The Pittsburgh Steelers have received plenty of criticism for the way they hired longtime NFL coach Mike McCarthy. But, there have also been a few positive reactions as well.
Following the Steelers’ announcement of McCarthy’s hire on Jan. 24, a majority of the reaction was negative. Several comments underneath the team’s initial announcement read “Sell the team.” Others contributed takes such as “Hasn’t he already proven that he can’t win the big games?”, “Welcome to endless 9 & 8 seasons,” and “The team is dead.”
Former Steelers defensive back Ryan Clark recently called McCarthy’s hiring “uninspiring” during an appearance on ESPN’s First Take.
“In one word, uninspiring,” Clark said. “Also, I think they know that. The big thing with Mike McCarthy is he’s a proven winner. Could you imagine when Mike Tomlin steps away and here is the word, or the phrasing, I heard was used when Mike Tomlin stepped away from the team. It was like a mourning at a funeral. That’s the way people have categorized the mood in the building when he walks away. It was like losing a family member.
“And so imagine if you’re looking at a guy like Nate Scheelhaase from the Los Angeles Rams, Chris Shula, the defensive coordinator of the Rams, another young, up and coming coordinator like Mike Tomlin was, the amount of pressure that’s going to be on (McCarthy) when he steps to the microphone at any point.”
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith similarly vocalized his opinion, saying, “I’m not moved. I’m not moved at all.”
However, FS1 analyst Emmanuel Acho believes the Steelers have put themselves in a good position in terms of where they stand in the division.
Emmanuel Acho: Steelers Have ‘Best Coach in the Division’
GettyFS1 analyst Emmanuel Acho said the Steelers have the best coach in the AFC North after they hired Mike McCarthy.
On his show “Speakeasy,” Acho voiced a positive opinion on the Steelers hiring McCarthy, saying, “The Steelers have the best coach in the division.”
– @EmmanuelAcho weighs in on the Pittsburgh Steelers recent hiring of Mike McCarthy
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“To me, this is an adequate replacement. A coach that can come in, win 11 games, win 12 games, be competitive,” Acho said. “The Browns are still going to laughable. The Bengals are tethered to Joe Burrow staying healthy, and the Ravens, well, who knows what Jesse Minter’s gonna do. If we’re being honest, let me go ahead and say it right now. The Steelers have the best coach in the division.”
The Browns are currently still searching for a head coach after firing Kevin Stefanski, and the Bengals are looking to bounce back from a 6-11 season. While Minter has experience as a defensive coordinator at both the professional and collegiate levels, there’s no saying what will happen in Baltimore.
Mike McCarthy’s Coaching History
There’s no denying McCarthy has won throughout his coaching career. Over 18 seasons, he’s produced a record of 174-112 and won a Super Bowl in 2010. He has a career winning-percentage of .608.
However, despite winning one Super Bowl, McCarthy has often come up short in the playoffs. He’s produced an 11-11 record in the postseason and only won two or more games once. He missed the playoffs in his final two seasons in Green Bay and in his first in Dallas.
Analyst Makes Bold Claim About Steelers Hiring Mike McCarthy