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Earlier this month, the Pittsburgh Steelers entered a head coaching search for just the third time since the hiring of Chuck Noll in 1969.
On January 13, Mike Tomlin announced that he would step down after 19 seasons as the franchise’s head coach.
During the search for their next head coach, the Steelers interviewed a number of candidates, many of them young assistants along the lines of Noll, Mike Tomlin and Bill Cowher, all of whom arrived in Pittsburgh as relative unknowns and left with Super Bowl rings and Hall of Fame-worthy resumes.
During an introductory news conference with the Steelers that became emotional at times, McCarthy, a Pittsburgh native, beamed with pride in his third head coaching opportunity.
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Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy at a news conference announcing him as the new Pittsburgh Steelers head coach in the PNC Champions Club at Acrisure Stadium on January 27, 2026 in Pittsburgh. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)
“I thought I’d at least be able to get started,” the new Steelers head coach said, trying unsuccessfully to stifle his emotions as he looked out at members of the McCarthy family inside Acrisure Stadium.
McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers spent several years together when both were part of the Green Bay Packers. McCarthy coached the Packers to a 125-77-2 record from 2006-18. Rodgers left the Packers after the 2022 season. He spent two seasons with the New York Jets before signing a one-year deal with the Steelers last season.
Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy during the first half against the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium on January 5, 2025. (Kevin Jairaj/Imagn Images)
While Rodgers had a relatively productive first season with the Steelers, the 42-year-old quarterback is undoubtedly much closer to the sunset of his storied career than the beginning. It is unclear whether Rodgers will return to the Steelers in 2026, pursue an opportunity with another team or simply step away from the game.
The possibility of a reunion between Rodgers and McCarthy was raised during Tuesday’s press conference. McCarthy expressed optimism about potentially getting another chance to coach Rodgers.
“I certainly don’t see why you wouldn’t,” McCarthy said when asked by reporters about possibly working with the four-time MVP.
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In 2022, ahead of Dallas Cowboys coach McCarthy’s return to Lambeau Field, Rodgers said the passage of time had given him a greater appreciation for the seasons he spent with his former coach.
“That’s probably normal in any relationship you have,” Rodgers said at the time. “When you’re able to take time away and you have that separation, it’s natural to look back and have a greater sense of appreciation and gratitude and thankfulness for that time.”
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy, right, speaks at a press conference introducing him as the next head coach of the Steelers as owner Art Rooney II listens to the PNC Champions Club at Acrisure Stadium on Jan. 27, 2026 in Pittsburgh. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)
McCarthy oversaw the Packers’ 2010 season, when the franchise won its only Super Bowl title of Rodgers’ career, but the relationship between the quarterback and the coach eventually soured. McCarthy was fired late in the 2018 season.
Neither McCarthy nor his hometown Steelers have been back to the big game since. He knows the clock is ticking.
“It’s time to bring another championship back to this great city,” McCarthy said Tuesday.
