The Pittsburgh Steelers changed head coaches this offseason, but Jerome Bettis’ optimism about hiring Mike McCarthy isn’t about replacing Mike Tomlin. He believes Pittsburgh finally gave its coach a roster that can produce better results.
Bettis’ assessment pushes back on the idea that Tomlin was the main reason Pittsburgh couldn’t win in January. The Steelers legend watched a team reach the playoffs last season despite personnel he considered inadequate. His take offers Tomlin some grace while placing more responsibility on general manager Omar Khan and the rest of the organization.
It also removes a convenient excuse for McCarthy. If the roster is substantially better, matching last season’s 10-7 record and another quick postseason exit wouldn’t represent progress.
Jerome Bettis puts Pittsburgh Steelers roster construction under scrutiny, raises standard for Mike McCarthy
“I'm optimistic when you see what they've added because I really believe it's about the talent that you put on the field, and unfortunately, the last few years, the talent hadn't been as substantial as it needed to be from that standpoint,” Bettis told Still Curtain managing editor Tommy Jaggi on a FanSided podcast.
That’s a direct verdict on Pittsburgh’s recent roster construction. Tomlin certainly deserved criticism for stale offensive plans, questionable game management, and playoff performances that repeatedly got away from his teams. Bettis isn’t absolving him of those failures. He argues that coaching wasn’t the only limitation, or even the biggest one.
Pittsburgh’s offseason roster work supports the argument. Bettis specifically identified Michael Pittman Jr., Rico Dowdle, and Germie Bernard as significant upgrades. Pittman gives DK Metcalf a proven running mate after Pittsburgh spent too many seasons hoping an unproven receiver would become a dependable second option. Dowdle has consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons, while Jaylen Warren remains available to split the workload.
The Steelers also acquired Pittman by trade and traded up for Bernard. Those weren’t minor depth moves. Pittsburgh invested in giving McCarthy enough receivers to use three-wide personnel without asking one player to fill a role he hasn’t earned.
“I think ultimately they made the playoffs last year,” Bettis said. “I think with a limited roster, you got better players. I think you get a better chance.”
That reasoning led Bettis to predict that Pittsburgh will end its playoff-win drought and establish a better standard for evaluating McCarthy. His offense should be more functional, the skill-position depth is stronger, and he inherits a team that has already reached the postseason.
Tomlin took plenty of blame when a limited roster stalled in January. McCarthy now gets the upgraded version. If Bettis is right about the talent, the Steelers’ new coach needs to deliver more than another respectable 9-8/10-7 regular season.
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