Mike Tomlin recently stepped down as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers after 19 years without a losing season. His decision to do so came quickly after they were eliminated in the first round of the NFL Playoffs.
They will now have the challenging task of replacing him, and have apparently targeted a former Super Bowl champion as a potential replacement.
Steelers Continue Their Search to Replace Mike Tomlin as Next Head Coach
The Steelers have had an incredibly run of just three head coaches since 1969, with Bill Cowher and Chuck Noll immediately preceding Tomlin. All three won Super Bowl rings during their time in Pittsburgh and have maintained relatively steady success for more than 50 years.
This creates some pressure around the franchise to keep this trend going, and that starts with hiring the right head coach to replace Tomlin. NFL insider Adam Schefter recently reported that they are expected to meet with a proven veteran who has also won a Vince Lombardi trophy during his own career.
“Steelers are expected to speak with former Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy about their head coach vacancy. McCarthy is from Pittsburgh and worked with Steelers GM Omar Khan in New Orleans in 2000,” reported Schefter.
Steelers are expected to speak with former Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy about their head coach vacancy. McCarthy is from Pittsburgh, and worked with Steelers GM Omar Khan in New Orleans in 2000. pic.twitter.com/mR3nOMxWCA
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 18, 2026
Schefter noted that McCarthy previously worked with general manager Omar Khan during their time together with the New Orleans Saints. NFL insider Tom Pelissero followed that up with another connection between McCarthy and the franchise.
“Mike McCarthy’s father, Joe, was a firefighter and Pittsburgh Police Department officer who also owned Joe McCarthy’s Bar and Grill. Mike was raised a Steelers fan,” stated Pelissero.
Mike McCarthy’s father, Joe, was a firefighter and Pittsburgh Police Department officer who also owned Joe McCarthy’s Bar and Grill. Mike was raised a Steelers fan — and beat them in Super Bowl XLV.
Now, a true Yinzer could come home to pursue the franchise’s next Lombardi. https://t.co/fWMsvm4CFa pic.twitter.com/qrYJZptBAU
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 18, 2026
Mike McCarthy won a Super Bowl ring as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers in 2010, with Aaron Rodgers as his quarterback. He also found success with the Dallas Cowboys, leading them to the playoffs annually with Dak Prescott as his quarterback.
The potential issue for the Steelers entering the 2026 NFL season is their own quarterback situation. Rodgers was their starter this year but struggled severely, finishing just 29th in the PFSN NFL QB Impact Rankings. He is also a free agent this offseason, and many assume that Pittsburgh will go in a different direction.
Which direction is yet to be determined, with the options for the position expected to be somewhat limited this year. Potentially picking a new head coach like McCarthy, who has proven success with quarterbacks and has led deep postseason runs, may be exactly what they need to get over the hump.
While his previous connections to the franchise make his candidacy even more intriguing, only time will tell if a river flows upstream.
