Are the Steelers looking to replicate the experienced, retread head coach formula by Denver and New England with the McCarthy hire?
After the Pittsburgh Steelers announced the retirement of head coach Mike Tomlin, it felt like there was an identified candidate or two . There was. It just wasn't who fans expected: Mike McCarthy . McCarthy has head-coached two NFL teams – are the Steelers trying to follow the Patriots' and Broncos' retread formula?
The Denver Broncos got an experienced head coach in Sean Payton, as did the New England Patriots in Mike Vrabel. Those two teams are playing in the AFC Championship tomorrow night. The Steelers haven't been there since 2016.
McCarthy's track record is positive with his previous two teams. In both of his second seasons, he took the Packers and Cowboys to the playoffs. However, he hasn't made it to a conference title game since, ironically, also the 2016 season.
You could compare to Payton and Vrabel, however. Neither coach has made it to a conference title game since the 2018 and 2019 seasons, respectively. Those were with their previous teams. Now they face off with a chance to go to the Super Bowl.
There's also the biggest speculation in this hiring of McCarthy: Does Aaron Rodgers return for a 22nd season in Pittsburgh?
GREEN BAY, WI – SEPTEMBER 16: Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy talks into his headset in action during an NFL game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers on September 16, 2018 at Lambeau Field, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings played to a 29-29 tie. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire)
McCarthy reportedly likes the upside of Will Howard . There are also a few high-upside signal callers in this upcoming draft–and of course in 2027 projections.
Based on the reactions of fans and former players , the pressure on McCarthy to deliver early will be tremendous. He has a history of bringing in good assistants, such as Dan Quinn, who served as the defensive coordinator in Dallas .
The biggest question in all of this should be: Is this roster truly good enough to compete?
If the Steelers saw what Denver and New England did and put stock in that, your answer from their view is clear. Maybe that formula can get the Steelers to another level of contention.
If that formula doesn't work–and work quickly–the "Fire Tomlin" chants might be the least of the heat Art Rooney II and Omar Khan have faced in recent memory.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Steelers Tap Into Recent Trend of Retread Head Coaches
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