Get to Know: Justus Galac, the Steelers’ assistant strength and conditioning coach

Pittsburgh’s offseason and regular-season performance is built long before game day, and one of the key architects behind that process is assistant strength and conditioning coach Justus Galac. In a Steelers staff “Get to Know” feature published July 5, Galac described what drives him day to day and the coaching philosophy he tries to bring into the weight room: respect, communication, and a consistent focus on helping players reach maximum performance while staying healthy.

Galac’s role is built around the details of preparation, but he starts with the basic reason he entered strength and conditioning in the first place. He told Steelers reporters that he has been drawn to the “love of football” and the chance to help players achieve their “maximum performance,” framing the job as a bridge between training and the actual game itself. That motivation, he said, is reinforced by his desire to walk through an NFL building with a storied team identity, and he specifically noted the special feeling of working for the Steelers.

In describing how he works with athletes, Galac emphasized relationships rather than a one-size-fits-all program. He said his coaching style centers on treating players “how they should be treated,” listening to concerns, and adjusting based on what information players bring to the process. He also described the goal as working together so players get better while staying as healthy as possible, a theme that connects his day-to-day interactions to the broader team priority of availability.

The guidance Galac has leaned on most in coaching is rooted in mindset. He said the best advice he has received is “Be able to laugh at yourself and stay humble,” adding that personalities differ in every setting and that it matters to enjoy the job while still taking responsibilities seriously. In his view, the focus is always on producing “our best” every day, because that effort is part of caring for the players.

As part of his coaching to athletes, Galac also returned to the need for development. He told Steelers reporters, “Stay true to who you are,” but also cautioned that what got a player to this level “isn’t going to get you to where you want to go.” He stressed the importance of being open to change and growth, and he pointed to the broader support system around players, highlighting who helps them most beyond the training plan.

Galac’s background explains why he’s comfortable talking about both performance and process. According to his official Steelers profile, he is in his third season as the team’s assistant strength and conditioning coach and his fourth overall season with the franchise in 2026. Before returning to Pittsburgh, he spent one season in the XFL in 2023 and one at Temple in 2022, both in strength and conditioning roles. Earlier in his career, he spent nine seasons with the New York Jets from 2012 to 2020, including eight as their head strength and conditioning coach.

The experience is also deep outside the NFL. The Steelers profile notes Galac spent seven seasons at Villanova from 2005 to 2011 as the strength and conditioning coach, overseeing the Wildcats’ program and work across all 22 varsity sports. It also adds that he began coaching as a graduate assistant at Dickinson College and later as a strength and conditioning coach at SUNY Brockport after playing nose tackle there. That mix of professional, pro-style, and collegiate responsibilities helps explain why Galac talks about communication and adjustment as fundamental training skills.

For Steelers fans, the most practical takeaway from Galac’s “Get to Know” profile is that strength work is not treated as an isolated technical task. It is positioned as a daily management of relationships, readiness, and progression. With preseason preparation and the grind of a long season approaching, the consistent question to watch is how the team’s strength staff translates these coaching principles into training culture that players buy into, especially when routines have to evolve week to week.