Steelers' top four defensive coordinator options with new head coach Mike McCarthy

The Pittsburgh Steelers are reportedly coming to terms with their new head coach, as the organization will be hiring Mike McCarthy to lead the team into 2026 and beyond. He will be the fourth head coach that the team has had since 1969, and he has already won a Super Bowl. However, his recent track record is not exactly great, so there are questions about what he can do. One thing's for sure: He will have to do a better job of hiring a staff than Mike Tomlin did to have a chance at winning. 

McCarthy will likely have a lot of say in the offense, if not all of it. That will mean that he will have to spend a lot of time and resources into finding a high-end defensive coordinator who can take the well-paid unit and help it play up to its potential. There are plenty of quality options, but he will have to act quick to find the right one, as many other teams are/will be in need of one as well. 

Because the Steelers brought in a Pittsburgh native, it's only fitting that the top option for defensive coordinator candidate could be a former Super Bowl champion who played in the city as well. Larry Foote is the current run game coordinator/outside linebackers coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His name has already been thrown around quite a bit already, so it's not too wild of a thought.

In his coaching career, Foote has coach inside linebackers and outside linebackers while also switching between pass-game and run-game coordinator, so he's helped quite a bit with a Buccaneers defense that has been very strong in recent years. It wouldn't hurt to at least bring him in for an interview to see how his mind works now compared to when he was a player. 

Speaking of reunions, Deshea Townsend has become a popular name after becoming the secondary coach for the Detroit Lions. That unit has battled so many injuries during his time there, but despite that, it has consistently played much better than expected. It has since been dubbed "The Legion of Whom" for how well it has played despite all the backups and no-names stepping up to make plays. 

Non-Steelers options for defensive coordinator

The Steelers have kept trying to build from other Super Bowl winners as well, so they may go for a recently fired head coach who has made the big name. Jonathan Gannon was a part of the Philadelphia Eagles' Super Bowl LVII team that fell just short. His stint as head coach was less-than-ideal, but sometimes, people are much more comfortable as a coordinator than as the main guy. That could be the case here. 

Speaking of struggling head coaches, Raheem Morris has done well when running a defense, but his head-coaching stints have not been great. Because of that, odds are no other team would be willing to pluck him away. If the Steelers hire him and he continues to show off how good he truly is running the defense, he can be on the team for a long time to come. 

McCarthy's hire is already being criticized by the fans, even though pen has not officially been put to paper yet. Getting the defensive coordinator position right will be a big first step into swaying people on his side. Steeler Nation is very restless with the lack of playoff success and failure to develop a quarterback. One wrong move, and fans will not hesitate to chant for his firing as well.