As the Pittsburgh Steelers search for Mike Tomlin's replacement, the expectation is the team will be looking for a specific type of head coach.
The Steelers have had three head coaches since 1969 in Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin. All three of those coaches were young, defensive-minded, first-time head coaches.
In the opinion of Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, look for the Steelers to stick with that archetype when they hire their next head coach.
“If history is any indication, the Steelers will hire a young, defensive-minded head coach, just like Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher, and Mike Tomlin,” Dulac explained in his weekly Steelers chat. “And I would also think there is zero chance they will hire a former head coach. That’s the equivalent of bringing in another veteran QB. They will want to start fresh.”
“Absolutely no retreads. No former NFL head coach. Younger for sure," Dulac went on to add later.
As we write this, the Steelers have reportedly requested interviews with five different candidates. The list is as follows:
- Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter (source)
- Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores (source)
- Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver (source)
- Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula (source)
- Rams passing-game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase (source)
Of course, the Steelers are going to talk with more than just five coaches, but based on this list and what Dulac is saying, Minter, Weaver and Shula fit the mold the best.
Flores has been a popular name connected to the Steelers, and while he's a fantastic defensive coordinator, he's also a former head coach.
Flores does have a connection to the Steelers after being on Tomlin's staff for one season, though, so maybe that'll be enough for Pittsburgh to break the mold and hire him.
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