The Pittsburgh Steelers made a monumental decision on Saturday as the franchise announced it would be hiring Mike McCarthy as its next head coach. The move was immediately panned by the majority of the fan base on social media, but it could end up being the right decision -- although it isn't very popular as of right now. McCarthy is an offensive-minded coach, which is a nice change of pace in Pittsburgh, and who he brings in as his coordinators and assistant coaches is going to be interesting. He has a fairly decent track record when it comes to hiring his staff, which is the complete opposite of Mike Tomlin.
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New Steelers head coach, Mike McCarthy on the sideline while coaching the Dallas Cowboys.
While McCarthy was with the Dallas Cowboys, he had brought on Kellen Moore and Dan Quinn as coordinators, and both of those men wound up becoming head coaches. That never happened for Pittsburgh while Tomlin was running the show, so the fan base should be fairly optimistic when it comes to the hiring of the rest of the coaching staff.
Pittsburgh decided to inform their 2025 staff that it was time to look for other jobs once Tomlin stepped down, and unless some of the coaches are kept by McCarthy, it will be an entirely new staff coming to the Steelers in 2026. One position that needs to be filled is special teams coordinator after Danny Smith took the same role with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Smith was a fan-favorite, but Pittsburgh left a lot to be desired on special teams, especially in the return game. A new coordinator will be good for Pittsburgh, and McCarthy has a perfect candidate that is available.
Associated Press
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Head Coach Mike McCarthy talking on the sidelines during a home game in Green Bay with the Packers.
A name that should be considered for special teams coordinator is Jerry Rosburg. He is on the older side as he is currently 70, but he has plenty of experience as a coordinator and he has even served as an interim head coach before. Rosburg is familiar with the AFC North as he is most well known for his time with the Cleveland Browns from 2001 through 2006, and then with the Baltimore Ravens from 2008 through 2018. He took a four-year hiatus after the 2018 season before joining the Denver Broncos as a senior assistant in 2022, where he wound up being the head coach by the end of the season.
Special Teams Coordinator Jerry Rosburg officially retired at the end of minicamp, and the team surprised him with a special team meeting. pic.twitter.com/9tYZoFCRWJ
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) June 14, 2019
Rosburg's experience and versatility is an attractive trait, and McCarthy might like having someone older on the staff. All, or most, of his former special teams coordinators from his time with Dallas and the Green Bay Packers are either hired elsewhere or have moved on from the game. Rosburg provides a reliable option for McCarthy. The only issue that might present itself would be Rosburg's approach to the newer kickoff rule, which is something he has not gone up against quite yet in his coaching career.
Steelers Need To Improve On Special Teams
Pittsburgh's kicker Chris Boswell and players like Miles Killebrew and Ben Skowronek have covered up some issues on special teams for the Steelers in the past. The franchise is typically below the league average when it comes to kick returns. That is clearly not good as it sets the offense up in a bad spot when the offense can already barely move the ball as is. A fresh voice at the position on the coaching staff could help the organization and the team as a whole.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Ben Skowronek celebrates after catching a pass for a first down during a road game against the Baltimore Ravens in 2025.
Shawn Slocum is another name to watch as he coached under McCarthy in Green Bay for eight seasons. He last coached in 2022 at Arizona State, but he never announced his retirement. He could be open to a return to coaching, and McCarthy could be open to a reunion with his former colleague.
Who do you think will be on McCarthy's coaching staff when it's all said and done? Let us know in the comments below!
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