Within 24 hours on Jan. 12-13, the Pittsburgh Steelers went from unfortunately familiar territory to uncharted waters.
The first part came courtesy of yet another postseason loss — a 30-6 defeat at the hands of the Houston Texans in an AFC wild-card matchup. The latter came the following day, when Mike Tomlin announced he was stepping down from the head coaching post he had held for 19 seasons.
Former Steelers Super Bowl Champ Backs Mike McCarthy Hire
Once the initial shock of Tomlin’s decision — one that reverberated throughout the NFL world — wore off, Steelers primary owner and president Art Rooney II and the rest of the team’s brass embarked on their first head coaching search since the winter of 2007.
The team reportedly cast a wide net that included Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak, and then-Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter among the more prominent names.
However, the franchise — which had not hired a coach older than 38 since Mike Nixon in 1965 — ultimately turned to 62-year-old Mike McCarthy, who, along with 2025 Steelers starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers, handed Pittsburgh its most recent Super Bowl loss in February 2011 while both were leading the Green Bay Packers.
While the Steelers’ head coaching search was widely panned across the sports media landscape, one of the franchise’s former Super Bowl champions, offensive lineman Willie Colon, offered a very different perspective.
Appearing on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football,” Colon voiced his support for the McCarthy hire, proclaiming the Steelers now “have the best coach in the division.”
“They have the best coach in the division” ‼️
Willie Colon on the #Steelers hiring Mike McCarthy pic.twitter.com/0M09AfBwsx
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) January 26, 2026
Colon’s remark is not without merit. The prevailing perception of McCarthy is that of a “retread option,” given that he parted ways with the Dallas Cowboys after the 2024 season when the team allowed his contract to expire.
However, on paper, McCarthy’s tenure in Dallas was far from a failure, his 1-3 postseason record notwithstanding. The Cowboys went 49-35 over McCarthy’s four regular seasons at the helm, a stretch that included three consecutive 12-win seasons and two NFC East titles.
McCarthy’s Pedigree Is Arguably Unmatched by Rest of AFC North Head Coaches
Colon’s assessment of how McCarthy’s résumé stacks up against the current crop of AFC North head coaches also appears to be supported by the numbers.
Before his time in Dallas, McCarthy built much of his coaching legacy during a 13-season run with the Packers. As referenced earlier, that stretch included a Super Bowl XLV victory over the Steelers, along with a 125-77-2 regular-season record and a 10-8 postseason mark.
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By comparison, the Cincinnati Bengals’ Zac Taylor has compiled a 52-63-1 regular-season record over seven seasons on the sideline. While his 5-2 postseason record and Super Bowl LVI appearance are noteworthy, his overall body of work still pales in comparison to McCarthy’s.
Elsewhere in the division, the Cleveland Browns are still searching for a replacement for the recently departed Kevin Stefanski, while the Baltimore Ravens have replaced John Harbaugh with Minter, a first-time head coach.
