Desmond King explains Mike Tomlin's coaching style

Desmond King knew exactly where he wanted to continue his NFL career after the Houston Texans released him last week.

King wanted to don the black and gold, as well as play for a head coach like Mike Tomlin. Fast, physical and a good tackler, King said his attributes are exactly what you need to play for a team coached by Tomlin.

“I’m excited to be here… Like a dream come true,” King said Monday, via the team’s website. “I always wanted to play for Mike and the city of Pittsburgh. It was always a good atmosphere to come here and play here. I know what it’s about.

“It was just the kind of player I am. It was a perfect fit for me. [Tomlin] said I’m the kind of player that needs to be in this organization. I play fast. I tackle well. I’m physical. As long as I want to win, this was the place for me to be.”

The Pittsburgh Steelers are slated to be the fourth team of King’s career after he was drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers in the fifth-round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Iowa. King was first-team All-Pro in 2018. He’ll get a fresh start this fall after spending the last two seasons with the Houston Texans. In the middle of his fourth season with the Chargers, the team traded King to the Tennessee Titans in November of 2020 for a sixth-round pick. He would sign with the Texans after the season.

In his career, King has 426 total tackles, 320 solo tackles, 8.5 sacks, nine interceptions, 33 pass deflections, three forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries and three defensive touchdowns.

Desmond King could play multiple roles on Steelers’ defense in 2023

Having played a multitude of positions including nickel corner, outside corner and even as a punt return man, King expects to be Pittsburgh’s Swiss Army Knife in 2023.

“I feel like I’m going to be a utilized guy,” King said. “They see me inside, they see me outside. They can see me at safety. I’m just trying to get a groove, a type of rhythm into the program and see where I fit.”

King’s first opportunity to impress will come in Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday. The 28-year-old feels it won’t take him much time to get acclimated to his new surroundings.

“Absolutely,” King said. “Just knowing what everybody has to do. That’s what helps me learn the defense. I know what the corner does, the nickel does, the safety does, it will make my job easier because I know where I fit at with my responsibilities.”