Grady Brown enters his 27th season of coaching and sixth in the NFL, returning for his second season as the Saints' cornerbacks coach. Prior to arriving in New Orleans, he spent four seasons as the defensive backs coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In 2025, Brown helped Kool-Aid McKinstry to a breakout season in his second campaign. McKinstry tied for sixth in the league in passes defensed (16) and was one-of-five-players to record 15-plus passes defensed and three-plus interceptions. He earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors following his Week Five performance against the New York Giants, when he recorded the first two interceptions of his career. Alontae Taylor's 83 tackles ranked seventh among cornerbacks, while his seven stops for loss were tied for third at the position. Quincy Riley was named to the CBS Sports and ESPN.com All-Rookie teams after playing in all 17 games (five starts) and totaling 34 tackles, ten passes defensed, one interception and one forced fumble. Riley's ten pass breakups were tied for fourth in the NFL among rookies.
Several individual contributors in the Pittsburgh secondary developed and shined under Brown's tutelage. During his Steelers tenure, Pittsburgh snared 66 interceptions, tied for third in the NFL over that four-season period. FS Minkah Fitzpatrick was voted an Associated Press first-team All-Pro, named to the Pro Bowl three times, and led the NFL in interceptions in 2022 under Brown's watch. In 2023, Brown played an instrumental role in the development of rookie CB Joey Porter Jr., who was selected to the PFWA All-Rookie team. A second-round (32nd overall) draft selection in 2023, Porter played in all 17 regular-season games (11 starts) in 2023. He registered 42 tackles (32 solo), one interception, ten pass breakups, a 47.6% completion percentage on targets and 70.1 allowed passer rating. In 2024, SS DeShon Elliott, in his first season in Pittsburgh, showed a nose for the ball by tying for first in the NFL with three defensive fumble recoveries, for a defense that ranked second in the league in opponent third down conversion percentage (35.3).
With the help of Brown, the Steelers defense tied for the NFL lead with 20 interceptions in 2022. Fitzpatrick was voted AP first-team All-Pro for the third time in his career. His six picks in 2022 were the most by a Steeler in a single season since 2010 and tied for 12th-most in a single season in franchise history.
In Brown's first season in Pittsburgh, the secondary combined for 11 interceptions, led by CB Ahkello Witherspoon, who snagged three picks in just nine games. Fitzpatrick tallied a career-high 124 tackles - his first NFL season with 100+ stops.
Brown previously served as either defensive coordinator or coached in the secondary at McNeese State (2020), Old Dominion (2019), Louisville (2018), Alabama State (2002-07 and 2017), Birmingham Southern (2016), South Carolina (2012-15), Southern Mississippi (2010-11) and Texas Southern (2008). He also served as an assistant football strength coach at LSU in 2009. Brown started his collegiate coaching career in 2000 at his alma mater, Alabama A&M as a graduate assistant, before being promoted to outside linebackers coach in 2001. Brown also held two NFL training camp coaching internships, first with Seattle in 2004 and then with Kansas City in 2007.
During his tenure at South Carolina where he coached defensive backs, Brown guided a secondary that helped the Gamecocks finish in the top 25 nationally in both scoring and total defense. South Carolina surrendered just 315.5 yards per game, which ranked 11th in the country in 2012. They also ranked 13th in the nation in scoring defense that season when, allowing only 18.2 points per game. The Gamecocks improved in 2013 and ranked 12th nationally in scoring defense (20.3 points per game). Brown's secondary contributed to South Carolina ranking third in the Southeastern Conference and 12th in the nation in pass defense in 2013, allowing 196.2 passing yards per game. The Gamecocks finished second in the SEC and 13th in the nation in interceptions with 18. In Columbia, in 2012, Brown tutored former Saints S D.J. Swearinger, who captured second-team All-SEC.
With Brown coaching cornerbacks at Southern Mississippi, the defense helped lead the Golden Eagles to the 2011 Conference USA Championship. Southern Miss ranked fourth nationally in interceptions, seventh in pass efficiency defense, tenth in passing yards allowed/attempt and set an NCAA single-season record with eight interceptions returned for touchdowns. As a unit, the Golden Eagles finished the season as a Top-30 defense.
The Birmingham Ala. native, who played defensive back at Alabama A&M and graduated with a bachelor's degree in mathematics education, is married to Rashidah Brown and has one son, Asher-Grey Brown.
PLAYING CAREER: Alabama A&M, 1995-98; Tennessee Valley Vipers (af2), 1999.
COACHING CAREER: Alabama A&M, 2000-01; Alabama State, 2002-07; Texas Southern, 2008; LSU, 2009; Southern Mississippi, 2010-11; South Carolina, 2012-15; Birmingham Southern, 2016; Alabama State, 2017; Louisville, 2018; Old Dominion, 2019; McNeese State, 2020; Pittsburgh Steelers, 2021-24; New Orleans Saints, 2025-.
