It won't be easy to find Mike Tomlin's successor as the Pittsburgh Steelers head coach. He never had a losing season during his 19-year run as the top dog of the franchise. Yet, he failed to gain any postseason success since 2017.
The next head coach will be expected to turn things around quickly and secure a playoff win or two; fans will likely complain about Tomlin's departure if they fail.
In his recent mailbag article, Mark Kaboly of The Pat McAfee Show laid out a couple of interesting tidbits on the Steelers' search for a top coach.
There were two high-level offensive minds in the candidate pool early, but it appears they might not be under consideration. Pittsburgh might be upset about what the Steelers insider just said regarding two highly regarded candidates for the job.
"Not only is there no interest in Klint Kubiak, but not much in the way of any Kubiak, even though they did virtually meet with Klay Kubiak," Kaboly wrote.
It looks like neither of the Kubiak brothers will end up becoming the head coach of the Steelers this year.
No one should be surprised, as Klint did not receive an interview from the organization. That was somewhat unexpected given the interest he has drawn elsewhere. His brother, Klay, got a chance to plead his case to the team, but they are ready to move on.
The Pittsburgh Steelers won't be hiring either 'Kubiak' brother to be their next head coach
As the head coach search continues, the Steelers appear content to take their time with the decision. Brian Flores, Mike McCarthy, and Anthony Weaver are scheduled for in-person interviews this week, though other candidates remain on hold. Both Chris Shula and Nate Scheelhaase must wait to get further interview opportunities after the Rams continue their playoff push.
One thing is for sure: neither Kubiak ever felt like a real contender for Pittsburgh's highly regarded vacancy.
Both have demonstrated the ability to build strong offensive units during their brief time in the NFL. Their rapid rise through the coaching ranks may have given the Steelers some pause. For these two brothers, they will have to try to locate a head coach position elsewhere.
"So, cross one off the list [Klay], and the other didn’t even make the list [Klint]," according to Kaboly.
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We will see how long this process takes to finally hire Tomlin's replacement. It could drag into February, and potentially last until after the Super Bowl if the Rams make it that far. Shula remains the favorite to fill the head coach vacancy, but don't rule out the other choices. Just because Shula best mirrors Tomlin, Bill Cowher, and Chuck Noll when they were hired doesn't mean he will be their choice.
Art Rooney II has made it clear he wants the team to compete every year, which could signal a preference for an experienced coach.
Either way, Pittsburgh should be ready to be patient. Things could take a turn if they decide to bring someone like Sean McDermott into the fold at the last minute to challenge for the job.
It has become clear that Kubiak is no longer a candidate for the head coaching position, and the search may take longer than expected.