One of the 1st things Mike McCarthy did when he was hired as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers in January was begin the process of making sure 1 of his former players, quarterback Aaron Rodgers, would come back for a 22nd and final NFL season to play for him.
It’s not much of a leap to think McCarthy might be on the lookout for more of his former players to see how they might fit on the Steelers. NFL.com’s Grant Gordon believes former Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs, who played the 1st 5 seasons of his career for McCarthy from 2020 to 2024, is the “Best Fit” for the Steelers as a free-agent addition before the season.
“The season that stands out in bold print for Diggs’ career was his All-Pro 2021 campaign with the Cowboys and Quinn as his defensive coordinator,” Gordon wrote. “Diggs’ head coach was Mike McCarthy and his DB coach was Joe Whitt. Both are in Pittsburgh now. Granted, the Steelers also house plenty of veterans: Jalen Ramsey, Jamel Dean, Asante Samuel Jr. and Brandin Echols. They’re mixed with myriad rookies — draft picks and undrafted free agents, alike — accompanying an extension-seeking Joey Porter Jr. Diggs likely isn’t getting signed as more than a flier or a depth add. Makes sense it would be a squad with familiar faces.”
Mike McCarthy Comes Home to Coach Steelers
McCarthy, who won a Super Bowl as head coach of the Green Bay Packers, is a Pittsburgh native and will be just the fourth head coach of the Steelers since 1969 following Chuck Knoll, Bill Cowher, and Mike Tomlin — all 3 of whom won Super Bowls in Pittsburgh.
“Coming home: The Steelers are working towards a deal to hire Mike McCarthy as their head coach, per sources,” NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero wrote on X in January. “McCarthy grew up in Pittsburgh. Now, at age 62, the Super Bowl winner gets a chance to coach the team he grew up rooting for.”
McCarthy coached the Cowboys for 5 seasons but did not see his contract renewed following the 2024 season after the Cowboys went 7-10 — that followed 3 consecutive seasons with a 12-5 record and 3 consecutive playoff berths.
The Cowboys turned to former offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer as their new head coach and went 7-9-1 in 2025, capping the season with an embarrassing loss to the New York Giants in Week 18.
“Mike McCarthy and Steelers GM Omar Khan worked together in New Orleans in 2000, and now will work together again in Pittsburgh,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on X.
Trevon Diggs Fell Off After Massive Payday
Diggs signed a 5-year, $97 million contract extension with the Cowboys in July 2023, then played in 22 out of 51 possible regular-season games over the following 3 seasons.
After his release, Diggs was claimed off waivers by the Packers on December 31 — just one day after the Cowboys released him.
Diggs’ absence in 2025 included missing 8 games following a mysterious, at-home accident that, many months later, he said came from a television falling on his head as he tried to mount it on an outdoor patio.
The final straw for the Cowboys came when Diggs asked to stay in the DMV with his family after an away game against the Washington Commanders on Christmas Day — Diggs is a D.C. native — and not fly home on the team plane.
The Cowboys refused his request. Diggs stayed anyway and they cut him.
Ex-Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs Predicted to Reunite With Former Head Coach