With Mike Tomlin resigning, the Pittsburgh Steelers are in a position they haven’t been in nearly two decades, shopping for a new head coach.
Now, as the Steelers look for the next guy to take over the franchise, former legendary head coach Bill Cowher gave his thoughts on the potential hire of Mike McCarthy in Pittsburgh.
How Does Bill Cowher Feel About Mike McCarthy Joining the Steelers?
The Steelers have had just three different head coaches over the last 57 years, and Tomlin had been Pittsburgh’s coach since 2007. As the only team whose last three consecutive coaches have won Super Bowls, Pittsburgh takes this search very seriously.
The Steelers completed an in-person interview with McCarthy for their head coach opening on Wednesday. On Friday, Cowher joined “The Pat McAfee Show” to discuss his thoughts on the Steelers’ opening and if McCarthy is a good fit.
“I actually talked to Mike yesterday. He got done, and he just said how surreal it was for him,” Cowher said. “He grew up in Greenfield. Just being in the building itself, I remember when I went in there the first time, there was a mystique about that building.”
“I talked to Mike McCarthy yesterday and he talked about how surreal the interview was..
I remember being in that building for the first time and it’s a special place” ~ @CowherCBS #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/NwC22rRCDe
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 23, 2026
McCarthy was born and raised in Pittsburgh, living in the Greenfield neighborhood. His father worked at the Pittsburgh Fire Bureau and Police Department.
The long-time coach got his career started as a graduate assistant at Fort Hays State University for two years before coming home to work as a volunteer grad assistant at the University of Pittsburgh.
McCarthy spent three years as a grad assistant with Pitt before being promoted to wide receivers coach in 1992.
One year later, he was hired by the Kansas City Chiefs as an offensive quality control coach, which started 16 straight years of coaching in the NFL.
After the Green Bay Packers fired McCarthy in 2018, the Dallas Cowboys hired him as their head coach in 2020. McCarthy stayed in Dallas for five years before being fired.
Now, the 62-year-old is in consideration for the Steelers’ head coaching job. He certainly brings the resume and experience, with more than 35 years of coaching and a Super Bowl as a head coach.
The Steelers are one of the most historic organizations in the NFL, and McCarthy has 13 years of experience with one of the others, the Packers.
“It’s a special place. It’s a unique place. I think that’s the best thing I would say,” Cowher said. “There’s total transparency, total collaboration, and I think it’s a great place to kind of grow your resume, whatever it may be.
“Whether it’s from the beginning or if Mike happens to go back there, I think it would almost be like a full circle coming back home.”
Cowher coached the Steelers for 15 years (1992-2006), winning a Super Bowl and an AP NFL Coach of the Year award. He’s in the Steelers Hall of Honor, the Pittsburgh Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the NFL’s Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Pittsburgh completed virtual interviews with five coaches besides McCarthy, who have yet to be hired by another team. They also completed an in-person interview with Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores earlier this week.
