Scott Tolzien , the top Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator candidate, will instead stay with the New Orleans Saints as their quarterbacks coach, as first reported by Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports.
Tolzien interviewed with the Steelers on Monday and had been considered the front-runner to land the job. The Steelers have interviewed two other candidates, as well: Dallas Cowboys tight ends coach Lunda Wells and Minnesota Vikings passing game coordinator Brian Angelichio
Whoever takes the Steelers offensive coordinator position will not be calling plays, as McCarthy expects to do that, which could have been a sticking point in landing Tolzien.
A former NFL quarterback who played for new Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy with the Green Bay Packers and then joined his coaching staff with the Dallas Cowboys, Tolzien just finished coaching the Senior Bowl on Saturday before coming to Pittsburgh for his interview.
New Orleans Saints quarterbacks coach Scott Tolzien at practice for the 2026 Senior Bowl on Jan. 29, 2026. — Alan Saunders / Steelers Now
"Anytime you get an opportunity to go interview for one of these that's a really great growth opportunity," Tolzien said at the Senior Bowl on Thursday . "So I'm lucky that I'm in the position that I enjoy where I'm at. Things are going really good, and yet, you always see what's out there. But my focus right now is on this game. Like it's awesome being here with all these players and coaches, so you want to put your best foot forward with them and give it your best shot."
Tolzien had a seven-year NFL career as a player, initially signing with the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin in 2011, when he shared a meeting room as Philip River. Tolzien was stashed on the Bolts' practice squad after the preseason, then claimed by the San Francisco 49ers , with whom he spent two seasons (2011-12) before joining the McCarthy's Green Bay Packers in 2013.
He backed up Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay for three seasons, and was then signed by the Indianapolis Colts as Andrew Luck 's understudy. After spending two seasons (2016-17) in that role.\\
Tolzien got his start in coaching with one season as an analyst at Wisconsin before he joined McCarthy in Dallas in 2020 as an offensive assistant. In 2021, the Cowboys' attack led the NFL in scoring (31.2 points per game) and yards per game (407.0), with Tolzien working closely with Dak Prescott . Tolzien was promoted to quarterbacks coach in 2023.
In 2025, he followed New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore from Dallas to New Orleans, going his staff there as quarterbacks coach, where his work with Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough was noteworthy.
Derrick Bell contributed reporting. Brendan Howe contributed background on Tolzien.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Top Offensive Coordinator Candidate Turns Down Steelers Job
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