Pittsburgh Steelers fans have heard all the promises about fixing the offense. After years of uneven quarterback play, conservative game plans, and constant change, patience isn’t exactly overflowing in Pittsburgh. Mike McCarthy will have to earn trust quickly.
Jon Gruden believes he will. His confidence in McCarthy comes from their time together at Pitt, long before either coach built a name in the NFL. Gruden remembers a young assistant who worked brutal hours and wasn’t afraid to get involved in the physical side of practice.
Jon Gruden reveals why Mike McCarthy can win over Pittsburgh Steelers fans
While those stories won’t decide how many games the Steelers win, they offer a useful look at the coach Pittsburgh is getting. McCarthy’s local ties are well known. Gruden’s recollections show how those early years shaped his approach.
“Mike McCarthy, he was my GA ... I was a receiver coach, and I have video of our receivers in drills blocking, and they were using McCarthy as the guy to hold the dummy,” Gruden said on Not Just Football With Cam Heyward. “McCarthy would put his helmet on. He had the Pitt helmet on. He's holding the dummy at about 250, and the guys are stalking him. He's getting after him. It's the greatest video ever.”
It’s an easy story to laugh at, especially with the picture of McCarthy wearing a Pitt helmet while receivers took turns driving into him. It also tells Steelers fans something useful. He puts himself in the middle of the action.
That willingness to handle the thankless work matters for a coach walking into Pittsburgh. The Steelers need someone who can build accountability, connect with players, and give the offense an identity -- something it lacked under Mike Tomlin. McCarthy has never had a flashy personality, but what Gruden remembers is a coach who earned respect by working alongside everyone else.
The hours at Pitt were just as demanding. Gruden said head coach Paul Hackett liked working late, while offensive coordinator Bill Meyers started early. That left the young assistants caught between the two schedules, and Gruden said they worked 20 hours a day.
That background helps explain McCarthy’s reputation as a detail-heavy offensive coach. His challenge with the Steelers will be turning that experience into a system that suits Aaron Rodgers, gets the ball to Pittsburgh’s best playmakers, and takes pressure off the defense.
“I just hope he goes into Pittsburgh with a case of whoop [expletive] and I hope you guys trust him and roll with him because he is a hell of a coach.”
Trust will come from better play from Rodgers, smarter game plans, and an offense that looks prepared every Sunday. Gruden’s shows that McCarthy understands the work needed to get there.
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