The Pittsburgh Steelers have found their replacement for Mike Tomlin.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have officially found their next coach 11 days after longtime head coach Mike Tomlin stepped away after 19 seasons. After interviewing 10 candidates, three in person, they settled on a Pittsburgh native who didn’t coach a team last year. However, he has won a Super Bowl – ironically against the Steelers. The team announced on Saturday that they had verbally agreed to hire Mike McCarthy as their next head coach. McCarthy has 18 years of head coaching experience with the Green Bay Packers and most recently the Dallas Cowboys. He will now potentially reunite with the quarterback he won a championship with.
McCarthy was Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ coach when both were with the Packers, with Rodgers beginning his starting career under McCarthy. The decision to bring in McCarthy could certainly be an enticing hire to bring back Rodgers for another season, as the two worked together for 13 years in Green Bay. Steelers owner and team president Art Rooney alluded to Rodgers’ decision being affected by Tomlin walking away. This might change that. Moreover, instead of going with a first-time up and comer, Pittsburgh targeted a veteran coach that can keep them contending with postseason experience.
Here is the full story from Steeler Roundtable writer Ben Cooper on the McCarthy era and what he brings to the organization.
McCarthy has shown that he can bring a contending team to the postseason but has only gotten to the Super Bowl once – though he did win it. It’s a special homecoming for the local native, and one that could lure back their starting quarterback.