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Does Bill Cowher approve of Steelers' planned Mike McCarthy hiring?

Bill Cowher. Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Does former Steelers HC Bill Cowher approve of planned Mike McCarthy hiring?

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Jan 25, 2026 2:45 PM ET

Former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher seems much more optimistic about the planned hiring of Mike McCarthy than the rest of the fan base.

On Saturday, the Steelers and McCarthy agreed to a deal to make him their next HC. It's a huge departure from their past hires.

McCarthy is set to become the fourth Steelers HC since 1969. The team's previous HCs (Chuck Noll, Cowher and Mike Tomlin) were up-and-coming defensive assistants. Then 34-year-old Cowher, a former Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator, replaced Noll in January 1992. The Super Bowl XL champion, however, believes a change in philosophy is needed.

Bill Cowher explains why he approves of Mike McCarthy

"[McCarthy is] an offensive-minded guy," Cowher said on "The NFL Today" Sunday. "He coached Joe Montana. He coached Brett Favre. He coached Aaron Rodgers. He coached Dak Prescott. Everywhere he's been, he's uplifted the offense. And if you look at the Pittsburgh Steelers right now, if there've been inefficiencies in the recent years, it's been the instability of having a reliable offense."

"I really like this hire ... everywhere he's been he's uplifted the offense."@CowherCBS on the Steelers hiring Mike McCarthy as next head coach. pic.twitter.com/21OX8wZ3wm
— NFL on CBS (@NFLonCBS) January 25, 2026

Pittsburgh's offense has floundered over the past two seasons. The Steelers ranked 25th in yards (305.6) in 2025 after finishing 23rd (319.4) in 2024.

Coaching six-time Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh shouldn't intimidate McCarthy, either. He already served as HC for the Green Bay Packers (four-time Super Bowl winners) and Dallas Cowboys (five-time Super Bowl winners), two of the NFL's blue-blood franchises.

"And, oh yeah, he's from Pittsburgh, too. That doesn't make it bad," fellow Pittsburgh native Cowher said. "He knows the tradition, he knows what the expectation is, he knows what the fan base is all about. He's a Yinzer. I think it's a very good hire for the Pittsburgh Steelers."

Why Bill Cowher's comments may be wrong

McCarthy has the credentials, but that doesn't necessarily make him the right coach for the Steelers. After losing seven straight playoff games under Tomlin, Pittsburgh clearly needs a reboot. A retread who underachieved throughout his tenures in Dallas and Green Bay may not provide that.

McCarthy went 49-35 in the regular season in five seasons (2020-24) with Dallas but won one playoff game. In 13 seasons with the Packers (2006-18), he won just one Super Bowl with perennial MVP candidates Favre and Rodgers.

Speaking of Rodgers, it remains unclear if the 42-year-old QB will return next season. The passer's relationship with the coach soured before Green Bay fired him during the 2018 season, but Rodgers has since suggested they've made amends.

Rodgers said he would give McCarthy a "big old hug" before the Packers hosted the Cowboys in November 2022.

If Rodgers doesn't return next season, the Steelers would bank on McCarthy developing QB Will Howard, a 2025 sixth-round pick. The former Ohio State Buckeyes star's upside reportedly intrigues McCarthy, but who knows if he'll become a viable starter?

Cowher's vote of confidence for McCarthy isn't going to change the mood in Pittsburgh. It was already pessimistic after the Steelers lost 30-6 at home to the Houston Texans in the AFC wild-card round.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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