The Pittsburgh Steelers are currently conducting a search for a head coach for the first time in nearly two decades after Mike Tomlin decided to step down following the 2025 season. The Steelers got going on their search right away, but the franchise made it clear that the process would not be rushed. Several candidates are scheduled for a second interview after the virtual round, but it is still hard to tell who the organization might have as its favorite to land the gig. There are a couple candidates from the Los Angeles Rams that Pittsburgh will have to wait to interview, but the franchise has seemingly already ruled out a couple of guys which has narrowed the list of candidates.
Matt Freed / Post-Gazette
Steelers' Omar Khan with Team President and Owner Art Rooney II ahead of a road game in Baltimore during the 2025 season.
The Steelers historically have hired defensive-minded coaches at head coach, and that could happen again. However, the franchise has brought in a good mix of offensive and defensive-minded individuals. One of the offensive-minded coaches was Klay Kubiak, who is the current offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers. He has learned under Kyle Shanahan, which is one of the most coveted coaching trees in the NFL. That is especially true on the offensive side of the ball. Team insider Mark Kaboly believes the franchise has already ruled out Kubiak, which he stated during his mailbag on Wednesday morning.
"Not only is there no interest in Klint Kubiak, but not much in the way of any Kubiak, even though they did virtually meet with Klay Kubiak," Kaboly wrote. "So, cross one off the list, and the other didn’t even make the list."
Klay and Klint Kubiak are brothers. Klay is in San Francisco while Klint is the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks. Klint is certainly the bigger name for now as he has run a very successful offense in Seattle. Klint is also the play-caller for the Seahawks, and that cannot be said about Klay. Either way, both coaches are described as geniuses in the NFL world when it comes to running an offense, and that is something the fan base in Pittsburgh wants to see out of its next head coach.
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49ers' Klay Kubiak coaching up his wide receivers during a practice in northern California.
Klay has been in San Francisco since the 2021 offseason, and his only professional coaching experience comes with the 49ers under Shanahan. He has held several roles including defensive quality control coach, assistant quarterbacks coach, offensive pass game specialist, and offensive coordinator. That is a ton of experience in coaching an offense under one of the best offensive minds in the game, and it would be a shame if he was already ruled out of the race to be Pittsburgh's next head coach.
The Steelers have been lagging behind the league on the offensive side of the ball for what feels like forever. It would be nice to get one of the young, offensive geniuses in the building to be the head coach, but that is just not the way the franchise normally operates.
Steelers Seem To Have Final Candidates For Head-Coaching Vacancy
With Klay being ruled out, the Steelers have a narrow list of names. Brian Flores and Mike McCarthy seem to be two names to watch. Miami Dolphins Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver is another name that is getting a second interview, and both Chris Shula and Nate Scheelhaase of the Rams are strong candidates as well.
Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Rams Defensive Coordinator Chris Shula motions towards some players as he walks on the field while the team gets a work out in at a practice.
The Steelers are not rushing things, so the franchise will wait and do their due diligence on Shula and Scheelhaase, who are still alive in the playoffs. It is hard to tell when a decision is going to be made by Pittsburgh, but it isn't going to happen before the brass can talk more with the guys from the Rams.
What do you think of Klay potentially being out of the running? Let us know in the comments below!
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