Steelers New Head Coach: National Reaction To Mike McCarthy Hire

PITTSBURGH, PA — In news largely obscured by the huge winter snowstorm that hit the region this weekend, the Steelers have their first new head coach in nearly two decades: Pittsburgh native Mike McCarthy.

The former Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys head coach was hired Saturday by the team. McCarthy, 62, received a five-year deal and will lead the reshaping of the Steelers after 19 years of leadership under Mike Tomlin, who resigned earlier this month.

The response from Steelers fans to the hire was underwhelming, particularly on social media. That did not concern team owner Art Rooney II.

"We're really not worried about winning the initial press conference. It's about picking the coach we believe will help us win games and social media really doesn't enter into it," Rooney stated on the team's website. "And one of that will matter once we're starting to play games.

"The message for our fans is we're very excited. We think we have a coach who is well-equipped to lead us into the next winning phase of Steelers football, and that's what it's all about. I think they're going to love Coach Mike."

Here's what some sports figures across the country thought of the McCarthy move:

Former Steelers coach Bill Cowher, CBS Sports: "He walks in that room with credibility. I like what
they did. He'll put together a good staff right [away]. Oh yeah, he's from Pittsburgh, too. That doesn't make it bad. He knows the tradition. He knows what the expectation is. He knows what that fan base is all about. He's a Yinzer. I think it's a very good hire for the Pittsburgh Steelers."

Stephen A. Smith, ESPN: "Record-wise, good hire. But is that really going to change the culture of the Steelers — especially if that QB room doesn’t get fixed? That’s the question."

Connor Orr, Sports Illustrated:"One smart team has opted not to take the narrative bait on McCarthy and to explore the facts at our disposal: that he is the 15th-winningest coach in NFL history. That he has a .608 winning percentage, better than that of Bill Parcells, Mike Shanahan, Tom Coughlin, Mike Holmgren, Mike Ditka and Jon Gruden. That, between 2016 and ’18 McCarthy had a top-seven offense in terms of expected points added per play. That, in 2023 and ’24 (the years when McCarthy was in Dallas) the Cowboys were better across nearly allmeasurable offensive statistics.

Randy Moss, ESPN: "Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy had an incredible run together; Rodgers was a two-time MVP under McCarthy as his head coach and play caller. One more year with McCarthy? I don’t know what Rodgers has left in the tank, but it could be worth it, especially considering Pittsburgh’s offense struggles and really needs a lot of help."