Another member of the Pittsburgh Steelers secondary that helped the team win its last Super Bowl has earned a job as an assistant NFL coach. ESPN’s John Keim reported on February 15 that the Washington Commanders have hired William Gay as their assistant defensive backs coach.
Gay will be one of two former Steelers defensive backs on Washington’s new coaching staff. Jason Simmons, who was a reserve defensive back for Pittsburgh from 1998-2001, will be the team’s defensive pass game coordinator.
Gay played for the Steelers from 2007-11 and then again from 2013-17. He started four games in 2008 when the Steelers had the No. 1 defense and went 12-4 on their way to a then unprecedented sixth Super Bowl title.
William Gay Gets First Full-Time NFL Coaching Chance as Commanders Assistant
After the Steelers elected not to bring back Gay following the 2017 season, the cornerback attended training camp with the New York Giants. But he didn’t make the team following the preseason and never played in the NFL again.
Gay served as a coaching intern for the Steelers in 2019. But then after coaching defensive backs at Missouri State during the 2020 season, Gay fell out of coaching until 2023.
Steelers Now’s Alan Saunders reported that Gay was a Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship hire for the Dallas Cowboys last year. With the Cowboys, he worked under new Commanders head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr.
In Dallas, Quinn was defensive coordinator while Whitt was secondary coach and defensive pass game coordinator.
The Steelers drafted Gay in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL draft. He made the team as a rookie, playing in all 16 games during 2007. In 2008, he recorded 41 combined tackles, including 2 tackles for loss, 7 pass defenses and 1 interception for the league’s No. 1 defense.
From 2009-15, Gay started at least 11 games in every season but one. He played in Pittsburgh every season as well except 2012. Gay spent that campaign with the Arizona Cardinals.
In 160 games with the Steelers, Gay made 86 starts. He recorded 81 pass defenses and 11 interceptions, 5 of which he returned for a touchdown. Gay led the NFL with 3 pick-sixes during the 2014 season.
He also had 520 combined tackles, 30 tackles for loss and 6 sacks during his Steelers career.
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