PITTSBURGH (AP) — Former Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham is heading east to run the defense for Mike McCarthy in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers hired Graham on Friday to take over a highly paid, if occasionally erratic defense as Pittsburgh hits reset following Mike Tomlin's departure earlier this month after 19 seasons as head coach.
Graham spent the last four years with the Raiders. The defense steadily improved during Graham's tenure. Las Vegas finished 28th in yards allowed during his first season in 2022 but finished 15th in 2023 and 2024 and nudged up to 14th in 2025.
Pittsburgh is Graham's fourth stop as a defensive coordinator. He previously worked in that position for the Miami Dolphins in 2019 and the New York Giants in 2020 and 2021.
The Steelers won the AFC North this season, but the defense led by defensive tackle Cam Heyward, outside linebacker T.J. Watt and defensive back Jalen Ramsey struggled getting stops at times. Pittsburgh finished 26th in yards allowed, its lowest ranking in that category since 1988, though the unit also produced 29 takeaways, tied for third in the league.
McCarthy, who was officially named as Tomlin's replacement on Tuesday, pledged to keep the 3-4 defensive alignment that has been the team's calling card for over 30 years.
While Heyward, Watt and Ramsey are all in their 30s, the Steelers do have a promising core of young talent led by rookie defensive tackle Derrick Harmon and third-year outside linebacker Nick Herbig.
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FILE - Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham speaks with the media following practice at NFL football training camp, July 25, 2024, in Costa Mesa, Calif. (AP Photo/John McCoy, File)
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Elise Mertens marked her return to the No. 1 ranking in women's doubles by combining with China's Zhang Shuai to win the Australian Open title on Saturday, joined later by American Christian Harrison and Britain's Neal Skupski who won the men's doubles trophy.
Back together after four years apart as a team, Mertens and Zhang trailed 3-0 and 4-1 in the first set but rallied to beat Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Serbia's Aleksandra Krunic 7-6 (4), 6-4. Mertens and Zhang led the final set 5-0 before withstanding a comeback attempt when Danilina and Krunic won four straight games.
Harrison served an ace on match point to give he and Skupski a win in the men's final by the same score as the women — 7-6 (4), 6-4 — over the Australian pair of Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans. Kubler went into the match with a 14-3 doubles record at his home major.
Harrison and Skupski, who both competed at last year’s ATP Finals with different partners, joined as a team for the first time in Adelaide earlier this month, where they reached the semifinals.
Currently ranked No. 6 in doubles, Mertens, who won the Wimbledon doubles title last year with Veronika Kudermetova, will return to the No. 1 ranking after the Australian Open.
That will mark the Belgian player's 40th cumulative week as No. 1 in doubles and was guaranteed regardless of the outcome of the Melbourne Park final Saturday.
The win Saturday was Mertens' sixth Grand Slam doubles title, including 2021 and 2024 at Melbourne Park. Zhang now has three, including the 2019 Australian Open and the 2021 U.S. Open.
It was their first Grand Slam trophy as a team, having lost the 2022 Wimbledon final in their last appearance together.
“This is like cherry on the cake,” Mertens said. “We paired up as a team very last-minute . . . this was our first tournament back together. In the second round we saved three match points, so that kind of took us to another level. An unbelievable two weeks."
Mertens reached the fourth round of women’s singles at Melbourne Park this year before being beaten by eventual finalist Elena Rybakina.
Zhang says she and Mertens adapt well.
“We know how to play finals, we know how to win finals,” Zhang said. “We are both very calm. If something doesn't work . . . we always adjust.”
The mixed doubles final was played on Friday, when Australians Olivia Gadecki and John Peers became the first team to win consecutive titles since 1989 after beating the French pair of Kristina Mladenovic and Manuel Guinard 4-6, 6-3, 10-8.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Christian Harrison, left, of the U.S. and Neal Skupski of Britain are congratulated by Australia's Jason Kubler, right, and Marc Polmans after winning the men's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
Ken Rosewall, left, presents the trophy to Christian Harrison of the U.S. and Neal Skupski, right, of Britain after they defeated Australia's Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans in the men's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
Christian Harrison of the U.S. and Neal Skupski, left, of Britain celebrate after defeating Australia's Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans in the men's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Elise Mertens of Belgium and Zhang Shuai, left, of China pose with their trophy after defeating Anna Danilina, right, of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia in the women's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Elise Mertens of Belgium and Zhang Shuai, left, of China celebrate after defeating Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia in the women's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026.(AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Elise Mertens of Belgium and Zhang Shuai, right, of China celebrate after defeating Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia in the women's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
Elise Mertens of Belgium and Zhang Shuai, left, of China pose with their trophy after defeating Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia in the women's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Elise Mertens, right, of Belgium and Zhang Shuai of China in action against Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia during the women's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia react against Elise Mertens of Belgium and Zhang Shuai of China during the women's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Elise Mertens of Belgium and Zhang Shuai, right, of China celebrate after defeating Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia in the women's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026.. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
