After two decades, the Pittsburgh Steelers will have a head coach other than Mike Tomlin, and Tomlin's decision to step down ultimately saved the franchise from itself, as it had seemed he would be brought back in 2026.
Tomlin reportedly stepped down on his own, so the Steelers have definitely found themselves in a bit of an unexpected situation. This was a needed change, as the team was maxed out with Coach Tomlin in recent years and hadn't won a playoff game in a decade. The franchise needs a new face, and perhaps someone who has a different mindset overall.
There haven't been an overwhelming number of top-tier candidates this offseason, but some news breaking on Tuesday morning seems to point to the Steelers being a favorite to land one of the top names on the market, and while the name might not excite you, this would be a great move.
Mike McCarthy appears to be a favorite for the Pittsburgh Steelers head coaching job
Mike McCarthy withdrew his name earlier this week for the Tennessee Titans head coaching job, so that could tell you all you need to know about where he is focused: the Pittsburgh Steelers. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported that McCarthy's focus is on landing the Steelers' head coaching job.
McCarthy is 62 years old, was born in Pittsburgh, and went to high school at Bishop Boyle in Homestead. He's a one-time Super Bowl champion with the Green Bay Packers back in 2010 and has been a head coach since 2006. In the 2019 and 2025 seasons, McCarthy was actually not coaching in the league after being let go by the Packers and Cowboys.
He has a career record of 174-112-2, winning nearly 61% of his games in 18 years. He's also won 11 playoff games and has had at least 10 wins in 11 of his 18 years on the job. Not only is McCarthy a proven winner, which is something the Steelers need, but he's also been a strong offensive mind for nearly 20 years.
Both Aaron Rodgers and Dak Prescott, his two primary QBs, played the best, or very close to the best, football of their careers with McCarthy as head coach. While he isn't a 35-year-old offensive coordinator whiz, he's better than that.
What the Steelers have needed for years now is someone who get the offense on the right track. The franchise also needs to get serious about the QB position. McCarthy has both of those things in his back pocket and has surely made a ton of connections during his time as head coach to field a strong coaching staff.
While the name might not excite you, Mike McCarthy is a coach the Steelers need.