Mike McCarthy press conference: New Steelers head coach 'definitely' wants Aaron Rodgers to return to Pittsburgh in 2026

Teddy Ricketson

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Mike McCarthy press conference: New Steelers head coach 'definitely' wants Aaron Rodgers to return to Pittsburgh in 2026 image

The Pittsburgh Steelers officially have a new head coach. 

Mike McCarthy signed his five-year deal and had his introductory press conference with the Steelers on January 27. McCarthy is from the Pittsburgh area and was emotional as he began the press conference with family and friends in attendance. 

The main points of the press conference were easy to guess. He was asked about the quarterback situation. McCarthy said that he was excited to start working with Will Howard and Mason Rudolph, but that he "definitely" wants free agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers back in Pittsburgh. 

McCarthy talked about the history of the Steelers. He mentioned how he expects to continue to run their 3-4 defense, and plans to call the plays on offense. McCarthy said he liked where the roster is, but is primarily focused on getting his staff set before turning his attention to free agency and the upcoming draft. 

AllSportsPeople tracked updates for McCarthy's introductory press conference with the Steelers. 

MORE: Why did Steelers hire Mike McCarthy?

Mike McCarthy press conference updates

All times ET.

2:30 p.m. -- With that, McCarthy's introductory press conference came to a close, lasting 30 minutes. 

2:29 p.m. -- McCarthy was asked when he needs an answer from Rodgers. He did not have a timeline in mind for needing to hear back from Rodgers. He was also asked about the upcoming quarterback draft class, and he deferred to Khan. McCarthy said his mind has been focused on building his staff. 

2:25 p.m. -- He was asked about his offensive philosophy, and he said that he has always leaned on a West Coast offense. McCarthy cited the need to establish the run and having an athletic quarterback who can improvise. 

2:24 p.m. -- McCarthy was asked about what he is looking for in his coaching staff, and he said that he wants experts who know the league. He also wants young coaches on the staff who are looking to learn and grind. 

2:21 p.m. -- To clarify an earlier update, Mason Rudolph is under contract with Pittsburgh for the 2026 season. So the Steelers have Howard and Rudolph to lean on while hoping to woo Rodgers back. 

2:19 p.m. -- Rooney was asked about the hiring process, and he said that they wanted to hire the best coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. They did not focus on youth, and the decision was obvious for them. Khan added that they were open-minded and that McCarthy's resume spoke for itself. 

2:18 p.m. -- McCarthy says that he will call plays on offense. He is excited to get to work with Will Howard and re-iterated that he hopes that Rodgers is back. 

2:13 p.m. -- McCarthy was asked how he keeps getting the most out of his quarterbacks. He talked about how important the fundamentals are and really taking an "old school" approach. 

2:11 p.m. -- McCarthy was asked how long he intends to keep coaching before the oldest head coach the Steelers have had since the 1960s. He said he is focused on bringing the Steelers their seventh championship, and right now, he is right where he needs to be. McCarthy said he wanted to return to coaching because there is nothing like the National Football League, and he isn't ready to walk away from it. 

2:08 p.m. -- McCarthy says that he loves the roster. He first looked at the players Pittsburgh has returning under contract. McCarthy said that they will of course add through the draft and free agency, but he is really excited about the roster, especially the defense. He said that he has had a top-five defense once in his career and won the Super Bowl. McCarthy mentioned the Steelers' classic 3-4 defense that he wants to continue to run. 

2:07 p.m. -- McCarthy said that he has always enjoyed the interview process, and that he had three this year. 

2:06 p.m. -- McCarthy was asked in his best-case scenario if he wanted Rodgers back. He said, "Definitely, I don't know why you wouldn't." He said that they have spoken recently and thought he was a great asset to the Steelers in 2025. 

2:04 p.m. -- McCarthy was asked what the year off meant for him. He said it was awesome and spent it with family. McCarthy said he appreciated being able to step back and notice trends across the season. 

2:03 p.m. -- A teary-eyed McCarthy began by reading the statement that was released by the team a few minutes before the press conference started. 

2:00 p.m. -- The press conference got started right on time. Rooney II started the conference off by praising McCarthy. He cited that McCarthy being from the area didn't play into the decision, but it helped. The team owner harped on the fact that McCarthy had been successful along his career and had a history of winning. 

1:59 p.m. -- Former Steelers greats Mel Blount and Ryan Shazier are in attendance. 

1:56 p.m. -- Before the press conference began, McCarthy released a statement on what it means to become the next head coach. 

1:53 p.m. -- The press conference is scheduled to begin in about seven minutes. The streams for the press conference are live. 

1:36 p.m. -- The Steelers announced that McCarthy has officially signed his five-year contract. 

1:32 p.m. -- McCarthy takes over the Steelers, having a career 174-112-2 record. He went 125-77-2 and 10-8 in the playoffs with the Packers. McCarthy then went 49-35 overall and 1-3 in the playoffs with the Dallas Cowboys. 

1:13 p.m. -- The Steelers have finished the regular season 10-7 three seasons in a row. In each of the seasons, Pittsburgh was bounced in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. The Steelers haven't won a playoff game since 2016. 

MORE: Why did Mike Tomlin step down?

Why did the Steelers hire Mike McCarthy?

When Rooney spoke to the media following Tomlin's resignation, he hammered home the fact that one of the things he most appreciated about Tomlin was that he always gave them the chance to win. Rooney also re-iterated that he hates the term "rebuild." McCarthy is the most experienced head coach the Steelers have hired since before the 1970s. Rooney clearly felt that he gives them the best chance to stay playoff ready without having to go through a rebuild. 

Another aspect of the hiring, though reports have denied it, is that the hire could help to entice Rodgers back to Pittsburgh. He is a free agent, and the only quarterback that the Steelers still have on the roster is soon-to-be second-year quarterback Will Howard. The quarterback free agent and draft class don't look great, especially with Pittsburgh not having a lot of projected cap room, and the 21st overall selection in the draft. 

MORE: What's next for Mike Tomlin?

How to watch Mike McCarthy press conference today

McCarthy's introductory press conference will not be televised. The Steelers announced that it will be live streamed on the team's official website, YouTube channel, X account and Facebook. 

The press conference will be held at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA.