Former Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger Makes His Preference Clear For Pittsburgh's Next Head Coach

The Pittsburgh Steelers continue to search for a head coach with Mike Tomlin stepping down earlier this month. The franchise has seemingly always had a defensive-minded head coach; it's what they pride themselves on. They've won all of their Super Bowls on the back of their defense. While that philosophy was once the new trend, teams now would rather score more points than just allow fewer. A good defense is still really important, however you will not be able to win unless you have a competent offense. 

The Steelers are likely to keep their trend of defensive-minded head coaches. They have some interviews set up with Anthony Weaver, Brian Flores, and Mike McCarthy. They are also very interested in Chris Shula. While reports indicate McCarthy is a legitimate candidate for the Steelers, it would be very uncharacteristic. McCarthy is 62 years old. Weaver, Flores, and Shula are all current defensive coordinators. The Steelers' last three coaches were first-time head coaches who were defensive assistants. Even with the McCarthy buzz, one of the defensive guys will likely get the job. 

Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger recently spoke on his podcast, Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger, and gave his two cents on the Steelers' head-coaching search.  

"My first thought is I want an offensive-minded head coach. That's what I would do if I were the general manager," Roethlisberger explained. "We've had defensive-minded coaches in here; that's what they've all been. I'm ready for an offensive guy; I want to score more than six points in a game."

   On his podcast, Roethlisberger endorsed McCarthy, but he also gave some other suggestions. 

"I would love a younger, offensive-minded head coach that is maybe an up-and-comer, you know, a [Sean] McVayish , a Ben Johnsonish." 

Obviously, Sean McVay and Ben Johnson are locked in with their respective teams, but they have plenty of guys in their systems who could be head-coach-worthy candidates, such as Nate Scheelhaase, the Los Angeles Rams' pass game coordinator. Scheelhaase has drawn interest from plenty of teams across the league, including the Steelers. He fits the mold Roethlisberger described perfectly. 

Declan Doyle, the offensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears, would also fit this mold like a glove. Doyle, who is just 28, was the offensive coordinator of the NFLs sixth best offense. While he does not call the plays for the Bears, he is part of the team's game planning and would be a nice change-up for the Steelers. 

The Steelers Should Look Into The New Philosophy Of The NFL

While defensive-minded head coaches can still be successful, they haven't won a Super Bowl since 2019. NFL offensive schemes are becoming unstoppable to the point where it doesn't matter if your defense is exceptional. A younger offensive coach could really modernize the Steelers. It would even likely help the Steelers' defense, which struggles against these great offensive minds. 

Scheelhaase is likely the Steelers' best candidate. Doyle is intriguing, but he is younger than most players and doesn't have much experience. Scheelhaase has been under McVay for two seasons now and is ready to make the leap. While McCarthy would be boring in the eyes of many fans, he is also an offensive-minded guy. He was a very successful coach with the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys.

Only time will tell what the Steelers do; they are currently unable to interview Scheelhaase due to the Rams' current playoff run. However, with their current interview list, an offensive-minded guy outside of McCarthy seems like a long shot. 

What do you think? Should the Steelers keep the trend of defensive head coaches? Should they try a more modern approach with an offensive guy? Let us know in the comments. 

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