The Pittsburgh Steelers have been forced into some big changes early this offseason, which is what happens when your longtime head coach, Mike Tomlin, unexpectedly resigns from his post with the team. That forced the Steelers to look for a new head coach for the first time in 19 years, and they eventually hired Pittsburgh native Mike McCarthy to come in and replace Tomlin.
McCarthy knows that he has some big shoes to fill, but if there’s one guy who is capable of picking up where Tomlin left off, it’s him. Ever since being hired, McCarthy has begun to work on filling out his coaching staff, with his latest reported hire seeing him reunite with one of his former players, offensive lineman Jahri Evans.
Steelers Expected to Hire Jahri Evans to Coaching Staff
McCarthy previously worked as the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys’ head coach, but he is most well-known for his 13-year stint with the Packers, with the highlight seeing him lead the team to victory over the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV. Along the way, McCarthy worked with quite a few players, and a guy who is on that lengthy list is Evans.
A legendary offensive lineman who earned six Pro Bowl selections and four straight All-Pro First Team honors, Evans is known more for his work with the New Orleans Saints throughout the first 12 years of his career. However, he spent his last season in the league playing for McCarthy on the Packers before he ultimately retired and transitioned into coaching.
Unsurprisingly, that led Evans to find his way back to New Orleans, as he’s spent the past four years working on its coaching staff. In 2025, Evans worked as an assistant offensive line coach, and it looks like that is the role he will be taking on as he joins the Steelers’ coaching staff with McCarthy.
“Sources: The Steelers plan to hire former Saints legend and Hall of Fame finalist Jahri Evans to be on Mike McCarthy’s staff as their assistant offensive line coach,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported in a post on X. “Evans entered coaching in 2022 with the Saints and served as their assistant OL coach last year.”
Steelers’ New-Look Coaching Staff Beginning to Come Together
GettyMike McCarthy opened up on getting hired to be the Steelers’ new head coach
It’s a bit surprising to see McCarthy hire an offensive assistant without having an offensive coordinator in place, but his relationship with Evans clearly played a role in the decision. With Patrick Graham reportedly on track to become the Steelers’ defensive coordinator, that will allow McCarthy to turn his attention towards finding a replacement for Arthur Smith at offensive coordinator.
As he gets started with the Steelers, it’s clear that McCarthy is going to turn to folks he’s worked with in previous stops across the NFL to help him get his hometown team back on track. Once his coaching staff comes together, though, Pittsburgh will have some work to do when it comes to improving its roster, with the biggest question revolving around the future of legendary quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Mike McCarthy Plans to Add Former Star Player to Steelers’ Coaching Staff