Steelers’ Mike McCarthy bites tongue on replacement referee conversation

An NFL referee lockout may be looming, but Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy, once a victim of the infamous replacement refs in 2012, isn’t eager to talk about it.

While the NFL’s coaches, general managers, and owners are gathering in Arizona this weekend for their annual offseason meetings, the league’s officials seem to be on the verge of striking. Following seemingly negative reports about the officials and an indication that the league will soon begin to hire and train replacement officials for the upcoming season, Scott Green, the NFL Referees Association (NFLRA) executive director, said alleged league sources “are continuing to put out false and misleading information instead of wanting to meet at the negotiating table.”

McCarthy, who wound up on the losing end of the ‘Fail Mary’ in 2012, which directly and quickly led to the NFL coming to a deal with the referee union, would likely be the perfect person to ask about a potential lockout during the 2026 season. But after a reported directive from the NFL to the teams not to talk about the officials’ labor dispute, the Steelers coach was unusually evasive when asked if he, speaking from experience, could express his concerns to the league about replacement refs.

“Well, I mean, it’s — I think technology would take care of that today,” McCarthy said on the ‘Pat McAfee Show’, referencing the ‘Fail Mary’. “I’m being an optimist because you can’t go back.”