For only the fourth time since the beginning of the Nixon administration, the Pittsburgh Steelers will need to hire a head coach after Mike Tomlin stepped aside. Following someone with 19 seasons and one Super Bowl is not going to be an easy task.
However, the prestige and stability one gets from the Steelers job will make Pittsburgh one of the more coveted openings in this cycle. Many of the top available names would love nothing more than to put their own stamp on this franchise.
It would behoove the Steelers to continue their tradition of winning with ruthless consistency by looking at any one of these five assistants and bringing them to town for 2026 and beyond.
5 Mike Tomlin replacements Steelers must consider
5. Klint Kubiak, OC, Seattle Seahawks
One of the few hot-ticket play-calling OCs out there, Kubiak could follow in his father Gary's footsteps. After Tomlin's inability to spice up the offense doomed him at the end of his tenure, hiring Kubiak could be a big step into the 21st century for this offense.
4. Todd Monken, OC, Baltimore Ravens
Steelers fans may not love hiring a former Ravens assistant to replace Tomlin. But after getting an MVP (which should have been two) out of Lamar Jackson while maintaining an elite ground game in Baltimore, Monken's credentials for fixing that side of the ball are very impressive.
3. Jesse Minter, DC, Los Angeles Chargers
The Steelers' last three coaches, all of whom will be or will be Hall of Famers in Tomlin, Bill Cowher, and Chuck Noll, were hired young after stints as defensive assistants. At 42, Minter helped turn the Chargers into one of the best units in the league, and that expertise will be welcomed in Pittsburgh.
2. Mike McCarthy, former HC, Dallas Cowboys
The Steelers may not want to give the task of replacing Tomlin to a first-timer, in which case McCarthy could slide in. Like Tomlin, McCarthy's experience will help the Steelers get at least a baseline floor as they try to figure out how to retool their roster for the future.
1. Brian Flores, DC, Minnesota Vikings
Flores was an assistant under Tomlin after being fired by the Miami Dolphins, and he is one of the most in-demand coaches of this cycle. Flores will keep the defensive-minded ethos that has defined the Steelers, all while poaching several assistants from the talented Minnesota offensive staff.