Latest moves show Steelers headed in a different direction

The Pittsburgh Steelers chose the easy, safe option in hiring Mike McCarthy as the team's next head coach. 

McCarthy, who is 62, didn't coach in 2025 after being fired by the Dallas Cowboys. While McCarthy was successful in Dallas, he managed only one playoff win, which was one more than Mike Tomlin over the last nine seasons. The Steelers chose McCarthy's experience over taking a risk on younger options like the Los Angeles Rams' defensive coordinator Chris Shula or passing game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase.

The Steelers have made moves in the last few seasons that they typically wouldn't. The McCarthy hiring, for example, is very unusual. All three of the previous head coaches were young defensive assistants in their early 30s. Now, the organization is hiring an offensive guy, which is excellent, but he's 62 and hasn't had success in a while. 

The Steelers won't get the longevity with McCarthy that they had with Tomlin, Bill Cowher and Chuck Noll. McCarthy is only six years younger than Cowher, who retired in 2006. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk made an interesting yet simple statement regarding the Steelers. 

"The Steelers have changed their ways." Florio stated

Fans have been begging for the Steelers to change how they do things, and they have. They traded for wide receiver DK Metcalf and instantly made him the team's highest-paid player. They traded Minkah Fitzpatrick and a fifth-round pick for Jalen Ramsey, Jonnu Smith and a seventh-round pick. The team's most surprising move was waiting for Aaron Rodgers to decide not only whether he wanted to play football again, but also whether he wanted to play for the Steelers. While Rodgers ended up playing for the Steelers, it cost them a chance at perhaps Sam Darnold, who is now playing in the Super Bowl.

Steelers fans are getting what they wished for

As mentioned earlier, Steelers fans have begged for change for a long time now: to move on from Tomlin, prioritize offense and make roster changes. The Steelers have done all of those things. Tomlin is gone and McCarthy is an offensive head coach. McCarthy's hire has failed to draw an enthusiastic response from the fan base, however.

Owner Art Rooney II has proved that he is no Dan Rooney. Dan hired Noll, Cowher and Tomlin and made the necessary changes the organization needed to adapt to the new age. Art's first hire on his own is a 62-year-old who has almost identical numbers to Tomlin. 

General manager Omar Khan is also to blame. While Khan has drafted okay, he is likely the reason for McCarthy's hiring. Khan and assistant general manager Andy Weidl were with McCarthy as members of the New Orleans Saints' organization.