As Mike McCarthy fills out his coaching staff with the Pittsburgh Steelers, there is positivity emanating from the team. They have finally added some quality coaches to the group, and it's even begun to expand into the modern era of NFL coaching staffs. We will see how it all transpires when it's completed, but there remains one massive vacancy that needs to be filled by McCarthy.
The Steelers are still deciding who their next offensive coordinator will be.
Arthur Smith left for the same role at Ohio State, which was a shocking announcement. No one was surprised to hear Smith depart Pittsburgh, but jumping to the collegiate side of things was an interesting career move. The Steelers have been searching for Smith’s replacement, and several candidates have been linked to the role.
The team may be taking additional time to ensure the right decision is made, though a new report indicates an announcement could be imminent. According to Noah Strackbein of Sports Illustrated, the Steelers have shrunk their list of candidates down to two names. One fan might be thrilled with it, while the other could lead to some discourse. This should get resolved soon.
Pittsburgh Steelers' search for their offensive coordinator has a clear frontrunner
According to Strackbein’s report, the Steelers have entered a new phase of their search for an offensive coordinator. The two finalists are Scott Tolzien and Brian Angelichio. Both have been connected to the opening and have interviewed with McCarthy. These candidates have prior experience working with the Steelers’ head coach on previous staffs and could be solid additions.
"Sources have told Steelers On SI that both Tolzien and Angelichio could end up getting the job, however, the team does view Tolzien as the leading candidate," Strackbein wrote.
Most of Steelers Nation were leaning towards Tolzien to land the offensive coordinator job. They observed what Kellen Moore accomplished under McCarthy’s tenure with the Dallas Cowboys and hope that success could carry over to this role.
Tolzien has since removed his name from the Steelers search. That has now opened the door for the top contender for the job moving forward.
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Just because Tolzien was the favorite to land this job doesn't mean Angelichio is a consolation prize for this hire. He has much more experience as a coach between the college ranks and the NFL than Tolzien. His failure to land an offensive coordinator job up to this point is puzzling, but he has been around quality offensive minds. McCarthy is searching in the right areas for a quality coach.
Strackbein explained the timeline for a decision.
"Expect a decision to be made in the coming days as the Steelers try to finalize their coaching staff before the NFL Combine at the end of the month."
No matter if it's Angelichio or a dark horse, the decision shouldn't take much longer. Pittsburgh wants to have its staff in place in the coming weeks. The formation of their team is paramount, and they will need all coaches in place to determine how their roster will be built.
A new offensive coordinator is expected to be announced soon, and Angelichio appears to be the new clear frontrunner.