Tag Archives: Art Rooney II

Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II

Steelers Offense Implodes in 20-3 Loss to Patriots at Gillette Stadium

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Week 2 of the 2026 season saw the Pittsburgh Steelers drop a 20 to 3 decision to the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium.

Given the dynamics of NFL scheduling and Steelers tortured history in Foxborough the loss itself should surprise no one.

  • But the Steelers complete offensive impotence should alarm everyone.

Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy manned up, acknowledged his offense’s poor play and took full responsibility. Good for him. The critical question McCarthy must answer now is this: Can we chalk Pittsburgh’s offensive ineptitude to sloppy “September football” or are the Steelers woes more systemic?

Gabe Jackas strip sacks Aaron Rodgers during the Steelers week 2 loss to the Patriots in 2026

How bad was it? This Gabe Jacas hit on Aaron Rodgers wasn’t even a sack…. Photo Credit: AP via the Tribune-Review

SOSO: Same Old Steelers Offense. And Then Some…

Art Rooney Sr. had a term during his franchise’s 40-some-odd years in the wilderness: Same Old Steelers. While the term hasn’t been forgotten, it hasn’t been used much since Chuck Noll’s arrival in 1969.

  • Yet the term certainly applies to the Steelers offense throughout this decade.

Yes, during the first third or maybe even half of the 2020 season, the Steelers fielded an NFL varsity-worthy offense. But outside of that, the 2020s have seen the Steelers win in spite of their offense and almost never because of it.

The remedy, social media commentators have readily assured us:

  • Hire an offensive-minded head coach
  • Surround him with younger, innovative assistants
  • Be more aggressive in improving talent

Art Rooney II hired McCarthy, an offensive minded coach. McCarthy’s staff is well-renowned. Omar Khan has aggressively addressed the offense in the draft, free agency and with multiple trades.

Yet, two games into the 2026 campaign, the Steelers offense not only doesn’t look better than anything Mike Tomlin fielded in 2024 or 2025; against the Patriots it looked worse:

  • The Steelers went 2-12 on third down conversions
  • Patriots defenders sacked Aaron Rodgers 4 times and hit him 7
  • Rodgers suffered not one but two strip sacks
  • Pittsburgh’s best receiver, Germie Bernard caught 4 balls but bobbled a 5th that got picked off
  • D.K. Metcalf, the supposed No. 1 WR, had 4 catches for 27 yards – including garbage time
  • The Steelers defense secured 2 turnovers; the offense squandered both

Those numbers, while bleak, really fail to paint a picture of how pitifully Pittsburgh’s offense failed in Foxborough.

The Steelers offense opened with twin three and outs followed by a missed field goal. After that they opened the third quarter with a workmanlike drive where Rodgers found the rookie Bernard several times and Pat Freiermuth executed the tush push on 4th down.

They made it all the way to the New England 25. A three yard pass to D.K. Metcalf brought up to the 22. Rodgers then tried and failed to find Darnell Washington, bringing up 3rd and 7. Here’s what followed:

Christian Elliss folded Aaron Rodgers in half, knocking the ball loose, and a 3rd & 7 with a very makeable field goal became 4th and 43. Credit Troy Fautanu for recovering the ball, but the Steelers drafted him to protect the quarterback, not recovery strip sacks.

Troy Fautanu recovers a strip sack during the Steelers 2026 week 2 loss to the New England Patriots

Troy Fautanu saves six and recovers a strip sack. Photo Credit: AP via Tribune-Review

A similar self-sabotage sequence unfolded in the 4th quarter when the Steelers, theoretically at least, still had a chance rally.

The Steelers moved the ball deftly with Jaylen Warren’s running and Aaron Rodgers hitting Metcalf and Roman Wilson on underneath routes. At the Patriots 30 , Rodgers hit Warren who zigged, zagged and powered his way 25 yards to the 4. On cue, the Steelers’ offense self-destructed:

  • Elijah Ponder sacked Aaron Rodgers on first down, knocking them 9 yards back.
  • On second Rodgers hit Bernard, who had the ball bounce off his hands and into Gabe Jacas’.

Rodgers saved the touchdown with a tackle, but again, he didn’t stay out of retirement to make tackles.

Sandwiched in between these twin debacles was Christian Barmore’s strip sack of Rodgers and Elijah Ponder’s recovery of the ball that he returned for a touchdown.

There’s no sugar coating how bad the Steelers offense was against the Patriots. Sure, Warren, Rico Dowdle and Travis Homer logged some nice runs, but the running game never broached establishing a rhythm.

The offensive line deserves every ounce of criticism coming its way, but the truth is that several of Rodgers’ passes were off target and, when they weren’t, his receivers weren’t giving him any help.

Steelers Defense Solid Despite Lapses

Only 7 of the Patriots points were supplied by their defense. Their offense scored 13 more, not including a missed field goal. The truth is, the Steelers defense played well enough to win.

Patrick Queen intercepts Derek Maye in the 3rd quarter.

Patrick Queen Intercepts Derrick Maye. Photo Credit: AP via Tribune-Review

No, they didn’t deliver a 5 turnover performance that propelled the Steelers to victory in New England this time last year. But one has to wonder if would have been sufficient with this offense. Still, Patrick Graham’s defense made its share of splash plays:

The offense, however, only netted 4 yards following that fumble, although they were not helped by Jalen Ramsey’s jawboning that cost the offense 15 yards.

There were other lapses of course. New England’s only touchdown came on a 39-yard run where TreVeyon Henderson sliced through the middle of the Steelers defense with only Asante Samuel Jr. barely getting a hand on him.

Romeo Doubs also found a gaping hole in the Steelers secondary to steal a 63 yard reception, although Patrick Graham’s defense held there, forcing a field goal.

But when a defense holds an NFL offense to 13 points is playing winning football.

Take Away for Mike McCarthy: Stop the Offense from Self-Destructing

In beating the Falcons last week, Mike McCarthy joined his three immediate predecessors by winning his first game as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Alas, in week two he continued to follow in Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin’s footsteps, as both men lost their first games at Gillette Stadium, and lost them badly. These parallels are useful because they sharpen the focus on McCarthy’s challenge this morning.

Bill Cowher lost his first game at Gillette, because he couldn’t stop Bill Belichick’s spread offense. Mike Tomlin lost his in his first visit to New England because Tom Brady, in route to a 19-1 season, toasted his secondary.

  • In both cases, it wasn’t a question of scheme but rather one of talent.

Neither coach could find in-season fixes the fundamental deficiencies plaguing their defenses, but both men led their Steelers squads to division titles.

  • Its Mike McCarthy’s offense that needs fixing.

Whether talent or scheme is driving its disfunction remains to be seen, but the best good take away from the loss to the Patriots for McCarthy is a simple one:  Find away to stop his offense from self-destructing whenever it reaches scoring position.

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The Case for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2026

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The Pittsburgh Steelers are embarking on a new era. However, here we’re leaning into our annual tradition of “The case for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2026.”

This is a continuation of the series started by the late, great Ivan Cole, a Steelers scribe who was taken from us far too soon. This series gives us a chance to celebrate his memory. As a writer it presents me the challenge of not only following his form but to also try to find the voice of my departed friend.

With that in mind, let’s lean into Ivan’s own words to explain exactly what “The Case for the Pittsburgh Steelers” series is about:

If you’re looking for yet another set of predictions in what is the season of predictions you will be sorely disappointed here. I don’t do predictions, don’t believe in them.

What I attempt to bring to the table are some observations as to how to think about what factors might be key to a positive outcome for the Steelers this season…  make it to the playoffs and have a shot at the world championship.

Let’s dive in

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers at St. Vincents

Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers at St. Vincents. Photo Credit: Matt Freed, Post Gazette

New Coach + New Era = New Hope

For the first time in 19 years someone other than Mike Tomlin wears the title of “Head Coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.” That alone provides reason for hope.

  • Sound strange from someone who remained an unapologetic Tomlin supporter till the end?

It should not.

I have zero interest in re-litigating the Tomlin Wars. Those wanting a no punches-pulled, end-to-end look at Mike Tomlin’s legacy and/or a deep dive on what went wrong in the second half of the Tomlin era can click on the links just highlighted.

Instead I’ll simply submit that Mike Tomlin, like all great leaders, knew when it was time to step away. And, more importantly, he handed Mike McCarthy a team that is turning the corner on talent.

  • As Dan Rooney reminded us, “You have to have the players.”

And since Omar Khan and Andy Weidl took over the scouting department, the Steelers drafts have improved. Even if you control for Broderick Jones’ disappointment, the Steelers 2023 Draft is easily better than any of the five preceding drafts.

Nick Herbig, Steelers vs Bengals

Nick Herbig strip sacks Joe Burrow. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

The choice of Pittsburgh native Mike McCarthy may not have inspired us when it was announced. I admit, you can count me among the skeptics.

But let’s be objective: McCarthy boasts 174 regular season wins, and an 11-11 playoff record with his most recent win coming in 2022, and of course he owns a Super Bowl ring.

  • Those numbers mean little to us without the present-day context.

McCarthy’s track record suggests that he can help heal what has ailed the Pittsburgh Steelers of late. It is no secret that Mike Tomlin’s Achilles Heel was his inability to hire quality assistant coaches.

McCarthy has employed multiple assistant coaches who have gone on to be head coaches. Some have had more success than others, some are still writing their stories, but McCarthy clearly has a better eye for coaching talent than his predecessor.

Along the same lines, McCarthy is an offensive-minded head coach and a quarterback whisperer. Truth be told, if Linda Carter had wrapped her magic lasso around me, I’d have admitted that my preference would have been for Art Rooney II to hire a defensive coach such as Brian Flores or Chris Shula.

But that same magic lasso would have also forced me to admit that the Steelers offenses of late can be described with two caustic words: Junior Varsity.

Jalen Tolbert, DeShon Elliott, Steelers vs Cowboys,

Jalen Tolbert scores the game winner. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

In that light, McCarthy’s last visit to Acrisure Stadium in the fall of 2024 proves to be instructive: McCarthy’s Cowboys carried the day because their offense did what the Steelers offense could not: Set up manageable third downs and convert them with regularity.

Even if we keep in mind that preseason can deceive us, if the efficiency we saw on display in the exhibition win over the Packers is any indication of what McCarthy’s system is capable of producing, we can expect to see a Steelers offense which is both different and better this fall.

Quarterback: Can Aaron Rodgers End His Final Ride with a Bang?

To understand why bringing back Aaron Rodgers was a wise decision, let me propose a little thought exercise.

  • The 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers lost their final 4 games, plus the playoffs.
  • The 2025 Pittsburgh Steelers won 4 of 5 final games, then lost in the playoffs.

What differentiated those two Decembers? I submit to you it was the play of Aaron Rodgers.

Aaron Rodgers, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Steelers vs Dolphins, Steelers vs Dolphins MNF

Aaron Rodgers flicks it as Minkah Fitzpatrick can only watch. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Rodgers raised his level of play in a way that Russell Wilson tried and failed to do. Anyone looking strictly at his stats should instead re-watch his play in the 4th quarter of the Ravens game at Acrisure:

  • Rodgers did what all great ones do, he made it look easy.

Those fretting about keeping 4 quarterbacks should stop. There’s ample franchise precedent for doing so, and we know that Aaron Rodgers is actively mentoring Will Howard and Drew Allar, something which can only help their long-term development.

  • But wait a minute? Didn’t Aaron Rodgers reveal flaws in his game last season?

Yes, he certainly did. But we also have reason to hope that Rodgers will have a stronger supporting cast this fall.

Investment in Offensive Line Must Pay Dividends

Let’s begin the discussion of the rest of the offense by acknowledging the elephant in the room: The entire theory of the case of bringing Aaron Rodgers back was predicated on the offensive line improving.

Clearly, the playoff loss to the Texans proved that this unit still needed to mature. To that end, the front office continued to add talent while the coaching staff aggressively shuffled existing players into new positions.

  • Clearly, what we saw from the Steelers offensive line in the preseason left a lot to be desired.

Clearly, this post-preseason quote from the head coach: “I like this group of guys, but we’re nowhere near where we need to be,” lands right smack in the middle of the bulls eye.

  • Always trust a Pittsburgh native to tell it like it is.

What? You don’t remember seeing the clip of Mike McCarthy saying that recycled over-and-over again on social media?

Good for you, because you should not. Because Bill Cowher made that comment about his passing game at the conclusion of preseason in August 2005. He was right. The passing attack really had been substandard all summer.

And then Ben Roethlisberger then went out and began the season posting passer ratings of 158.3 and 139.8 in his first two games. And you probably remember how 2005 ended.

Does that mean we’re about to see a repeat of the same type of turnaround on offensive line 20 years later? Of course not. But it does remind us that such turnarounds are possible.

And we do have reason to hope that this season the Steelers offensive line will make that next step forward. Although 4 of the 5 guys are playing in different places, they’re all familiar faces.

James Campen is well-regarded throughout the league, and we should be optimistic that under his tutelage the line should make that next step forward.

Stop Suffering Over the Skill Positions

With the two-week gap between the end of preseason and the beginning of the regular season, it’s become somewhat vogue for prevailing narratives to shift in response to the void.

  • Such is the case with the Steelers.

Word is that, with the roster set, the Steelers are set to struggle at the skill position.

Al Saunders has brought up a lot of good points along those lines, but allow me to be contrarian here: Objectively speaking, the Steelers are stronger today at the skill positions than they were a year ago.

The addition of Michael Pittman Jr. alone gives the Steelers two legit NFL starting wide receivers – something we haven’t enjoyed on opening day in 2 years – if not longer.

The talk from St. Vincents is that we’ve seen a new Roman Wilson. That Wilson was largely absent in preseason but, unlike last year, we don’t need to count on Wilson developing WR No. 2 because we already have one. And should Wilson falter, we also have Germie Bernard.

Darnell Washington, Barrett Carter, Steelers vs Bengals

Darnell Washington dumps Barrett Carter. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

At tight end we have Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington, the latter of which continues to have “upside” and has shown he is one of the few offensive players who can intimidate opposing defenders.

We have also added Robert Tonyan to the room who figures to simultaneously play less and provide an upgrade from Jonnu Smith.

Losing Kenneth Gainwell at running back certainly hurt, but Jaylen Warren has proven he is a gamer. As for Rico Dowdle? If you want to know why McCarthy’s offense so efficiently moved the ball the Sunday Night loss to Dallas, it’s because Dowdle consistently “won” on 1st and 2nd down carries.

Finally, the Steelers also have Eli Heidenreich who is listed as “Slash” wide receiver and running back and showed in preseason that he can be more than just a hometown feel good story.

Finally, the fact that Riley Nowakowski has arrived, giving the Steelers offense its first true fullback is a sign that Mike McCarthy is willing to go old school when it is warranted.

And if you don’t take heart at that, then perhaps your blood doesn’t run Black and Gold after all.

In Defense of the Defense

Another narrative that has gained steam over the last several years is that the Steelers highest-paid defense has under-performed.

Let’s concede that there has been some truth to that at times.

Anyone who saw the Ridiculing the Ravens administered in playoffs just two Januarys ago knows that.

But I am here today to suggest that maybe the Steelers defense has turned a corner. First, think back to some of last year’s losses. Certainly the defense earned their share of the responsibility in several of those.

But in several others, most notably the loss to Chargers and then to the Bears, the defense acquitted itself well and to be frank, a tremendous effort of theirs was wasted in Chicago.

  • Much the same can be said for the loss to the Texans in the playoffs.

The Steelers offense did precisely nothing following D.K. Metcalf’s drop early in the game, yet here the Steelers were within one point early in the 4th quarter until two Texan defensive scores broke open the game.

Asaunte Samuel Jr., Joey Porter Jr. and Jalen Ramsey celebrate after the Steelers December 2025 win over the Detroit Lions.

Asante Samuel Jr., Joey Porter Jr. and Jalen Ramsey celebrate after beating the Lions. Photo Credit: Ryan Sun, AP via the Times-Observer

What should give us excitement are the steps the Steelers have taken to address weakness that were exposed in their defense last season. Run defense was suspect several times last year, including the playoff loss, and the Steelers responded by signing Sebastian Joseph-Day and drafting Gabriel Rubio.

Add to that another year of maturation of Yahya Black, and I think we have reason to expect an improved run defense.

Secondary was also a weakness last year, to say the least. Again, the Steelers acted swiftly in free agency, bringing in veterans Jamel Dean, Jaquan Brisker and Rayshawn Jenkins while adding rookies Robert Spears-Jennings and Daylen Everette.

It may take time for this unit to gel, but I don’t think there’s any reasonable scenario that sees the Steelers performing the type of in-season reconstruction of their secondary that they had to execute last year.

  • And mind you, they still did that and managed to win the AFC North.

So yes, I see the arrow pointing on defense as well.

The Intangibles Test

This is the final element in play, and one that hasn’t got a lot of discussion. However, over on Steel City Insider, my friend Stratton Nash dove into the issue head-on.

  • I strongly encourage those who have access to the piece to make time to read it.

For those who don’t I’ll summarize here succinctly: With Mike McCarthy and his staff the Steelers organization is likely to see an improvement in coaching tangibles – better assistant coaches, better strategy and all that comes with it.

  • But what the organization loses is Mike Tomlin’s mastery of the intangibles.

Just think back to the brutal months of October and November. The Steelers suffered three head shots in rapid succession with the worst one coming last, at Acrisure Stadium no less at the hands of the Bills.

Many, if not most, other NFL coaches would have lost their locker rooms, and then some. Mike Tomlin? Not even close. He rallied the team like no other could. And we saw him do it time and time again in his 19 years in Pittsburgh.

  • How will Mike McCarthy fare when he faces similar tests, which are certain to come in any NFL season?

We don’t know. While the end of his time in Green Bay opens the door for worry, I remain optimistic, if for no other reason because of the organization he’s coming into.

The Pittsburgh Steelers unrelentingly support its head coach and give him every chance to win. That should bring out the best in Mike McCarthy and, more importantly, position McCarthy to get the best out of the men he leads.

So let’s bring on the 2026 season and let the Mike McCarthy era begin!

Editors Note: Ivan Cole was a writer for Behind the Steel Curtain from 2010 to 2015 and then on Going Deep with the Steelers from 2015 until his untimely death in 2020. 

 

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What Went Wrong During the Second Half of the Mike Tomlin Era?

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Editors Note: Why did the Steelers’ championship window close after the 2016 AFC Championship Game? Here we provide a 360 view of the franchise during the latter half of Mike Tomlin’s tenure. For an end-to-end analysis of Tomlin’s entire career click here.

When the Pittsburgh Steelers team charter went wheels up at Logan International Airport on January 22nd, 2017, everyone onboard knew they’d passed a milestone.

  • But no one, however, knew what that milestone marked.

Getting pulverized by the Patriots in another AFC Championship game stung, for sure. But Ben Roethlisberger, James Harrison and Greg Warren offered 3 reasons for hope: They were the only Super Bowl XLIII veterans on the plane.

Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin stood on the precipice of a near impossible feat: Executing an end-to-end rebuild around a franchise quarterback.

Ah, but every conference championship loss comes with a rub: Either they signal that you’re about to open heaven’s door, or, that you’re never getting in.

The Steelers never re-opened heaven’s door in the latter half of the Tomlin Era. They didn’t even come close.

Today we look at what went wrong and why championship window closed.

Chris Hogan's touchdown, as Robert Golden "watched" and Sammie Coates dropped pass were critical moments in the Pittsburgh Steelers January 2017 AFC Championship loss to the New England Patriots.

Chris Hogan catches a TD and Sammie Coates drops a pass in Steelers loss to the Patriots in the 2016 AFC Championship. Photo credits: Matt Slocum, AP; Patrick Smith II, AP

1. Ringing the Bell 1 Too Many Times – Franchising Le’Veon Bell a 2nd Time

The first critical football decision after the AFC Championship loss to the Patriots was to put the franchise tag on Le’Veon Bell.

It was the right move — Bell had just broken records that Hall of Famers John Henry Johnson, Franco Harris or Jerome Bettis never touched.

  • Bell played 2017 on the franchise tag and piled up nearly 2000 all-purpose yards.

In the spring of 2018, Art Rooney II, Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin ignored Bell’s warning that he wouldn’t play on a second franchise tender and franchised him again.

I was wrong. The decision was a disaster for everyone. Really, this decision had a ripple effect that gave the Steelers post-2016 decline momentum.

Le'Veon Bell, Le'Veon Bell free agent,

Le’Veon Bell departing the gridiron at Heinz Field. Photo Credit: EPA, via the New York Post

Franchising Bell locked up 14.5 million dollars in salary cap space, preventing Pittsburgh from addressing other priorities. Bargain hunting in the inside linebacker market brought them Jon Bostic who was strong against the run, but struggled vs the pass.

And, because they were counting on Bell, they failed to add an experienced running back during the 2018 off-season.

Which leads us to….

2. Failing to Staff Adequate Running Back Depth

Failure to staff sufficient running back depth started several seasons earlier, but it hurt them, again, in the AFC Championship. When Bell got injured, DeAngelo Williams entered.

Williams had done an exceptional job in 2015 in Bell’s absence, so bringing him back was a wise move, despite his age. But Williams had needed knee surgery during the season, and against the Patriots he averaged 2.4 yards a carry – and that’s with a long run of 15 yards.

Mewelde Moore, David Jones, Steelers vs Bengals 2008

Mewelde Moore, the unsung hero of the Steelers 2008 season. Photo Credit: Gregory Shamus, Getty Images via Zimbo.com

It’s easy to say, “So what? Any team that loses its top two running backs, is screwed no matter what.” But the 2008 Steelers had lost their top two running backs and still won the Super Bowl thanks to Mewelde Moore.

  • But too many Steelers teams in this era lacked a Gary Russell caliber back, let alone a Mewelde Moore or even a Jonathan Dwyer.

Think back to the December 2018 loss to the Saints. We all remember JuJu Smith-Schuster’s fumble and the questionable PI calls.

But everyone forgets Stevan Ridley’s fumble. On third down. When the Steelers were leading. And in position for Chris Boswell to put them up by 7. In a game they lost at the buzzer by 3…..

Once again, Pittsburgh stung itself with poor backfield depth, only this time it kept them out of the playoffs just when the entire team was gelling and the championship window was still cracked open. (Rolling your eyes? Go back to the win against the Patriots the week before.)

Drafting Benny Snell signaled Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert had learned.

Had they learned sooner, some things might have been different.

3. Injuries, Suspensions, Drama and Divas

The Steelers beat the Bengals in 2015 Wild Card in no small part due to the efforts of Ryan Shazier and Martavis Bryant. Their performances signaled that two additional two championship-caliber defensive and offensive weapons had arrived in Pittsburgh.

Alas, Bryant’s off the field problems and discipline issues combined with Shazier’s tragic injury scuttled that promise.

Ryan Shazier, Ryan Shazier injury, Ryan Shazier contract, Ryan Shazier 5th year tender, Ryan Shazier contract

Ryan Shazier. Photo Credit: Aaron Doster, USA TODAY via BTSC

Neither Art Rooney II, nor Kevin Colbert nor Mike Tomlin can be faulted here.

  • The trio does deserve fault for how they reacted to those twin misfortunes.

At inside linebacker the Steelers tried low and high-priced free agents, draft picks, multiple trades and trading up and drafting and perhaps still hasn’t secured a certain long-term starter there.

To their credit, Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin recognized the red flags in their wide receiver room and aggressively addressed the position through the draft.

If their strategy was sound then their execution leads us to another problem….

4. Whiffing on Drafts

The Steelers used a succession of 2nd round draft picks in response to Bryant’s antics, Sammie Coates’ erratic behavior and Antonio Brown becoming unglued in plain sight.

They picked a good player in JuJu Smith Schuster, and a solid character yet underachiever in James Washington. Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool and George Pickens all flashed at times, yet all three had to be traded away due to discipline issues.

Four years have passed since JuJu played his last down in Pittsburgh and the Steelers still haven’t drafted a long-term starter at wide receiver.

  • Worse yet, wide receiver is hardly the only position the Steelers have whiffed on in the draft.

Take a look at the Steelers 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 drafts and you’ll find that the Steelers have drafted precisely two long-term starters, one for each side of the ball: Alex Highsmith and Pat Freiermuth. (For comparison’s sake, the Steelers 2011 and 2012 draft classes netted 3 long-term starters.)

Kenny Pickett, George Pickens, Steelers vs Raiders, Immaculate Reception 50th anniversary

Kenny Pickett and George Pickens after the Go Ahead Touchdown in the Immaculate Reception Game. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review.

Some of these drafts were better than others. In some cases, the Steelers found players who were started or played as key backups throughout their rookie contracts. That’s a “win” from a Money Ball perspective.

But collectively they formed a group of players who played well enough to win more than they lost in the regular season but got immediately outclassed in the playoffs.

Of course the biggest draft mistake the Steelers made was in the players they passed on…

5. Being Unprepared When Big Ben Struck Midnight

Art Rooney II began the 2026 season by reaffirming the franchise’s goal is to win instead of “wasting a year not trying to compete.”

  • This is the exact message everyone must hear from the head of the franchise.

Art Rooney II had 3 chances to embrace a “clean reset” and opted to field the best team possible instead. Rooney made the right move.

Ben Roethlisberger and Art Rooney II embrace after Big Ben's final game at Heinz Field in January 2022.

Ben Roethlisberger, Art Rooney II and One last dance @ Heinz Field. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

Nor does the tandem of Colbert and Tomlin deserve undue criticism for missing on Kenny Pickett – After all, Chuck Noll and Art Rooney, Jr. went Terry Bradshaw and Mark Malone with their two first round quarterbacks.

Yet, the franchise still missed on chances to take swings at Roethlisberger’s replacement prior to Big Ben striking midnight. Circumstantial evidence suggests (see Jim Wexell’s reporting) that Mike Tomlin wanted to take Lamar Jackson in 2018.

But if that was his plan, he gambled by drafting Terrell Edmunds first, expecting Jackson would be there later. He wasn’t. The Steelers also had a shot at taking Jalen Hurts in the 2020 draft. They chose Chase Claypool instead.

Pulling off a Joe Montana–Steve Young or Brett Favre–Aaron Rodgers handoff is only slightly less rare than seeing Haley’s Comet.

But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try, as the Steelers are still finding out.

6. Tomlin’s Struggles with Hiring Solid Assistant Coaches

Here’s a classic case of “both things can be true.”

  1. Mike Tomlin’s record with assistant coach hires is more mixed than people credit him for.
  2. Identifying, recruiting and developing rising coaching talent was his greatest weakness.

Click here for a deeper discussion Mike Tomlin’s struggles with hiring assistant coaches.

The only additional observation to add here is this: This was a Tomlin weakness from the beginning, and not one he ever addressed — he had a better staff on the sidelines for the AFC Championship loss than he did for his final loss to the Texans.

7. Missing Dan Rooney?

Dan Rooney died shortly after the AFC Championship loss to the Patriots and the Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since….

Dan Rooney, Dan Rooney legacy, Dan Rooney Lombardi Trophies, Dan Rooney obituary

Dan Rooney sitting in front of the Steelers 5 Lombardi Trophies. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

…If the conclusion seems obvious, it shouldn’t be. Correlation does not equal causality. Had social media existed in the 80’s, you could have easily found fans complaining “Dan Rooney is lost now that ‘The Chief’ is only a figurehead.”

  • And they would have been wrong.

Still, looking back, it doesn’t take too great of a stretch of the imagination to envision Dan Rooney’s wisdom guiding the franchise to better outcomes.

  • It is an unanswerable question, but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong to ask.

Because the Steelers entered the second half of the Mike Tomlin era with every reason to believe another Super Bowl run was coming. Instead, their championship window quietly closed.

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Aaron Rodgers Returns: Straight Talk on The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

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The “wait” is over. Aaron Rodgers will return to the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 2026 season. The 21-year NFL veteran and 4-time league MVP is in Pittsburgh and is expected to sign a one-year deal with a base salary in the neighborhood of 22 million dollars.

  • Steelers OTAs begin this week and he is expected to participate.

The move has been expected since shortly after Mike McCarthy was hired to replace Mike Tomlin, although the sound and fury generated on social media could have led you to conclude otherwise.

Now that Rodgers is under contract, its time for some straight talk on the situation, taking a look at the good, bad and the ugly behind his return.

Aaron Rodgers, Steelers vs Ravens

Aaron Rodgers Runs it In. Photo Credit: Jared Wickerham, Steelers.com

The Good: Rodgers Steelers Best QB Since Roethlisberger

The Aaron Rodgers we saw suit up for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025 certainly wasn’t the same man that beat them in Super Bowl XLV.

But you know what?

That 41-year old Aaron Rodgers provided the best quarterbacking the Pittsburgh Steelers have seen since Ben Roethlisberger during the 2018 season.

Doubt that? Then take yourselves through “The Tale of Two Decembers in Pittsburgh.”

The Steelers had created a strong tailwind for themselves entering December 2024. They ended up losing 4 straight games to the Eagles, Ravens, Chiefs and Bengals before getting Ridiculed by the Ravens in the playoffs.

In contrast, the Steelers entered December 2025 fighting a terrible a headwind they created for themselves in October and November.

They won 4 games out of 5, beating the Baltimore Ravens twice, snuffing out the the Miami Dolphins’ mini late-season surge, and beating the Detroit Lions on the road.

Calvin Austin catches to go ahead touchdown pass during the 2025 Steelers regular season finale win over the Ravens.

Calvin Austin catches the go ahead touchdown. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.come

The difference? Aaron Rodgers succeeded in 2025 in doing what Russell Wilson tried and failed to do in 2024 – he elevated his play and lifted the entire team.

The Bad: Steelers STILL Lack Long Term QB

Of course there’s also the reality that Aaron Rodgers was just as unsuccessful, and arguably worse, than Russell Wilson was in the playoffs for the Steelers. And there’s no sugar coating one simple  reality: Aaron Rodgers struggled against elite defenses in 2025.

Worse yet, one of the main sources of his struggles was his lack of mobility, and anyone over 40 can assure you that this kind of thing does not get better with age.

Aaron Rodgers safety, Khalil Mack, Aaron Rodgers, Steelers vs Chargers, Steelers vs Chargers SNF,

Khalil Mack sacks Aaron Rodgers for a safety. Photo Credit: IMAGN Images, via Tribune-Review

By bringing Aaron Rodgers back, the Steelers have secured a signal caller who, if he remains healthy can keep them competitive and win them games. But can he really take them on a serious playoff run, let alone a Super Bowl run?

The smart money says no.

And that means the Steelers will likely start off the 2027 off season the way they have for the last decade – lacking both a long-term answer at quarterback and the means to secure one.

The Ugly: Click Baiters Content Stream Cut Off

The “ugly” of Aaron Rodgers signing now at the beginning of OTAs as opposed to say, before minicamp in June is that it deprives a legion of commentators, bloggers and social media “experts” of what has been a primary source of content and clicks this off season.

Since February at least, hardly a day has passed without some “Insider” assuring us that the Steelers “Are Losing Patience,” or a headline screaming “Rodgers Seen Wearing Jets Gear,” or “Steelers Legend Declares ‘Enough is Enough,’ Calls on Franchise to Issue Rodgers an Ultimatum” or “Washington Federals Emerge as Yet Another Potential Rodgers suitor….”

  • That doesn’t mean that their arguments are wrong or that their critiques lack merit.

But most if not all of these these “insiders” or “experts” and/or “Steelers legends” based their claims on speculation, rather than sources.

Yet, each claim got magnified and amplified on social media ad nauseam. With each sunrise, the cycle renewed itself.

  • Alas, now they’ll be forced to find something else to fret about.

For them, that’s ugly. For those who aren’t fans of clickbait, its kinda pretty.

Straight Talk on Aaron Rodgers’ Return to the Steelers

Fact: The Steelers lack a long-term answer at quarterback, and Aaron Rodgers return does nothing to change that.
Fact: Aaron Rodgers was the best option the Steelers had to start at quarterback in 2026.
Opinion: Trying to win with Rodgers is better than playing for draft position

It is possible, as The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo suggests, that instead of serving as a “bridge quarterback”  Aaron Rodgers could end up being a road block to finding the next long term signal caller.

Fair enough. But Art Rooney II is right on the money when he commits to trying to compete each year. The idea of “ripping off the Band Aid” facilitating a “bottoming out” looks good on paper. And is probably a viable strategy Fantasy Football owers use reguarly.

  • But how effectively have Cleveland Browns used that strategy since 1999?

It is true that the Steelers 6-10 2003 season opened the door to Pittsburgh’s second Super Bowl era by allowing them to draft Ben Roethlisberger.

But the franchise didn’t go into 2003 planning to tank. The 2002 Steelers were a bogus roughing the kicker penalty away from playing in the AFC Championship.

Dan Rooney was on record saying he expected the 2003 team to contend for a title.

  • Contend for a title they did in 2004.

There are a lot of reasons for that: Roethlisberger’s arrival, Dick LeBeau’s return, better injury luck, Ken Whisenhunt re-establishing the run, etc….

Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers vs Ravens, Chad Williams

Chad Williams sacks Ben Roethlisberger in his first NFL game. Photo Credit: Nick Wass, Getty Images, via SteelersWire.

But what allowed Bill Cowher and the 2004 Steelers to bring those elements together was the commitment to winning forged as the ’03 Steelers fought for every blade of grass, right through to final gun in overtime in their season-ending loss to the Ravens.

  • Playing to win pays long-term dividends. Period.

And that’s why Rooney, Khan and McCarthy are right to bring back Rodgers in 2026.

Aaron Rodgers, welcome back to Pittsburgh.

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Steelers Draft Drew Allar, Quarterback from Penn State in 3rd Round of 2026 NFL Draft

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The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Penn State quarterback Drew Allar with the first of their 3 third round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.

In doing so, Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy continued to stick close to the Steelers 2026 Draft Needs Matrix. Wide receiver was the top need, quarterback their second with offensive tackle coming in third.

Drew Allar quarterbacking for Penn State against North Western in his final collegiate game.

Steelers Drew Allar, the Steelers 2026 3rd round pick. Photo Credit: Barry Reeger, AP, via the Post-Gazette.

With their first pick the Steelers drafted offensive tackle Max Iheanachor, in the second round they traded up to take wide receiver Germie Bernard and now in the third round they’ve added a quarterback.

  • Just one year ago draft analysist touted Drew Allar as a potential first round prospect.

However, he injured his ankle while scrambling during the 4th quarter of Penn State’s October 11th 22-22 loss to Northwestern. The injury ended his season and cost Allar a chance to make up inconsistent performance which had already caused scouts to question his worthiness of first round status.

Roy Countryman of Big Country Scouting ranked Allar as one of his 4th round value picks, describing him as perhaps “the most enigmatic prospect in this year’s draft class.” Countryman praises Allar’s athletic traits and explains this enigmatic diagnosis this way:

…Is adept between the ears as he can process coverage schemes and reads at a quality rate and is a sturdy presence in the pocket who will stand tall and deliver passes to his receivers….

…What frustrates too often is that you see the flashes of Allar’s high points, but he makes some highly questionable decisions and his accuracy can wane under duress or when he’s out of rhythm. His footwork is a trainwreck, which causes some of his touch issues.

Steelers quarterback’s coach Tom Arth conceded that Allar’s footwork needs attention, while praising the Penn State signal caller as someone with the size and strength for “…playing the physical brand of football that it is in the AFC North.”

Steel City Insider’s Matt C. Steel share with Steel Curtain Rising the he also had Allar pegged as a 4th rounder explaining that he’s “Worth trying to develop his measurables by round four if the rest of these players are off the board.”

Watch Drew Allar Highlights: Steelers 2026 3rd Round Pick

Drew Allar was a three-year starter for the Nittany Lions and went 26-9 career in his 35 starts.

Here’s a look at his highlight reel, where you can see Allar’s impressive arm-strength, mobility and pocket presence on display.

Drew Allar’s flashes are easy to see. The question is whether the Mike McCarthy, Brian Angelichio Tom Arth can transform those flashes into consistent NFL quarterback play.

Does Drew Allar Reshape the Steelers’ 2026 Quarterback Room…?

By drafting Drew Allar, the Steelers have added a third quarterback to their roster in addition to Mason Rudolph and Will Howard. The proverbial “Elephant in the room” is of course Aaron Rodgers‘ absence.

Throughout the off season, the Steelers brass, from Art Rooney II to Omar Khan to Mike McCarthy have expressed optimism on the record that Rodgers will sign with the team. They’ve backed this up with obvious off the record assurances to reporters.

And Tom Arth doubled down on this narrative confirming, “I don’t believe that has any impact on Aaron.”

If Arth is right, that gives the Steelers a numbers problem. Before the draft the idea of having Rodgers backed up by a veteran (Rudolph) and a developmental prospect (Howard) was straightforward.

Now the Steelers have two developmental prospects. Mike McCarthy has already said he can manage the development of two young players simultaneously.

  • But keeping 4 quarterbacks present Pittsburgh with a math problem.

Yes, the Steelers have kept 4 quarterbacks twice before. In’95, they kept Neil O’Donnell, Mike Tomczak, Jim Miller and Kordell Stewart. The plan worked well, as all four quarterbacks threw passes that season, and the “Slash” phenomenon helped fuel the 1995 Steelers run to Super Bowl XXX.

Kordell Stewart, Mike Tomczak, 1999 Steelers

Kordell Stewart and Mike Tomlin in the late 1990s.

Moreover, Tomczak, Miller and Stewart all did stints as the Steelers starting QB following O’Donnell’s departure in free agency.

They also kept four quarterbacks at the end of the decade when they carried with Stewart, Tomcazk, Pete Gonzalez and Anthony Wright on their roster for the duration of the 1999 season. But after the ’99 neither Tomcazk, nor Gonzalez nor Wright ever wore a Steelers uniform again.

The Steelers kept 4 quarterbacks in 1995 because of their collective strength, whereas in 1999 it revealed the group’s weakness.

The challenge, for Drew Allar as well as Will Howard isn’t just to force Mike McCarthy into a difficult math problem, but to do so from a position of strength.

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Steelers 2026 NFL Draft Needs at Quarterback

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For a second straight season, the Pittsburgh Steelers will enter the NFL draft with their starting quarterback undefined. Yet, unlike 2024 and 2025, the Steelers are not turning over their entire quarterback room.

That sounds, but does it represent progress? And if so, how might it impact the Steelers plans at quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft? Let’s dive in.

This is the first article in our Steelers 2026 Draft series.

Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Aaron Rodgers catch at Acrisure during pregame warm ups.

Will Steelers “run” it back with the trio of Rodgers, Rudolph and Howard? Photo Credit: Steelers.com

Steelers QB Depth Chart Entering the 2026 NFL Draft – The Starter

The NFL draft is 15 days away, and the Steelers don’t have a starting quarterback. Everyone from Art Rooney II, to Omar Khan and to Mike McCarthy both wants and expects Aaron Rodgers to be that man.

But Rodgers remains unsigned. Ergo he’s not the starter.

The Steelers QB Depth Chart Entering the 2026 NFL Draft – The Back Ups

There’s one name that you never hear bandied about when the Steelers discuss their quarterback situation. Yet, if Rodgers doesn’t sign, the odds favor him starting on opening day.

Rudolph was Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert’s “compromise” pick in the 3rd round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Rudolph was starting by the middle of week 2 in 2019. Then, save for a single start in 2021, Rudolph was all but forgotten about before coming off the bench in late 2023 to win three straight starts, save Christmas and secure a playoff berth.

Then the Steelers let him walk in free agency. Rudolph spent a year in Tennessee, before returning in 2025.

Mason Rudolph, Steelers vs Bengals

Mason Rudolph stands tall in the pocket. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Last year Mason Rudolph saw action in two games: First in relief of Rodgers against the Bengals at Acrisure and then in a start against the Bears at Soldier Field.

  • Rudolph resembled a “starter-capable” quarterback coming off the bench in Pittsburgh.
  • Unfortunately, his start in Chicago reminded us why the NFL only sees him as a backup.

Behind Mason Rudolph stands Will Howard, whom the Steelers drafted in the 6th round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Has Steelers Nation ever seen a more ballyhooed, untested, 6th round quarterback?

Perhaps Jim Miller could give Howard a run for his money if you control for the lack of social media.  But even then, Tom Donahoe and Bill Cowher never dropped Miller’s name the way Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy are dropping Howard’s.

In many ways, Will Howard serves as a Rorschach Test for how you see the Steelers quarterback situation:  Either he’s the next Tom Brady just waiting for his chance to prove himself, or he exemplifies just how badly the Steelers are managing the post-Roethlisberger transition.

That’s the only way to describe him, because although Howard looked good early in training camp last summer, he got hurt and spent most of his time at St. Vincents holding a clipboard, went on IR and remained there until November 12th.

  • Mike McCarthy has said that Howard should have gone before the 6th round.
  • Many draft experts agree.

Clearly McCarthy is ready to give Will Howard a chance to prove himself, but it is just as obvious that either Will Howard will have to do a lot of things right or a lot of other things will have to go wrong for him to end up starting games for the Steelers in 2026.

Steelers 2026 Draft Needs at Quarterback

“I’m not sure why you waste a year of your life not trying to contend,” declared Art Rooney II the day after Mike Tomlin resigned.

Pittsburgh Steelers, NFL Draft, Pittsburgh Steelers Draft Needs ScaleAgree or disagree, that is the franchise philosophy.

That being the case, signing Aaron Rodgers gives the Pittsburgh Steelers the best chance to compete, for the least risk and at the lowest possible cost in 2026.

Yet, if that’s true – and it is – then another inconvenient truth remains:

  • The Steelers still lack a long-term solution at quarterback.

Most talent evaluators believe that, the long-term answer at quarterback isn’t there to be found in this draft. But that doesn’t alter the reality that heading into the 2026 NFL Draft the Pittsburgh Steelers needs at quarterback are High.

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Mike McCarthy Finalizes Steelers Coaching Staff – Will Bigger Be Better in 2026?

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The Pittsburgh Steelers have finalized their 2026 coaching staff under new head coach Mike McCarthy. The staff is the largest in franchise history, marking a sharp contrast from the later years of Mike Tomlin’s tenure.

The question now: does a bigger staff translate into better results?

Before digging into who is who and what this means, let’s take a look at the complete list of Mike McCarthy’s assistants.

Mike McCarthy, Art Rooney II, Omar Khan, Mike McCarthy opening press conference

Art Rooney II and Omar Khan bookend Mike McCarthy. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Pittsburgh Steelers 2026 Offensive Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Mike McCarthy

Offensive Coordinator: Brian Angelichio
Quarterbacks: Tom Arth
Game Management/Quarterbacks: Tim Berbenich

Offensive Line: James Campen
Assistant Offensive Line: Jahri Evans

Running Backs: Ramon Chinyoung Sr.
Wide Receivers: Adam Henry
Tight Ends: Robert Kugler

Senior Offensive Assistant: Frank Cignetti Jr.
Offensive Quality Control: Eric Simonelli

Pittsburgh Steelers 2026 Defensive Coaching Staff

Defensive Coordinator: Patrick Graham
Assistant Head Coach/Secondary: Joe Whitt Jr.

Defensive Pass-Game Coordinator/Defensive Backs: Jason Simmons

Defensive Line: Domata Peko
Outside Linebackers: C.J. Ah You
Inside Linebackers: Scott McCurley

Defensive Assistant: Shawn Howe
Defensive Assistant: Pat Reilly

Steelers 2026 Special Teams Coaching Staff

Special Teams Coordinator: Danny Crossman
Senior Special Teams Assistant: Derius Swinton II

Steelers 2026 Strength and Conditioning Staff

Head Strength & Conditioning: Mark Lovat
Director of Performance Integration/Sports Science: Grant Thorne
Strength and Conditioning Assistant: Justus Galac
Strength and Conditioning Assistant: Abe Munayer

Chief of Staff: Steve Scarnecchia

Familiar Faces

Inside linebackers coach Scott McCurley and quarterbacks coach Tom Arth return from Mike Tomlin’s staff. Jason Simmons returns to Pittsburgh after having played for the Steelers from 1998 through to the 2001 season.

Tight Ends coach Robert Kugler is the son of former Steelers offensive line coach Sean Kugler. The younger Kugler played high school football for North Allegheny High School.

No other coaches have direct ties to the Steelers, but many have ties to Pittsburgh – and nearly all of them have ties to McCarthy. Brian Angelichio coached at Pitt from 2006 to 2010. Frank Cignetti coached at both Pitt and IUP working as offensive coordinator. Tim Berbenich doesn’t have ties to Pittsburgh, but he did work in New York under former Pitt head coach Paul Hackett.

Bill Bigger = Better?

The most interesting choice is perhaps Brian Angelichio, who has ties to the Shanahan-McVay coaching tree that is in vogue in the NFL today the way the Bill Walsh tree was in the 1990s.

Brian Angelichio won’t be calling plays but would figure to have a lot of input on the game planning. Still, it is fair to question what his impact will be.

ON the defensive side, Patrick Graham is seen in the league as a bright defensive mind who has gotten a lot of mileage out of the talent he’s had available to him.

As for the rest of the staff, I won’t speculate as I am not familiar with them.

  • The larger staff size is what’s drawing the most attention.

During the later part of the Mike Tomlin’s 19 year tenure as Steelers head coach, Pittsburgh had one of the NFL’s smaller staffs. The rumor always was that Art Rooney II limited the budget Tomlin had to work with. Others have speculated that this was Mike Tomlin’s choice.

The only hard information we have is that the Steelers almost always let assistants coach out their contracts as opposed to letting them go. That would suggest it was a budget issue. But that’s still speculation.

Art Rooney II, Mike Tomlin, Omar Khan, Steelers training camp, St. Vincents

The Steelers Brain Trust @ St. Vincents. Photo Credit:Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports, via Yahoo! Sports

The truth is the only people who know are probably Tomlin, Rooney, Kevin Colbert and Omar Khan. (And unlike Joey Porter, Sr. I don’t expect to see any of them discussing this on podcasts anytime soon.) One of the things we do know is that Mike Tomlin’s track record when it came to selecting assistant coaches was not one of his strengths.

Mike McCarthy has added some quantity to the Steelers coaching staff, now it is time to see if that translates into quality.

  • That’s a possibly but far from a certainty.

When Joe Gibbs returned to Washington for his second stint, he assembled what looked to be a true dream team of a coaching staff. But this scribe wondered from afar, “Will this be the case of too many chefs?”

Maybe it was, maybe it wasn’t, but Gibbs had a respectable run but couldn’t return the franchise to its former glory. And truth be told, looking at his org chart that included an Offensive Coordinator and Assistant Head Coach Offense AND an “Associate Head Coach Offense” I couldn’t help but think of Mrs. Bowen’s Home Ec class at Parkland Junior High (yes we still had Jr. High then) where our kitchen staffs consisted of, “The Cook,” “The Assistant Cook,” “The KP,” the “Dishwasher,” “The Dish Dryer” and if we had uneven numbers…. wait for it, “The Helper to the Assistant Cook.”

Never did quite figure out what “The Helper to the Assistant Cook” was supposed to do. But damn, we made some mean peanut butter cookies back in the day.

Hopefully, McCarthy’s “Chief of Staff” Steve Scarnecchia can his team do the NFL equivalent.

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Watch Tower: Media Scramble After Mike Tomlin’s Exit and Steelers PR Push

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How long has it been since the Watch Tower’s lights have shone? Well, “Matt Canada” was still part of Steelers Nation’s vernacular. That’s too long, but so be it, if material and interest has abounded, time has not.

With that, let’s dive into our last edition, focusing on Mike Tomlin’s resignation, the Steelers PR Machine in high gear on McCarthy’s hire, the demise of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and more.

Art Rooney II, Mike Tomlin, Mike Tomlin contract

Art Rooney II and Mike Tomlin, cerca 2019. Photo Credit: Chuck Cook, USA Today via 93.7 the Fan

Delivering the Goods on Mike Tomlin’s Departure

Mike Tomlin shocked Steelers Nation (but not Art Rooney II) by resigning following the playoff loss to the Texans.

No one in the press corps saw this coming, but they all sprung into action as soon as the news broke.

There have been lots of great stories penned by many great writers, but Mike DeFabo of The Athletic leads the pack here – and by a healthy distance. Mike DeFabo wrote an excellent story that delivered his readers a lot of things to like.

First, is the timing. The date stamp on his article is January 15th – Mike Tomlin resigned on Monday the 12th. So, instead of rushing to get draw clicks by churning out a piece of quick “content,” DeFabo took time to get the story right.

And he certainly got this one right, bringing his readers directly into the Steelers locker room, giving them a first hand view of how the meeting unfolded.

While DeFabo on the record, there’s every reason to accept his quotes at face value. Many have been corroborated on social media. And J.J .Watt took to social media to question whether DeFabo went too far into the inner sanctum  that is an NFL player’s locker room. J.J.’s close relationship with T.J. Watt is well known, and if the accuracy of DeFabo’s was in any way open to question, Watt’s tweet would have been far different.

No, everything DeFabo wrote was too, perhaps too true for some ears, but that’s DeFabo’s job. DeFabo wins Watch Tower Kudos for this one.

A day later ESPN’s Brooke Pryor and Jeremy Fowler published a story of their own, where they reconstructed Tomlin’s final evening as head coach, and detailed his actions leading up to his final meeting with the players.

The ESPN duo also detailed the scene in the locker room before Tomlin’s announcement. They didn’t go into nearly the level of detail of the meeting itself as DeFabo did, but credit them for managing to someone to tell them that Tomlin made a Game of Thrones reference.

Pryor and Fowler also added detail about Tomin’s decision, speaking the multiple sources who indicated that this is a decision that Tomlin has been moving to from some time, probably since the summer (this has been corroborated by Ronde Barber’s comments.)

The duo went at pains to share that their reporting had led them to conclude this:

Fan discontent or feeling underappreciated was not a factor at all in the decision, multiple sources close to Tomlin insisted. “All he cared about were his players and coaches and Rooney,” one of the sources said. “He couldn’t please the fans from day one.”

The conclusion comes in contrast to observations by Steel City Insider’s Jim Wexell, one of the most senior members of the press crops, who expressed in chats with fans on his site’s message board the he feels that Tomlin was run off by the fans. He expanded on this in the Steelers Digest explaining:

And so his most recent playoff loss – to this fan of the man – was a gut punch. I could only envision vicious chanting at the upcoming NFL Draft party, hockey games, baseball games, what have you. So, the future was foreseeably ugly.

That’s why I believe Mike Tomlin backed away from a job for which he was still clearly energized.

Unlike Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher before him, Mike Tomlin of course declined to do a final press conference so no one’s had a chance to ask him – not that Tomlin would give a straight answer to a question like in the first place.

Finally, additional Watch Tower kudos go out to The Athletic, who ran an article by Willie Colon on Mike Tomlin. Any fan curious as to why Tomlin was such a strong leader of men only need read Colon’s work.

Not About “Winning the Initial Press Conference.” Or Is It?

When news broke that the Steelers were hiring Mike McCarthy as their next head coach, the reaction in Steelers Nation was anything but positive.

The Steelers PR machine sprung into action, and the next day Steelers.com ran a Bob Labriola story featuring a 1-1 interview with Art Rooney II who asserted  “We’re really not worried about winning the initial press conference.”

Mike McCarthy, Art Rooney II, Omar Khan, Mike McCarthy opening press conference

Art Rooney II and Omar Khan bookend Mike McCarthy. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

“Not worried about winning the initial press conference,” eh? The Watch Tower doth think the Steelers President protest too much.

The Steelers may say they’re not concerned about how the fanbase received McCarthy’s hire, but what they do tell us something different.

First, there’s the Labriola story itself. When news of an pending signing or hire surfaces, the Steelers practice is always to wait until its official before announcing it. The story ran days before his press conference.

Art Rooney II also gave an exclusive interview to the Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac before the press conference – this is the first time in the Watch Tower’s memory that Rooney II has given a 1-1 interview to Steelers beat reporter.

Ben Roethlisberger, Bill Cowher, Super Bowl XL

Ben Roethlisberger and Bill Cowher in the final moments of Super Bowl XL. Photo Credit: Mark Humphrey, AP via The Athletic.

Steelers.com also published stories that directed readers to comments made by Bill Cowher and later Ben Roethlisberger speaking in favor of the hire — ex-Steelers comment on the team all the time but citing them not a common practice for the team’s website. And then there’s the press conference itself, which was held at Acrisure Stadium where the team went to great lengths to lean into Mike McCarthy’s Pittsburgh roots.

For the record, the Watch Tower takes no issue with any of these steps taken on behalf of the Steelers PR team. To the contrary, we credit Burt Lauten and his team for acting quickly to take control of the story – just don’t tell the Big Boss, because it wasn’t one of his priorities. Nod, nod, wink, wink.

Post-Gazette to Shutter

The Watch Tower offers a piece of advice to any seismologist who are still struggling to understand data that points to a seismic anomaly emanating from Brownsville road in Mt. Oliver around January 7th.

We can confirm that the anomaly was localized to the vincinity of St. George’s and St. Joe’s cemetery and it was my grandfather, Joe Daughter tuning over in his grave at the news that the Pittsburgh Post Gazette would cease operations in May.

  • This is of course not a “Steelers” story.

But the fact is that the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and the Pittsburgh Press before it, were a vital sources of news about the Pittsburgh Steelers for generations of readers both inside, and later thanks to the magic of the internet, outside of Pittsburgh and indeed, around the world.

And the Post Gazette’s closure marks a tremendous loss for the community.

Greenfield Avenue

Joe Starkey is back (actually he never left – see below!) Raise your hand if you were more than mildly surprised to see Mike McCarthy announce the precise address of his childhood home in Greenfield. Yet he did and the Watch Tower’s first thought was for the privacy of the people living there.

Starkey, who has returned to the Tribune-Review, took the time to do what a seasoned beat reporter would do – he went down and visited with the residents of  1137 Greenfield.

The Watch Tower won’t steal his thunder, but he wrote an excellent story that’s well-worth reading – exactly type of story that a home town newspaper should write.

The Bit about Starkey Being “Back”

The Watch Tower refers to Starkey “being back” because with the Post Gazette blocking access in Argentina from 2019 until some point in 2024, the Watch Tower couldn’t read his work, even if it was so inclined to buy a subscription.

Note to Mr. Block: The Watch Tower doesn’t pretend there are enough potential subscribers in Argentina to make up our operating losses. There aren’t. And it’s not even close.

But this is from the same reader who could not convince your paper to accept my money for a PG Plus subscription back in the day, because your online billing form allowed for foreign credit cards, but still required a US state.

If this was indicative of your attitude towards revenue generating opportunities, then maybe the Post-Gazette’s demise, however tragic, is easier to understand.

Just sayin.

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Mike Tomlin Steelers Legacy: 19 Years of Winning in Pittsburgh

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Mike Tomlin left the Pittsburgh Steelers the same way he arrived – unheralded and unanticipated.

When Bill Cowher called it a day after the Steelers 2006 season, everyone knew either Russ Grimm or Ken Whisenhunt would get the job. Art Rooney II admitted that he didn’t expect to hire yet Mike Tomlin when he walked in the door, but Tomlin knocked his and Dan Rooney’s socks off.

By the same token, Art Rooney wasn’t expecting Mike Tomlin to step away following the loss to the Texans. But step away he has. Here we review Mike Tomlin’s full legacy as Pittsburgh Steelers head coach, balancing his accomplishments and shortcomings, all framed within their historical context.

Mike Tomlin, Mike Tomlin Franco Harris Jersey, Steelers vs Raiders

Mike Tomlin wearing a Franco Harris jersey. Photo Credit: Fred Vuich, AP via St. Albert Gazette

2007 – 2010: Cementing the Franchise Legacy

Few NFL coaches get handed the keys to a Super Bowl team.

If you think that winning is “simple” for them then please Google Phil Bengtson, Ray Handley and Richie Petitbon. A coach who takes the reins of a Super Bowl-caliber team must do much more than “not mess up.”

As Willie Colon explains, “It’s hard to grab the keys to the Porsche and not crash it.”

In his first season, Mike Tomlin took an underperforming team that had gone 8-8 in 2006 and led them to a 10-6 record and an AFC North Championship.

With just over 10 minutes remaining, Ben Roethlisberger connected with Heath Miller to bring the Steelers within 5 points. Mike Tomlin went for two. Roethlisberger hit Hines Ward bringing narrowing the difference to three.

Except Sean Mahan got flagged for holding. Tomlin didn’t bat an eye and went for two again. But this time, Roethlisberger couldn’t connect.

  • The Steelers did score again. But so did the Jaguars who won the game 31 to 29.

The move was controversial at the time, but with social media in its infancy the fan rage muted by 2026 standards.

But by doubling down in going for 2, Mike Tomlin established his legacy as a head coach who would put games in the hands of his players and trust them to deliver with the game on the line.

With the Arizona Cardinals threatening to take the lead as the first half closed, James Harrison, granted the freedom to freelance by Tomlin and Dick LeBeau, audibled out of his pass rush assignment and dropped into coverage. 100 yards later Harrison authored the longest run in Super Bowl history, putting the Steelers up 17 to 7.

james harrison, super bowl xliii, interception, record, pick six

James Harrison’s dramatic interception in Super Bowl XLIII

By the time more points were needed to put Pittsburgh back in the lead, the culture of trust and confidence in one another Tomlin had built proved to be the difference maker, as observed at the time:

the Steelers poise and camaraderie were consistent for four quarters. The men in Black and Gold never lost their belief in themselves nor their faith in one another. When faced with adversity, they persevered, they remained determined. And they did it together. That’s been the case all season.

And that’s what made them Super Bowl champions.

The Steelers 2009 season will and should be remembered for the Super Bowl hangover Tomlin tried and failed to avoid.

  • But 2009 revealed something important about Tomlin: His ability to rally a down team.

Memories have faded, but Tomlin’s Steelers never looked worse than they did during 2009’s 5-game losing streak. Yet, Tomlin rallied them for 3 straight wins.

In 2010, the Steelers suffered one of their worst off seasons ever as the word “Midgeville” entered the vernacular. Willie Colon was lost for the season in June. With Ben Roethlisberger suspended for 4 games, Tomlin brought Byron Leftwich back to Pittsburgh. Leftwich broke his leg in preseason.

By week, 2 Mike Tomlin was playing Charlie Batch, effectively his 4th string quarterback, and traveling to Tennessee, starting UDFA Steve McLeodon over Casey Hampton and authoring arguably the greatest defensive performance in franchise history.

  • By the time 2010 ended, the Steelers were in their 3 Super Bowl in 6 years.

Super Bowl XLV ended with a loss , but that didn’t change the fact that as new decade began, it was no longer a question of 4 Super Bowls for Chuck Noll and 1 for Bill Cowher, it was 6 Super Bowls for the Pittsburgh Steelers, as Kevin Colbert observed.

2011 – 2017: The Under Appreciated Rebuild

Mike Tomlin isn’t the only coach to take over a Super Bowl team and win another Lombardi. But continuing to win for more a couple-of-three seasons is much more challenging.

  • Just ask Barry Switzer or Mike Martz.

Yet, despite the 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement leaving the Steelers in Salary Cap purgatory, Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert managed .500 seasons in 2012 and again in 2013 – after a 2-4 start no less. The 2012 season stands out for one simple reason – it contains the only Mike Tomlin-coached game where the Steelers were eliminated from playoff contention.

  • By 2014 the Steelers returned to the playoffs, as they did in 2015 and 2016.

As observed elsewhere on this site, the Steelers Killer Bees were too true to their name. Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown only played 3 of a possible 7 playoff games together.

Steelers Killer Bees, Steelers Killer Bs, Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, Le'Veon Bell

The Steelers Killer Bees were too true to their name. Photo Credit: pegitboard.com

(Rhetorical question “How might Chuck Noll have fared had Bradshaw, Franco, Swann and Stallworth been similarly unavailable for his playoff runs?”)

Injuries aside, by the time the Steelers reached the 2016 AFC Championship game, the only three players who remained from the 2008 Super Bowl squad were James Harrison, Ben Roethlisberger and long snapper Greg Warren.

Yes, Tom Brady seared the Steelers that night in New England, but the fact that Mike Tomlin got his team there with three rookies defensive starters, without Cam Heyward in the lineup and with Robert Golden logging 36% of the defensive snaps speaks volumes about his coaching acumen.

Steelers vs Patriots, Steelers vs Patriots 2016 AFC Championship, Javon Hargrave, Tom Brady

Javon Hargrave sacks Tom Brady early in the ’16 AFC Championship. Photo Credit: Charles Krupa, AP via Mercury News.

As badly as another AFC Championship loss to the Patriots stung, the Steelers seemed to be back.

Alas, tragedy would close the Super Bowl window that Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert had re-opened 12 games later, when Ryan Shazier fell to the turf paralyzed from the waist down at Paul Brown Stadium.

From there on out, Mike Tomlin would be forced to do more with less.

Interlude: Tomlin’s Warts — Assistant Coaches and Talent Evaluation

And there’s a reason why Tomlin had to do more with less. As Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher did before him, Mike Tomlin had his flaws.

The infamous post-penalty 2-point conversion foreshadowed one of them. Sean Mahan was called for holding, and he’d been hand-picked by Mike Tomlin from Tampa Bay. Mahan traded away at a fire-sale price next September.

  • That raised the question on why Tomlin chose to bring Mahan to Pittsburgh in the first place.

Yes, Mike Tomlin managed to pluck Cam Heyward and T.J. Watt at the bottom of the first round. He and his scouts found gems like Antonio Brown and Kelvin Beachum in the 6th and 7th rounds.

But as the Steelers struggled to Re-Load for Ben Roethlisberger, they swung and missed badly as any sober evaluation of their 2018, 2019, and 2020 draft classes reveals. 2021 wasn’t much better, but Salary Cap Armageddon, combined with injuries and surprise retirements, forced them  to reach to fill needs.

D.K. Metcalf, Terrell Edmunds, Steelers vs Seahawks

D.K. Metcalf burns Terrell Edmunds for a touchdown. Photo Credit: Yahoo.com

This isn’t the sole responsibility of Mike Tomlin, but his voice was at the ver least, the first among equals in the draft war room.

  • In contrast, Mike Tomlin did have a free hand in picking assistant coaches.

Let’s be objective and acknowledge Mike Munchak, Danny Smith, Karl Dunbar, Richard Mann, Al Everest and, arguably, Todd Haley as good hires.

But those were balanced out by the Bob Ligasheskys, Amos Joness, Carnell Lakes and Joey Porter Sr’s (anyone notice how Bud Dupree blossomed when Keith Butler returned to the linebackers room?) Tomlin changed offensive line coaches not named Munchak the way everyone else changes underwear.

His signature attempt to cultivate an innovative coaching talent was Matt Canada. Canada holds the infamous distinction of being the only Steelers coordinator to be fired mid-season in the modern era.

Selecting assistant coaches wasn’t Tomin’s strength, and this weakness weighed him down.

2018 – 2025 – Doing More with Less

The post-Shazier/playoff drought phase of Tomlin tenure will remain a lightning rod for generations. So be it.

  • Here the focus is on what Mike Tomlin achieved as instead of what he failed to achieve.

Three examples highlight Tomlin’s skill as both a leader and as a football tactician: Quarterbacks, the 2021 season and the 2025 season.

Quarterbacks

The Steelers franchise deserves all the criticism it gets for bungling the post-Roethlisberger transition. I can’t prove it, but I suspect Mike Tomlin wanted to draft Lamar Jackson but got beaten to the punch.

Be that as it may, following Roethlisberger’s injury in 2019, Mason Rudolph, Devlin Hodges, Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, Justin Fields, Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers all started for the Steelers.

Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph, Kenny Pickett, Steelers 2022 quarterback competition

Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph. Photo Credit: Brandon Sloter / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images and The Athletic.)

Do Coach-quarterback records say more about the coach or the QB? Who knows? Either way they yield valuable insights such as:

  • Don Shula reached a Super Bowl with David Woodley – Score one for Shula.
  • Bill Belichick’s record without Tom Brady is piss poor – draw your own conclusions.
  • Joe Gibbs won three Super Bowls with three different QBs – Yeah Joe is underrated.
  • Noll & Malone beat Walsh & Montana. Twice – Score one for The Emperor.

Rudolph, Hodges, Tribusiky, Pickett, Fields along with an aging Wilson and an even older Rodgers offer a wide spectrum in terms of talent and pedigree.

  • The only one with a losing record in Pittsburgh was Trubisky.

The rest have losing records in their post-Steelers lives, and Hodges, who was .500 as a Steelers starter, couldn’t even secure a spot on another team’s practice squad.

Enough said.

The 2021 Season

We remember Ben Roethlisberger going out with a bang in 2021 after seven 4th quarter comebacks. He gets  he lion’s share of the credit for the 9-7-1 finish.

But what we forget ’21 Steelers had an offensive line held together with spit, duct tape and bubble gum and a defensive line that had Cameron Heyward playing alongside career backups and practice squanders.

Few credit Mike Tomlin for keeping that team together. But they should.

The 2025 Season

Mike Tomlin’s Yin and Yang was on full display 2025.

During the off season, Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan took several calculated personnel risks.

One was that the trio of Jalen Ramsey, Darius Slay and Joey Porter Jr. backed by safety Juan Tornhill could deliver the shutdown secondary necessary to combat Joe Burrow’s video game-like passing attack. On offense, they gambled that Roman Wilson would grow into a legit WR No 2.

  • Burrow didn’t get a chance to test them, but Joe Flacco did and exposed them.
  • Roman Wilson flashed (well, flickered) early on but finished the year inactive.

By season’s end, Mike Tomlin had brought in 3 new defensive backs and moved the pieces around so that only secondary starter was playing in his opening day position. He did something similar at wide receiver adding not one but two cast offs.

Jalen Ramsey, Tua Tagovailoa, Steelers vs Dolphins, Steelers vs Dolphins MNF

Jalen Ramsey sacks Tua Tagovailoa. Photo Credit: Alysia Rubin, Steelers.com

The changes resulted in a team that lost 5 of 7 games to close November at 6-6, to one went 4-1 down the stretch and won the AFC Championship.

Sweet Steelers Symmetry

Early in his tenure, a reader asked Ed Bouchette in a Post-Gazette chat to compare Tomlin to his predecessors. Bouchette opined that Tomlin struck him as a cross between Noll and Cowher.

So there’s something poetic about Mike Tomlin finishing with 193 regular season wins, just as Chuck Noll did. And its fitting that Tomin’s Super Bowl record of 1-1 match’s Bill Cowher’s.

Bill Cowher, Mike Tomlin, Chuck Noll, Steelers Six Lombardi Trophies, Mike Tomlin Bill Cowher photo

Bill Cowher interviews Mike Tomlin. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

Noll and Cowher boast better post-season percentages, yet Tomlin’s regular season squads never swooned to the depths his predecessors touched.

Thank you Mike Tomlin for 1 Super Bowl, 2 AFC Championships, 8 AFC North Titles, 14 playoff experiences and 193 wins.

Thank you for giving us 19 years of a “winning era.”

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6 Quickish Hits on Mike McCarthy’s Intro as Steelers Head Coach

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As it turns out, new Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy may have “won” his opening press conference – perhaps Art Rooney II’s worries on that front were in vain. Rooney introduced McCarthy as the franchise’s 17th head coach on Tuesday, January 27th out the South Side 125 years to the day after his grandfather and franchise founder Art Rooney Sr. was born.

The Rooney’s decision to hire McCarthy has not been a popular one in Steelers Nation – although it is easy to imagine the fan outrage for “sticking to the template” that would have followed had Rooney II hired Chris Shula instead.

Be that as it may, there’s no denying that hearing a Steelers coach, talk Steelers football with a distinct Pittsburgh accent resonates with something deep in the soul.

With that understood, McCarthy will and should be judged by how he does on the field, not how strongly he presented his yinzer credentials to the press. So here are a few quick takeaways.

Mike McCarthy, Art Rooney II, Omar Khan, Mike McCarthy opening press conference

Art Rooney II and Omar Khan bookend Mike McCarthy. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

1. McCarthy Wants Rodgers Back

Art Rooney II has said he’s open to Aaron Rodgers coming back, and Mike McCarthy made it clear he welcome his former signal caller back with open arms. While McCarthy declined to put a deadline on a decision from Rodgers, Rooney had made it clear in interviews with the press that the franchise will need a decision before free agency.

2. McCarthy is Focused on Training

Mike McCarthy began his career as an NFL head coach in 2006. A lot has changed since then. Two-a-day training camp practices were a given then. The Oklahoma drill was a rite of passage. Coaches could run padded practices when they wanted to late in the year.

  • Today those are relics of a bygone era.

McCarthy has plugged himself into those changes, and went as far (in the context of so many playoff games being decided in the 4th quarter) “you almost have to reengineer how you want your team to train.”

As a “practice makes perfect” person, this is a refreshing take. When she wrote for Behind the Steel Curtain, Rebecca Rollett explored the impact that reduced practice time might have on a teams after the adoption of the 2011 CBA.

Mike Tomlin took the 2016 Steelers to the AFC Championship, so he obviously was able to adjust to the change, but it is good to know that McCarthy is focused on making the best use of training/practice time.

Steelers St. Vincents, Steelers training camp, Steelers Latrobe

For the 1st time in 54 years, the Pittsburgh Steelers will not hold training camp at St. Vincents, in Latrobe. Photo Credit: WPXI

Along those lines, a lot of his comments seemed to relate to physical training, and if the Steelers can do anything to condition themselves to even slightly reduce soft-tissue injuries, it will give them a competitive advantage.

3. McCarthy Is Into Trends

Look at the transcript of his press conference and McCarthy’s use of “trends” pops out at you. He mentioned it several times. If memory serves, in his opening press conference, Mike Tomlin talked about being a “fundamentalist” and throughout his tenure focused (at least in public comments) on execution over scheme.

McCarthy’s focus on “trends” could simply be a different means to reach a similar end, but the contrast stood out.

4. Wearing It on His Sleeve. And Then Some.

Chuck Noll was cerebral. OK, watch the tape of the 1989 Steelers upset of the Oilers in the AstroDome and you’ll see the Emperor drop many an F-bomb. But no one would ever accuse Chuck Noll of “wearing his emotions on sleeve.” (Well, Jerry Glanville might, but that’s another story.)

Bill Cowher, 1992 Steelers

Bill Cowher in 1992. Photo Credit: thisisopus.com

In contrast, I don’t think Bill Cowher was capable of holding emotions back. In answering questions on his book Dawn of a New Steel Age Ed Bouchette remarked about Cowher, “He had a range of emotions and did not hide them.”

Tomlin on the other hand was more cerebral. Yes, was certainly more reactive than Chuck Noll on the sidelines, but he had nothing of the intensity of Bill Cowher.

  • Mike McCarthy choked up and outright cried at multiple points during his press conference.

So it looks like the Steelers brass opted for another expressive coach.

5. Three Is a Crowd?

Art Rooney, Omar Khan AND Mike McCarthy were all on stage for the press conference, which was held at Acrisure Stadium. Tomlin took his alone, and based on the photos so did Bill Cowher.

At the end of the day, it probably signals nothing, but it was unexpected nonetheless.

6. “Local Boy Does Good” Narrative Nice. But It Has Limits…

Mike McCarthy clearly is of Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh is of him.

Per Andrew Bryant, he introduced himself in Green Bay in his first interview there as a “Pittsburgh guy.” Given that the roots of the sport of football run deeply into Western Pennsylvania that reality carries some weight.

By the look of it, his family still resides Pittsburgh. One can guess he’s been back quite a bit since his NFL journey took him around the league. Its no secret that many people from McCarthy’s generation and his parents’ generation have left Pittsburgh.

  • And a lot more left thinking they’d return one day than actual returned.

As anyone who left Pittsburgh, or as in my case is from a family whose parents left Pittsburgh, the idea of coming back to take the reigns of one of the city’s most iconic institutions is over-powering.

J&L Steel, Pittsburgh

J&L steel in 1967. Image via PG Interactive

And there’s no shame in McCarthy showing it, nor is there anything wrong with the Steelers PR machine showcasing that side of the story.

It is easy to say “…Well, I don’t remember them doing this when BILL COWHER came back to Pittsburgh.” No they didn’t. And my first look at Bill Cowher came from a discarded copy of the USA Today that a roommate had left on the floor of a college dorm in Baltimore, Maryland a day or so after he was hired.

My first view of McCarthy hire came when my cellphone started beeping thanks to the Mexican Steelers WhatsApp groups I’m part while I was sweeping up dust in my apartment in Buenos Aires, Argentina…. Digital communication has change our world in ways we are no longer concious of.

  • So its fine for McCarthy and fine for the team to lean into “local boy comes home” narrative.

As long as they remember that what will make that story special isn’t the return of the local boy, but what he does on the football field following his arrival.

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