The Pittsburgh Steelers made their head coaching decision final just days ago, but already, Mike McCarthy is diligently seeking new members for his coaching staff. While some of McCarthy's Green Bay Packers connections have been linked to Pittsburgh, it's a Dallas Cowboys coaching partner he's currently got his eyes on.
On Tuesday, ESPN insider Adam Schefter reported that Lunda Wells is expected to interview this week for the Steelers' offensive coordinator job.
Wells, a sixth-year tight end coach for the Cowboys, is one of the more well-respected voices in the organization. During his tenure in Dallas, Wells has been largely responsible for developing tight ends like Jake Ferguson, Dalton Schultz, and Blake Jarwin.
McCarthy was the head coach of the Cowboys from 2021 to 2024, so the long-time NFL head coach has five years of experience working together with Wells in Dallas.
Mike McCarthy could name Lunda Wells as the Pittsburgh Steelers' next offensive coordinator
While this could be the first interview of several at the offensive coordinator position, if it goes anything like the Steelers' head coaching search, a decision could be made soon.
McCarthy won't beat around the bush—he knows what he wants. McCarthy valued the tight end position heavily in Dallas, and Wells would help the Steelers do something they haven't done in years: exploit defenses over the middle of the field.
Resident FanSided NFL expert and avid Cowboys fan, Marcus Mosher, told me in a recent conversation that Wells would be an excellent hire for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Wells brings energy, and his players love him in Dallas.
While Wells has no play-calling experience, he doesn't need any for this job. McCarthy relinquished offensive play-calling duties back in 2018, and he vowed never to do that again. He'll be calling the offense in Pittsburgh.
With talented tight ends to work with in Pittsburgh like Darnell Washington and Pat Freiermuth, Wells could be the coach who finally unlocks their full potential. With Arthur Smith in 2025, Washington saw a breakout season (in terms of snap counts), while Freiermuth witnessed a diminished role.
After three straight egregiously poor hires by Mike Tomlin, McCarthy needs to get this decision right. For the last seven years, Steelers fans have suffered through OCs Randy Fichtner, Matt Canada, and Arthur Smith. Though Smith had a year remaining on his contract, Tomlin's departure allowed him to seek other options, and he landed on his feet as the offensive coordinator for Ohio State.
We'll have to see if more offensive coordinator interviews come in soon, but McCarthy has a strong connection with Lunda Wells, and this could be the next offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers.