The Pittsburgh Steelers' decision to hire Mike McCarthy as the next head coach may have rubbed some the wrong way due to seemingly not pivoting far from the Mike Tomlin formula, but the former Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys head coach is putting together a staff that seems to be much more impressive than what Tomlin was stitching together.
Tomlin's inability to bring in good offensive coordinators or assistants is one of the biggest reasons that he floundered near the end of his tenure. McCarthy, even in the early stages of this partnership, seems to be going back to his Packers glory days as he tries his hardest to link up with some big names.
CBS Sports is reporting the Steelers are set to hire James Campen as their offensive line coach. McCarthy is hiring someone with whom he is very familiar, as the pair were together for over a decade back when McCarthy was coaching the Packers.
McCarthy's staff is starting to take shape. Amid reports that Cowboys tight ends coach Lunda Wells is interviewing for the offensive coordinator job and Patrick Graham is standing out as a favorite for the defensive coordinator nod, McCarthy is slowly but surely filling out a solid crew.
Pittsburgh Steelers to hire James Campen as offensive line coach
Campen was McCarthy's offensive line coach for 11 seasons between 2007 and 2018, a time in which both Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers were routinely kept upright by some of the most consistent units in the league. However, Campen's status as a quality coach in the league has taken a hit lately.
Campen bounced between the Browns, Chargers, and Texans in three straight seasons before a two-season stint with the Carolina Panthers that was such a mess that it got Frank Reich canned after 11 games. Campen hasn't coached in the NFL since the Carolina stint.
The Steelers' lack of excellent offensive line play has been one of the constants that has prevented their offense from truly taking flight in the last few years. Even after using high draft picks on players like Broderick Jones, Troy Fautanu, and Zach Frazier, the unit as a whole lacks cohesion.
If McCarthy can fix the offensive line and identify a quarterback that can be at least stable rather than an active detriment by hiring Campen, he could start laying the foundation for a Steelers team that finally breaks through after years of postseason shortcomings.