Steelers' Latest Head Coaching Favorites Revealed

For just the fourth time since 1969, the Pittsburgh Steelers are looking for a new head coach. After coaching the Steelers since 2007, Mike Tomlin and the Steelers have agreed to part ways, ushering in a new era of Steelers football. Pittsburgh has one of the most storied franchises in the NFL, with six Super Bowls, tying them with the New England Patriots for the most in NFL history. Whoever is the next coach of the Steelers will have extraordinary expectations immediately. 

The Steelers are not a franchise that accepts losing. Rebuilding years are few and far between. After all, Tomlin never had a single losing season in his 19-year career with the Steelers. Despite the incredible non-losing streak however, the Steelers' previous playoff success under Tomlin, including Super Bowl XLIII win over the Arizona Cardinals, ran out. 

Tomlin ended his tenure with seven consecutive playoff losses; the Steelers' last playoff win came in the 2016 season. Even for Tomlin, nearly a decade without a playoff win for a franchise as historic as Pittsburgh's just isn't acceptable. With the Tomlin era closed, the Steelers' search for their next head coach starts now. It's especially important to act quickly for a head coach this offseason, as nine NFL teams have already fired their head coach, including the rival Baltimore Ravens, and Cleveland Browns. 

Shortly after news of the Steelers and Tomlin parting ways, odds on the Steelers' next coach were already released on Kalshi. The Rams' defensive coordinator, Chris Shula, is currently the odds-on favorite to land the job, according to Kalshi. 

The top three for the job are rounded out by Minnesota Vikings Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores, and former Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys head coach, Mike McCarthy. 

Chris Shula Is The Leading Candidate For Next Steelers Head Coach

Shula certainly has the family ties for the position. If the name Shula is familiar to you, Chris Shula is the grandson of the late great Don Shula, who was an NFL head coach from 1963 to 1995, most notably with the Miami Dolphins. While Shula certainly has big shoes to fill, he's doing a great job of doing just that. The Rams were one of the best teams in the NFL this season and are currently in the Division Round of the NFL Playoffs after a 12-5 regular season. 

Shula has gotten rave reviews as one of the most innovative young minds in the NFL, and the Steelers, despite not hiring many coaches, do have a common theme among them. According to NFL Researcher Matt Pomeroy, the last four Steelers coaches were all younger than 38 when hired. Shula, currently 39, would fit the mold as an NFL coach on the younger side, given that the average age of NFL head coaches is 48.

Being the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers is a double-edged sword. On one hand, you have one of the most recognized owners in the NFL, the Rooney Family, who will always put the best product on the field possible. On the other side are the expectations that come with coaching the Steelers. The Steelers expect greatness because that's the standard. Whereas other NFL teams can have a down season without wholesale change, the Steelers enter every season with playoff aspirations, and for good reason. 

Whether the next Steelers head coach is Shula, Flores, McCarthy, or someone else, they'll need to be prepared for everything that comes with the job, good and bad. The Steelers' current veteran-laden roster will most likely look very different next season, and who the quarterback of the 2026 Steelers will be will be up to the next Steelers head coach. Moving on from Tomlin could also mean moving on from 42-year-old Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. No matter who the quarterback and head coach are for the Steelers next season, the goal is the same, because it's the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

Who do you want the Steelers' next head coach to be? Comment below!

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