We're still trying to get used to the fact that the Pittsburgh Steelers need a new head coach after Mike Tomlin stepped down on Tuesday after 19 seasons.
That's not to say we never expected Tomlin to move on, but this is a weird spot for the Steelers to be in, as whoever they hire to replace Tomlin will be just the fourth head coach of the team since 1969.
There's a few ways the Steelers could go here. They could bring in an established head coach, or they could opt for one of the hot coordinators on the market.
If you ask Albert Bainbridge IV of The Bergen Record, he predicts the Steelers will hire former Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy.
"The fit here is obvious right? Out of coaching last season, McCarthy returns to his hometown of Pittsburgh to be the next head coach of the Steelers for a franchise that needs direction under center with the likely retirement of QB Aaron Rodgers," Bainbridge said.
A Pittsburgh native, McCarthy spent 13 seasons leading the Packers and managed to win a Super Bowl there while posting a 125-77-2 record overall, as well as an 10-8 playoff record.
McCarthy's second job was in Dallas, where he posted a 49-35 record that included three 12-win seasons. He didn't fair well in the playoffs, though, going just 1-3 during his stint with the Cowboys.
If the Steelers plan on running it back instead of hitting the reset button in 2026, hiring a steady hand like McCarthy would be a sensible, win-now move.
But that is not the direction the Steelers should go. Instead, Pittsburgh should hit the reset button during an offseason in which the team has 12 draft picks.
If the Steelers do go that route, we'd prefer a fresh name as the head coach rather than a retread, and preferably an offensive-minded coach who can modernize an offense that desperately needs a fresh take.
Rebuilding is a young man's game and at 62 years old, McCarthy wouldn't be a good fit if the Steelers go down that road.
It's time for the Steelers to get younger and move into the future, and that includes hiring a young head coach to lead them there.
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