After the 2025 season, longtime Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin decided it was time to move on, a choice that surprised some. Tomlin was immensely popular in the locker room, was the longest-tenured coach in the league, and had never had a losing season — though he also hadn’t won a playoff game in almost a decade.
The Steelers had managed to make the playoffs by winning the AFC North in the final week of the regular season, but had their doors blown off at home in the wildcard round by the Texans. After Tomlin decided to move on, with Pittsburgh bringing another ex-Super Bowl-winning coach named Mike: former Packers and Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy.
With McCarthy in the fold, one NFL analyst has a bold prediction for his first season in Pittsburgh.
Could New Pittsburgh Steelers HC Mike McCarthy Win Coach of the Year in 2026?
GettyPITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – JANUARY 12: Aaron Rodgers #8 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks to pass against the Houston Texans in the first quarter of an NFL wild card playoff game at Acrisure Stadium on January 12, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
Former player and NFL analyst Bucky Brooks made some bold predictions on the league award winners by the end of the year. He had this to say on the Steelers’ McCarthy:
“This underappreciated, Super Bowl-winning head coach has a chance to cement his legacy with a strong run in Pittsburgh,” Brooks wrote. “McCarthy takes over a longtime winner that had plateaued under Mike Tomlin, but the roster still features enough veteran playmakers to make a jump from good to great under new direction.”
“If the veteran coach can get Aaron Rodgers to play like a top-half quarterback in a system that minimizes his deficiencies as a 42-year-old — while simultaneously prodding defensive coordinator Patrick Graham to help the vaunted defense regain its swagger and suffocating style — the Steelers will make plenty of noise as contenders. Inherently, McCarthy could win his first Coach of the Year award.”
The Steelers Have One Last Chance to Make This Work
GettyPITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – JUNE 11: Drew Allar #16 of the Pittsburgh Steelers throws a pass at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on June 11, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
Rodgers already told reporters he plans on this being his last season. Even if he changes his mind, he’ll be 43 next year. The Steelers don’t have a replacement on the roster, and if this season goes the way they hope, they won’t be in position to draft one in 2027.
That puts a lot of pressure on the team to win big this season. That’s a big reason why the brass chose to move on from Tomlin. Something clearly wasn’t working and needed to change. McCarthy isn’t the most exciting hire, but he knows how to win, and he puts good offensive products out there.
In effect, Pittsburgh is desperate for some wins before they face an uncomfortable quarterback reality. Let’s see if McCarthy and Rodgers — reunited from the Super Bowl win in Green Bay — can provide.
New Steelers HC Mike McCarthy Gets Bold Prediction From NFL Analyst