The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a very unfamiliar spot. For only the fourth time since 1969 and the first time since 2007, they are trying to find a head coach that can continue the legacy of this historic organization. Ownership is also put into a bind, as this is the first time that Art Rooney II will be leading the coaching search, along with General Manager Omar Khan. Despite this being their first attempt, all the pressure in the world is on these men to make the right hire, or else the fans will get even more impatient.
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Steelers General Manager Omar Khan looks on as the team sets up in front of fans to workout at the annual Friday Night Lights training camp practice in Latrobe, PA.
At the very least, it doesn't seem like the Steelers will rush this process. In his latest mailbag, insider Mark Kaboly said a couple of times that the team will take all the time they need, even if it means waiting for the Super Bowl to end to officially hire a candidate and begin making a gameplan with him.
"Let’s face it, there is a reason why there have only been four head coach openings filled, and three of them are retreads – Kevin Stefanski, John Harbaugh, and Robert Saleh," Kaboly said. "It’s because this group of first-time candidates isn’t very overwhelming. So, don’t be surprised if the Steelers take their time and let the process play out completely. If that means having to wait until before or after the Super Bowl to have an in-person interview with the Rams’ [Chris] Shula or Nate Scheelhaase, then that’s what is going to happen... I don’t anticipate it being anytime soon. I can’t stress to you enough that they are going through this process very delicately and that takes time."
This is definitely a major moment in Steelers history, and it requires a lot of meticulous research and analysis. Head coach candidate Mike McCarthy was in the building for his in-person interview on Wednesday, but unless something unprecedented happens in the building, he will walk out of there without a contract. He could end up being the next coach and not know it until February, or he may learn that he does not have one then.
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Former Green Bay Packers head coach, Mike McCarty during a game in the 2010s.
The Steelers are waiting on Chris Shula and Nate Scheelhaase to become available for in-person interviews before they really start to narrow down the list. Picking coaches from the Sean McVay coaching tree is one of the better options in the NFL at this point, even if it doesn't have a super-high hit rate. Finding a new leader is always difficult, so there is some comfort in taking from a budding tree like that.
Steelers Fans Could Get Their Wish With Shula
One thing that many fans have been frustrated about with the team is its reluctance to have a more modern approach to football. If Shula does get hired, he would likely bring in Scheelhaase as his offensive coordinator, and those two men would certainly bring the team into the 2020s with a style that has proven to work at the NFL level.
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Los Angeles Rams Defensive Coordinator Chris Shula against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium.
There have been plenty of rumors about how Shula is a favorite to get the job in Pittsburgh, and the fact that Rooney is willing to wait until the Super Bowl just to get an interview with him shows how much respect he has around the league. It may take many weeks for the hire to become official, but there will likely be a lot of happy fans celebrating this hire in mid-February if it happens no matter when it becomes official.
What do you think about the Steelers taking their time with the head coach search? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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