The Pittsburgh Steelers are entering a new era under head coach Mike McCarthy. The veteran coach has to fill the massive shoes of Mike Tomlin, who didn’t suffer a losing season in 19 years. McCarthy will have to be smart in his approach to roster construction to continue Tomlin’s success. He’ll also be burdened by the added weight of getting Pittsburgh over the hump and back to winning playoff games again.
What should the first order of business be?
C.J. Stroud Expected To Be the Steelers’ Solution at QB
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers’s future at the Three Rivers is still up in the air. While a reunion with McCarthy from their Green Bay days is an interesting prospect, many believe the shot-caller might not be kept on for 2026.
Not only that, but Pittsburgh has to start thinking long-term regarding the quarterback position. Ever since Ben Roethlisberger retired, they’ve been keeping the car together with makeshift solutions involving veterans and backups.
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud is still young and has showcased an ability to be a franchise man. Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr believes the Steelers will call the Texans about his services, even though it might be a stretch to acquire what DeMeco Ryans probably regards as his own franchise man.
“The Steelers will call the Texans about C.J. Stroud,” Orr wrote in his bold predictions. “I’m not saying Houston will pick up, but I am saying that the Texans will receive a phone call.”
While Stroud drew many detractors for his performances this past season, he still has a track record that proves he’s worthy of leading any offense. In his three seasons in the NFL, he recorded 10,876 passing yards, 62 touchdowns, and 25 interceptions (76.2 PFSN’s NFL QB Impact in 2025).
He quietly proved a sneaky ability to add value on the ground as well, taking off on a run 139 times for 609 yards and 4 scores, putting him at 66 career touchdowns.
“Stroud is the perfect pipe-dream reclamation project for a Steelers team that never plans to rebuild and is still probably too good to project for a top-10 pick in 2027,” Orr added in his prediction. “Would he be worth a pair of late first-round picks to a Texans team that can find a veteran bridge starter in this year’s class (Jimmy Garoppolo paired with Nick Caley?) and add to that vicious defense?”
McCarthy arguably steps into one of the best situations of all the league’s new head coaches this season, and it remains to be seen whether he can build on Tomlin’s legacy.
