnesota from 2012-13 in the same role and WR Cordarrelle Patterson played for the Vikings in 2013.
- Patriots DB Jason McCourty played in the Tennessee secondary with Steelers CB Coty Sensabaugh from 2012-15.
- Steelers OT Zach Banner played at Cleveland in 2017, teaming up with Patriots DB Jason McCourty, WR Josh Gordon and DL Danny Shelton.
- Patriots DE Adrian Clayborn played with Steelers RB Steven Ridley in Atlanta in 2016.
- Patriots DE John Simon played on the Indianapolis defense with Steelers LB Jon Bostic in 2017.
FORMER COLLEGE TEAMMATES
- Patriots RB James White was teammates with Steelers LB T.J. Watt at Wisconsin in 2013, though Watt did not play due to a redshirt season.
- Patriots WR Phillip Dorsett played at Miami with Steelers CB Artie Burns from 2013-14 and LB Anthony Chickillo from 2011- 14.
- Steelers DT Cameron Heyward played with Patriots DB Nate Ebner and DE John Simon at Ohio State from 2009-10.
- Patriots WR Cordarrelle Patterson teamed up with Steelers WR Justin Hunter and DT Dan McCullers at Tennessee in 2012.
- Steelers offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner was also the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach when Patriots K Stephen Gostkowski played at Memphis from 2002-05.
- Patriots TE Dwayne Allen played with Steelers CB Coty Sensabaugh at Clemson from 2008-11.
- Patriots cornerbacks coach Josh Boyer was a graduate assistant at Kent State from 2002-03 when Steelers assistant offensive line coach Shaun Sarrett played for the Golden Eagles.
- Patriots coaching assistant Atif Austin coached the running backs at Northern Iowa while Steelers LB L.J. Fort played there from 2008-09.
- Patriots coaching assistant DeMarcus Covington was a defensive graduate assistant at Mississippi from 2013-14 while Steelers CB Mike Hilton played there.
- Patriots OL Joe Thuney blocked for Steelers RB Jaylen Samuels at N.C. State from 2014-15.
- Steelers defensive line coach Karl Dunbar coached in the same capacity at Oklahoma State from 2002-03 while Patriots defensive line coach Brendan Daly was a graduate assistant and assistant strength and conditioning coach.
- Patriots DB J.C. Jackson played with Steelers RB Trey Edmunds at Maryland in 2016.
