Will history repeat itself in Steelers' HC search or will Pittsburgh go off usual script? 

The Pittsburgh Steelers are searching for a head coach for the first time since 2007 and only the franchise's fourth head coach since 1969. 

Adding the fact that the three coaches who led the team over that time frame all at least reached two Super Bowls, won a championship and will likely all end up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame — Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher are in and Mike Tomlin has a case to join them — there is now tremendous pressure on Steelers president Art Rooney II to hit the latest hire out of the park. 

Tomlin's early tenure made his hire a win, but his lack of recent postseason success — his last playoff win came in January 2017 — made the majority of Steelers fans pray for a new direction. They got their wish when Tomlin stepped down on Jan. 13, a day after Pittsburgh's 30-6 loss to the Houston Texans in the AFC's wild-card round. 

But as fans and media try to decipher and uncover what the Steelers are thinking and who will be Tomlin's successor, it's time to look to history to see if the past, even one from decades ago, can be any indicator of what may happen now. 

Steelers tend to prefer younger coaches

For starters, and perhaps the most important attribute of a candidate, the Steelers prefer to hand the keys to the franchise to younger coaches. Their track record, certainly when it came to Tomlin's modern predecessors, has been about elevating up-and-coming coaches who they believe are ready for the opportunity. 

Tomlin was 34 when he was awarded his first chance to lead any team by the Steelers. Similarly, Cowher was also 34 when tasked with replacing the legendary Noll in 1992. Slightly older at the time, Noll was made the youngest coach in the NFL when hired by the late Art Rooney Sr. in 1969. 

But the trend to lean young isn't just about the three championship coaches. Noll's predecessor, Bill Austin, was 37 when hired in 1966. Making native son Mike McCarthy, 62, unlikely, the Steelers have never hired any head coach older than 57 — Jock Sutherland in 1946. 

Actually, the Steelers, first established in 1933, have only hired three men in their 50s: Joe Bach was 51 in 1952, Walt Kiesling was 50 in 1954 (both men were embarking on their second or third stints with the team) and Mike Nixon was 53 in 1965. 

Steelers surprised everyone last time around 

When trying to predict what Rooney may do, it's important to leave room for the unexpected. That's exactly what happened the last time. Before announcing Tomlin, most in Pittsburgh were preparing for one of Cowher's assistants, most notably Ken Whisenhunt and Russ Grimm, to be elevated. 

But instead of an easy succession plan, Rooney felt "blown away" by Tomlin during his interview and decided to bring in an outsider who only had one season as a defensive coordinator under his belt, granted he did own a Super Bowl ring from his previous time on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers staff. 

Will Steelers finally prioritize offense?

Tomlin, Cowher and Noll each came aboard with a reputation as strong defensive minds. And while their defensive acumen served them well in Pittsburgh, NFL teams often focus on finding the next offensive mastermind in this era. It's also worth noting that the Steelers offense has struggled mightily in recent years and recorded the eighth-worst yards per game average in the NFL in 2025. 

Current candidate pool for Steelers HC

With a reported candidate pool of Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver, 45, Vikings DC Brian Flores, 44, Rams DC Chris Shula, 39, Packers DC Jeff Hafley, 46, 49ers OC Klay Kubiak, 37 and the aforementioned former Packers and Cowboys head coach and Super Bowl XLV champion McCarthy, among others, it will be interesting to see if the Steelers stay on brand or venture off their past script.