Mike McCarthy sets wild Steelers record before even coaching a game

The Pittsburgh Steelers' head coaching search this offseason was following a lot of the same patterns that it had for their last three hires, until it wasn't. Instead of the odds-on-favorite, Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula, the Steelers went with veteran HC Mike McCarthy.

McCarthy, a native of Pittsburgh, was a late addition to their interview list and was viewed by many as longshot for the job. Not only would he be getting a rare third chance as an HC, but he checked none of the boxes that past Steelers coaches have over the past 57 years. He isn't a defensive-minded coach or a first-time HC, both of which were true of Chuck Knoll, Bill Cowher, and Mike Tomlin.

Maybe most importantly, he is far older than any of them were at the time of their hiring. In fact, at age 62, he is the oldest coach in Steelers history at the time of their hiring, and it's not very close.

Mike McCarthy is by far the oldest HC hire in Pittsburgh Steelers history, and it couldn't have come at a worse time

You have to go all the way back to 1946 to find a coach even close to as old on their first day coaching for the Steelers, that being Jock Sutherland at age 57. In fact, he is also older than any of the Steelers' last three coaches were by the time they were done in Pittsburgh. It's easily the most unique hire in the history of the franchise, but it unfortunately couldn't have come at a worse time.

With the Steelers entering a new era without Tomlin leading the way, now was the time to bring in a young, innovative HC who could be here through a potentially lengthy rebuild. Owner Art Rooney II may have brushed off the idea of a true rebuild, but the state of the roster suggests one is coming whether he likes it or not.

Instead, he and General Manager Omar Khan went the complete opposite direction, choosing to sign up for more of the same mediocrity they had been suffering through under Tomlin. McCarthy is far from a bad coach; in fact, he may be a similar caliber coach to Tomlin. That's the problem, however.

This team doesn't need another coach who can "raise the floor" just enough to keep them in the playoff hunt. They need someone who can help them tear down and rebuild a more modern, sustainable roster. They need a plan to find their next franchise quarterback, something that is nearly impossible when you are picking in the middle of the first round every season.

The last time the Steelers had a truly bad season was in 2003, when they went 6-10. That allowed them to pick 11th in the draft, and they famously selected Ben Roethlisberger with that pick.

McCarthy may be just good enough to keep them in the 8 to 10 win range, but he almost certainly won't be able to push them beyond the one-and-done plateau they have been stuck on for a decade.