Many in Pittsburgh have been critical of the Steelers’ process en route to hiring Mike McCarthy as the new coach of the franchise.
A seemingly rushed decision to give McCarthy the job prevented the front office from conducting in-person interviews with any of the candidates employed by teams that were competing in the AFC and NFC Championship games.
One thing is clear, though: McCarthy desperately wanted the job.
Putting on black and gold means everything to him. The 62-year-old Greenfield native couldn’t even begin his press conference without choking up.
“Oftentimes, coaches and players, you put on new team colors, and it takes a minute to feel comfortable,” McCarthy said. “But I’m blessed beyond any measure to put on the colors I had on when I came home from Mercy Hospital.”
The emotion McCarthy showed at the press conference came off as 100% genuine to me, and every word he said about the notion of being on the sideline in Steelers’ gear seemed to come from the heart.
However, the fact he was so sincere during his 30-minute press conference gave me pause about something else.
He must really be thinking about reuniting with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback.
I asked McCarthy if it is his preference to have Rodgers back for a second season in Pittsburgh.
“Definitely. I wouldn’t know why I wouldn’t,” McCarthy said.
“I was able to sit back and watch most of the Pittsburgh games on TV. I thought he was a great asset for the team.”
At times, he was. For sure.
For six of the eight quarters against Baltimore over two games, yes. Against the Jets, Vikings, Bengals, Colts, Dolphins and Lions, you bet.
Against playoff teams like the Chargers, Bills, Texans and Seahawks?
Eh, maybe McCarthy missed those games.
Throughout 2025, the Steelers faced seven playoff teams. Rodgers was healthy for six of those games. The club won one of them (at New England, 21-14 in Week 3). His numbers in those contests were 101 of 177 for 984 yards, six touchdowns and six interceptions. That was good for 164 yards per game, 5.5 yards per attempt and a passer rating of 69.97.
If the goal is to get a playoff win under McCarthy after nine years of falling short under Mike Tomlin, those numbers suggest it will be an uphill climb if the team attempts to run it back with Rodgers.
Granted, it would be Rodgers under McCarthy’s system. Not Arthur Smith’s. That should help. Those two won Super Bowl XLV over the Steelers together. McCarthy coached Rodgers to two of his MVP seasons.
That doesn’t mean a reunion here in Pittsburgh for 2026 is the right thing to do.
Move on.
Beyond the hiring process, if there is a rightful complaint from the media and fans about McCarthy’s appointment, it is that he is just another version of Tomlin. They are both coaches who have been good enough in the regular season but busts in the playoffs late in their careers.
It was that way for 13 of Tomlin’s final 15 seasons. McCarthy had one playoff win in his last seven.
Rodgers hasn’t won a playoff game since 2020. Aside from a brief renaissance in the second half against the Ravens, he wheezed through most of the last three games of the season.
McCarthy’s greatest strength throughout his coaching career has been quarterback development. Let’s see that with Will Howard. Or a drafted quarterback. Or a QB the Steelers land in a trade or via free agency.
“I’m real excited about Will Howard. I think he’s someone who I thought really came on there at Ohio State. I’m anxious to work with him,” McCarthy said. “It’d be great to have Aaron back, but Will and Mason (Rudolph) — I’m really excited to get started with those guys.”
When McCarthy interviewed for the job a week ago, I said I’d be much more in favor of the hire if Rodgers didn’t come back than if he did — mainly for the reasons outlined above. But also because I don’t want the Steelers trapped in another waiting game for Rodgers to decide if he wants to keep playing or retire.
However, that process is something McCarthy had sympathy for during his press conference.
“When guys are up there at that stage of their career, they need to step away and decompress,” McCarthy said. “The game is so emotional. With what these men commit to, what they put into it, I think that time away is important.”
McCarthy simply said he has spoken with Rodgers but left it at that. No further details. Somewhere in that conversation, there better have been an edict to let the team know what he was doing in terms of retirement before free agency in March. Not June like last year.
McCarthy said he wants the parade for Pittsburgh’s seventh Vince Lombardi trophy to start at his house on Greenfield Avenue.
Hopefully, the first steps on that path will be with a new quarterback in 2026. Because, although it may not feel that way right now — and the record in 2026 may not show it — starting the process with a new QB this year will bring them closer to that goal than attempting to extract one more year of above-average football with Rodgers.
