The Steelers have found their successor to longtime head coach Mike Tomlin. The team plans to hire Pittsburgh native Mike McCarthy, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. It’ll be McCarthy’s third head coaching opportunity in the NFL.
Known for remarkable organizational stability under the Rooney family, the Steelers have now hired just four head coaches since 1969. Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and Tomlin combined for 57 years on the job.
As an offensive-minded 62-year-old with significant HC experience, McCarthy brings a much different profile than the Noll-Cowher-Tomlin trio. The Steelers handed the keys to each of those coaches when they were in their 30s. They were all first-timers with defensive backgrounds.
Noll, Cowher and Tomlin each won at least one Super Bowl in Pittsburgh, while McCarthy hoisted the Lombardi Trophy at the Steelers’ expense 15 years ago. Then the Packers’ head coach, McCarthy guided the team to a 31-25 win over the Tomlin-led Steelers in Super Bowl XLV. That remains the high point of McCarthy’s career, but he has enjoyed plenty of success over 18 years as a head coach. At 174-112-2, McCarthy sits 15th on the all-time wins list. His .608 winning percentage ranks 39th.
As Green Bay’s sideline leader from 2006-18, McCarthy posted a 125-77-2 regular-season record with nine playoff berths. He followed that up with a 49-35 mark and three playoff appearances in a half-decade in Dallas, where he was at the helm from 2020-24. McCarthy’s Cowboys went just 1-3 in the postseason, however, and they stumbled to a 7-10 mark during an injury-limited campaign for quarterback Dak Prescott last year. Owner Jerry Jones then allowed McCarthy’s contract to expire. While the Bears and Saints showed interest in McCarthy last January, he didn’t coach anywhere in 2025.
McCarthy will now grab the reins of yet another iconic franchise in Pittsburgh, which didn’t record a single sub-.500 season during Tomlin’s 19-year reign. Although the 53-year-old Tomlin won his eighth AFC North title and went to the playoffs for the 13th time this season, he resigned after the Texans routed the Steelers in the wild-card round. It was the seventh straight postseason loss for Tomlin, who won just eight of 20 playoff games in Pittsburgh. McCarthy owns an 11-11 record in the playoffs.
Tomlin spent the majority of his tenure teaming with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, but the Steelers have lacked stability under center over the past few years. Since Roethlisberger retired after 2021, Kenny Pickett, Mitchell Trubisky, Justin Fields, Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers have each started at least five games in a season. The team still managed its third straight 10-win showing in 2025, which could go down as the 42-year-old Rodgers’ only season in Pittsburgh.
Between his age and his status as a soon-to-be free agent, it’s unclear whether Rodgers will continue his career next season. However, the obvious connection to McCarthy may make it more likely.
Rodgers was McCarthy’s starter for almost all of the coach’s time in Green Bay. Along with winning the only Super Bowl of his career under McCarthy, Rodgers took home a pair of MVPs, among numerous other accomplishments.
Eight years after they last paired up, McCarthy and Rodgers could reunite in Pittsburgh. The Steelers didn’t hire McCarthy to keep Rodgers from retiring, but he may be the one coach the QB would consider playing for at this stage of his career, according to Pelissero.
Whether it’s Rodgers or someone else, finding an answer under center will be among the most important tasks of the offseason for McCarthy and general manager Omar Khan. There’s familiarity between McCarthy and Khan, who overlapped in New Orleans from 2000-01. McCarthy was the Saints’ offensive coordinator then, while Khan was in their football operations department.
As the Steelers’ GM since 2022, Khan has overseen four straight seasons of at least nine wins. The Steelers have made the postseason three years in a row, and replacing Tomlin with a coach who’s almost a decade older suggests they don’t intend to take a step back in 2026. That’s no surprise after owner Art Rooney II spoke out against a potential rebuild on the heels of Tomlin’s exit.
With the Steelers becoming the sixth team to hire a head coach this month, there are only four openings left. The Bills, Browns, Cardinals and Raiders are still in the market. McCarthy was not a candidate for any of those jobs, though he did interview with the Giants and Titans before they chose John Harbaugh and Robert Saleh, respectively.
Better be Scheelhaase as OC and he’s the future next coach
He’s going to Cleveland….
Shula as their defensive coordinator with the promise of getting strong consideration when McCarthy calls it a day.
He already has a job and can’t make a lateral move without the Rams letting him. Why would they do that?
It’s gotta be Nathaniel Hackett to make the reunion tour complete.
Most ridiculous thing ever. Rooney just sealed his legacy as a failure
Six Super Bowl trophies in the building under that family, your post is idiotic
And your reply doesn’t tell the entire tale. 6 Lombardi Trophies under Art Sr and Dan. None under Art Jr and not a playoff win in ten years
Fixed it for you. Talk about idiotic
The problem with this Rooney is that he’s delusional. Decided on McCarthy when younger, more innovative minds likely would have torn it all down. Artie thinks the Steelers are close. It’s almost funny
Six Super Bowls lol
Tonight, on “Meet the New Standard, Same as the Old Standard”…
And yet, McCarthy hasn’t coached one game in Pittsburgh, yet. The sky isn’t falling.. . …
Youre telling me they decided to replace tomlin with McCarthy, the guy who couldn’t beat the 49ers with a stacked Dallas roster
They needed an innovative guy like minter with the ravens
LOL.
Here yinz go.
I couldn’t be more amused at how this has played out.
Rodgers isn’t retiring now lol.
Really interested on how this aspect of the move plays out. AFC North should be tougher by default than it was this year. Except the Browns. They’ll be the same. I’m also assuming this means Arthur Smith is out, or maybe not calling plays anymore?
Those two hated each other at the end, so it would be interesting if he comes back to say the least.
a few ayahuasca retreats can heal many wounds
@realfootballfan
They don’t have to long hot showers together while gazing lovingly in each others’ eyes.
They just have to believe a reunion is their best chance to win, or in Rodgers’ mind that a reunion is preferable to retirement, assuming the Vikings don’t come calling.
But it will be interesting.
Rodgers has said nothing but positive words about McCarthy over the past several years and spoke with gratitude for their time together.
They hired McCarthy just so they could get one more year of mediocre Rodgers
I don’t know why they would rather have 1 more year of 1st round exit instead of drafting Ty Simpson (who isnt like Kenny Pickett)
Pretty boring hire besides being a Pittsburgh guy, he does not have much going for him. I guess they will have someone to drag Aaron’s corpse for another couple of years.
I think the hire is because they want to maintain the status quo. McCarthy is a high floor guy. Steelers are not interested in a rebuild.
😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣
Damn it.
Is this rly an improvement? Its just a *change*
It’s a change, and no. He is not a better football coach than Mike T. Change for the worse.
Wow he is awful
If a coach needs to be fired, a coach needs to be fired. You can’t “live in your fears” to quote a not so random person.
But, why anyone thought Art Jr. (a nicer silver spoon than most, but still a silver spoon) would know how to hire the right coach, I have no idea.
I guess the goal is 8-9 now?
Lmao at Steeler fans. he’s a good HC, but I don’t think this is the one you’re clamoring for years to get rid of Tomlin for.
The Steelers needed a clean slate at HC (like any of the Kubiak sons) since the NFL is getting dominated by guys like Liam Coen and Mike Macdonald and Ben Johnson
I would be shocked if McCarthy coached like Dan Quinn or Mike Vrabel this time around
Interesting…..now can we see who the Steelers interviewed in person to satisfy the Rooney Rule because the Browns are the only team taking this rule seriously and have refused to interview minority candidates simply to check off a requirement…..
Weaver. And he’d have been a better head coach. Flores was interviewed, too
Kubiak. The Rams assistants. They didn’t even interview these guys
Rooney isn’t his old man, that’s for sure. He’s not even Dan. He believes this team is close to being a threat, even with its bloated, aging roster
What a hire
The guy is delusional
They interviewed Weaver and Flores.
Yikes. Hope all the Steelers fans that wanted Tomlin gone are happy. I think they are the dog that caught the car.
I’m ok with it. Definitely thought it was going to be Weaver but whatever. Change is what was needed. I don’t expect this to be a long term solution in Pittsburgh
Change for the sake of change? hmmm. Players, like Aaron Rodgers, were drawn to the Steelers because of a culture built on continuity and consistent winning. The Raiders have changed coaches 12 times since 2002. I’ll bet they would welcome some continuity and culture.
Players like Aaron Rodgers were drawn to the Steelers by Mike Tomlin… no one wanted Rodgers in Pittsburgh… So yeah, I’ll take this change…
Agree. Let’s see what an offensive minded team looks like. Hopefully they don’t neglect the D as bad as the O has been neglected for the past few seasons.
Change is what is needed is what the Raiders and Dolphins said 30 years ago.
This is the worst coaching hire possible. There is a reason he was fired by his last 2 teams. The game has passed him by and Steelers are just wasting time by hiring a yinzer for good PR. He’s too old and he has lost the locker room on both of the teams he headed. This is REALLY the worst move they could have made.
Went from the definition of mediocrity to super mediocre
Called this a few days ago.
Rct & Rex, wya?
Now they can achieve their goal of 4 coaches over 78 years.
Hey, but I was told by people here that Tomlin drove the decision to bring Rodgers in and not ownership. Steeler fans about to learn some hard lessons about how their franchise runs and that Art II is not his father.
Awful decision if it means the should be sent to a farm upstate Rodgers is coming back.
Flores lawsuit in…3…2…1…
What a horrible move.
To all of you steelers fans who wanted to get rid of Mike Tomlin, one of the most steady and respected coaches in NFL history:
You reap what you sow.
I like this hire. He was on my top 8 list for falcons job too. His track record with QBs is impressive and he’s been coaching for over 30 years. Tons of wisdom
Which Pittsburgh quarterback?
Bad hire for the Steelers.
HUGE WIN for McFatty. Goes to an organization that has never fired a HC. However bad McFatty coaches, AND HE WILL BE HORRIBLE, he knows he will be their coach until HE wants to leave.
Was Jeff Fisher unavailable?