Reason Behind Steelers' Final Decision To Not Interview Rams' Chris Shula For A 2nd Time Revealed

It came as a shock to everyone throughout the NFL landscape when the Pittsburgh Steelers made the decision to choose Mike McCarthy as their next head coach. The interest was already known based on a pair of interviews with the former Super Bowl champion, but many believed that Art Rooney II and Omar Khan would hold out with the hopes of interviewing Los Angeles Rams coaches Chris Shula and Nate Scheelhaase. That didn't end up happening and now those two former candidates will look elsewhere after losing in the NFC Championship Game. Fans are still questioning what went into the important decision.

Shula was considered the favorite almost immediately after Mike Tomlin stepped down. He fit Pittsburgh's typical preference perfectly as a young, defensive-minded individual that would be getting his first ever NFL head-coaching gig. Instead, the Steelers didn't even wait to interview him in person. After just one virtual interview, it seems as if he was ruled out, which is something fans were not aware of.

Now that the organization has hired McCarthy, a lot of news is coming to light about Rooney and Khan's process. There were only a total of three in-person interviews, and it is now evident who was the top candidate all along. In fact, one Pittsburgh radio host, Andrew Fillipponi, is reporting that the brass in the Steel City completely removed Shula from contention after meeting with him virtually.

This is definitely some interesting information. Fillipponi hasn't always been correct when it comes to Steelers reports, but he has had his fair share of scoops, including being the first one to announce the new naming rights of the team's stadium back in 2022. Shula will be a head coach at some point, and potentially soon, which will be the determining factor in whether Rooney and Khan were correct about not welcoming him for another interview.

Pittsburgh doesn't have a new head coach very often. This is just the fourth occurrence since 1969. However, at 62 years of age, many are wondering how long McCarthy will want the job. It's quite possible that the Steelers go through this process again within the next 10 years or so, but for now, the front office had its eyes on one guy in particular, and that individual was not Shula.

The Rams' defensive coordinator also had a rough showing during Sunday's NFC Championship Game. His unit got absolutely demolished and it was one of the main reasons that Los Angeles will not be competing for a Super Bowl. It's fair to say that the Steelers may have dodged a bullet, but it will be way too long before that fact can actually be proven.

Fans will be anxious to see where Shula lands. It's actually quite possible that he remains with the Rams. The head-coach openings are dwindling, and if he is not interviewing well, as noted by Fillipponi, he might be waiting another year before he gets more consideration.

Steelers Will Have To Earn The Fan Base's Trust After The McCarthy Hire

Pittsburgh doesn't want to rebuild and that's a respectable belief that the organization currently has. That doesn't mean that fans will continue to be content with winning seasons and first-round playoff losses. There were some decent options in this cycle, but McCarthy ended up getting the nod in the Steel City. It's okay to acknowledge that Shula could have "bombed" his virtual interview, but what's the excuse for not waiting around for a couple of other candidates to be available?

Do you think that the Steelers made a good decision by not waiting for Shula and Scheelhaase? Let us know in the comments below!

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