Well, I don't know about you, but I am still not entirely sure what to think about the Pittsburgh Steelers coaching staff. After Mike Tomlin informed Art Rooney II that he would be stepping down as head coach after a rather inglorious first-round playoff loss, I think we all knew that major changes were inevitable.
On one hand, I am excited to see what Mike McCarthy has in mind on the offensive side of the ball, but I dare say the defensive side of the ball leaves much to be desired. We will delve further into each side of the ball momentarily, but at least on paper, the coaching staff does not have the look of champions.
Before we delve any further into this discussion, I will admit that it is unfair to judge the performance of a coaching staff that has yet to step foot onto a football field as a unit. That said, there are more questions than answers at this point.
The Pittsburgh Steelers 2026 coaching staff leaves a lot to be desired
The Steelers defense may take several steps back in 2026
I think we should start with the elephant in the room, so to speak. When Patrick Graham was named the defensive coordinator, I was surprised, to say the least. In the previous four seasons as the defensive coordinator for the Las Vegas Raiders, his defenses ranked 28th, 15th, 15th, and 14th, respectively, in total yards allowed.
While those rankings are not bad, the points allowed rankings are more telling. From 2022 through 2025, Graham's defenses ranked 26th, 9th, 26th, and 25th, respectively. In other words, Graham's defenses were not that good at limiting scoring, save for the 2023 season.
I appreciate the fact that Graham worked for McCarthy at some point in his career, but familiarity does not equate to performance. I do not doubt that Graham will be enthusiastic about coaching a better defense than what he had in Las Vegas, but that may not amount to much. Only time will tell. Let's move on to the offensive side of the ball.
The Steelers offense will be better but by how much?
We all know that McCarthy will be the de facto offensive coordinator, meaning he will be calling plays on game day. That said, I am fairly confident that the Steelers offense, which finished the 2025 season with rankings of 25th in total yards and 15th in points, will perform better, but by how much is the question.
I don't think we need to dissect McCarthy's record as a play caller, but suffice it to say that as a head coach, he has been successful. He has amassed a winning percentage of .608. I'll take a 60% winning percentage from my head coach any day of the week. There is also his past familiarity with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, which could lead to the four-time MVP's return in 2026.
The question marks lie with the rest of the staff. I frankly have no idea or no feel for how well the rest of the staff will perform. As we know, it's not just about being a good coach. It's also about being a good communicator and motivator. Chuck Noll was a great coach, but I don't know if he was a great motivator. I think Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin were a mix of both, with Tomlin being more on the motivator side, in my opinion.
The Steelers 2026 season will be one of question and uncertainty
It's fair to say that because of the uncertainty surrounding the coaching staff, the Steelers 2026 may be a lost cause, as it were. I hope I'm wrong, I really do. While I believe that the offense will improve, the defense will likely take a step back. Hopefully, it's just one step back.
As much as we fans have trepidation about the 2026 season, what about the players? I'm certain there is much trepidation. The coaching staff is essentially completely new, the offensive scheme will change significantly, and although the defensive scheme may remain, there will be tweaks.
Change is inevitable. It happens in every facet of life. Tomlin was not going to coach forever. How long Mike McCarthy will be the head coach for the Steelers is a question for which no one has an answer right now. Like most topics we discuss, only time will tell the whole story.