Pitt to Hire Former Belichick Assistant Mike Priefer as Special Teams Coordinator
Pitt football has made its first assistant coach hiring of the offseason as it fills the special teams coordinator vacancy for the 2026 season.
The Panthers are set to hire former North Carolina special teams coordinator Mike Priefer, according to a report from FootballScoop. A source also indicated to Pittsburgh Sports Now Sunday that Priefer was hired by Pitt and will be introduced to the team once players are back on campus next week.
Priefer, a longtime college and NFL assistant, joined Bill Belichick’s North Carolina staff for 2025 but was fired after one season in Chapel Hill. He replaces Jacob Bronowski at Pitt, who was hired for the same role at Auburn in the SEC.
In 2025, North Carolina’s special teams ranked 22nd in terms of efficiency, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index. UNC ranked 105th in kick return yardage with 18.27 yards per game, 76th in punt return yardage with 8.06 yards per game and 60th in net punting with 39.59 yards per punt. The Tar Heels also ranked 72nd in kick return defense and 79th in punt return defense. It’s field-goal unit went 19-of-23 on the year and had two kicks blocked.
UNC had its fair share of special teams issues throughout the season that included a critical roughing the kicker penalty and allowing a fake field goal in the season finale against Duke. An onside kick attempt in that game was unsuccessful and the Tar Heels allowed an onside kick earlier in the season to Richmond.
Prior to Priefer’s return to the college ranks, he spent over two decades in the NFL as a special teams coordinator. Most recently, he was with the Cleveland Browns from 2019-22. Before that, he had a long stint with the Minnesota Vikings (2011-18). His other NFL stops include Denver (2009-10), Kansas City (2006-08) and as an assistant special teams coordinator with the New York Giants (2003-05) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2002).
His college career began as a graduate assistant at Navy in 1994 before roles at Youngstown State, VMI and Northern Illinois.
Pitt will look to replace its kick and punt return specialists with Desmond Reid and Deuce Spann out of eligibility and Kenny Johnson to the portal. The Panthers returned two punts for touchdowns in 2025.
The Panthers are set to return standout freshman kicker Trey Butkowski, but will be looking to replace longtime punter Caleb Junko.
As Pitt begins to fill its assistant coaching vacancies, Pat Narduzzi will look to hire a new tight ends coach, linebackers coach and safeties coach barring any other departures from the 2025 staff.
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