The Pittsburgh Steelers have added a third coach to their training camp through the Bill Walsh Fellowship Program. The program was created to provide opportunities for minority coaches. The team has already signed Gregory Bowser II and Bam Bryant through the program for the 2024 training camp. Now, Jordan Pullu joins their ranks.
Pulu spent the past two years as defensive coordinator at Snow College, a community college in Utah that may sound familiar to some Steelers fans, as Jaylen Warren and Brett Kasel both played there. Before that, Pulu worked as an assistant at the school for a few months and was an assistant at HBCU Morgan State University for nearly three years.
Pulu may be young, but that makes him a perfect candidate for this program. The goal of the program is to help increase the number of minority coaches in the NFL, and while it doesn’t guarantee a full-time job, it does provide a few weeks of experience and education that could prove invaluable. Pulu is Polynesian, a minority that is underrepresented in NFL coaching despite the incredible number of Polynesian players. Even if coaches like Pulu don’t make it to the NFL right away, they could use this opportunity to make the leap someday.
What’s really interesting about Pulou is that the video he submitted to be considered for this nomination is The program can be found on YouTube. It’s a great look into the mind of a young coach and shows the impact Pulou has had as defensive coordinator at Snow College. He explains what he’s gained from being part of the program and shows where he wants to grow as a coach.
“When asked what you get out of the Bill Walsh Coaching Program, there are two concepts that really come to mind: growth and value,” said Pullu. “A key part of how you can grow as a coach is to develop as a teacher. I believe that through this opportunity to increase my football knowledge, interact with the best players and coaches, and see how they work together and build relationships to achieve their goals, I can develop as a teacher.”
Pullu’s philosophy, rooted in teaching, should make him a perfect fit to learn under Mike Tomlin, known as one of the league’s greatest motivators. Tomlin doesn’t have an extensive coaching tree, but his wealth of football knowledge makes him one of the NFL’s greatest minds.
Pullu will likely be with the Steelers through training camp, but hopefully he takes this opportunity to further his career, perhaps even returning to the Steelers staff at some point.
