Steelers Fans Receive Mike McCarthy's Detailed Blueprint For His Pending 2026 Coaching Staff

The Pittsburgh Steelers officially welcomed Mike McCarthy as their new head coach Tuesday afternoon during a press conference in Pittsburgh, PA. With 18 years of head coaching experience from his time with the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys, McCarthy takes over for Mike Tomlin and becomes the franchise's fourth head coach since 1969. With the head coach position now settled, the focus quickly shifts to the rest of the coaching staff, as fans and media alike speculate about which assistants McCarthy will target and how his hires could shape the team’s direction moving forward.

As of now, it remains uncertain which members of Tomlin’s staff will remain in Pittsburgh, as all assistants were informed they will not be retained unless McCarthy chooses to hire them back. Arthur Smith and Danny Smith are just a couple of names of assistants who have taken jobs elsewhere, and it is assumed that more will be added to that list. That kind of clean slate isn’t necessarily surprising with a coaching change of this magnitude, but it does make this next stretch critical. 

During his introductory press conference, McCarthy was asked about what qualities he'll be looking for while forming his 2026 coaching staff.

"I have a philosophy on how to structure [a coaching staff], I think there's four areas that I've looked at," McCarthy said. "Number one, you got to have experts. You got to have men that know the league. This league evolves. That’s important, to have the expertise and experience to a certain level."

McCarthy has been around long enough to see multiple versions of the NFL, and he knows how quickly things can pass you by if you’re not careful. Experience clearly matters to him, especially when it comes to understanding trends, rule changes, and how offenses and defenses keep reinventing themselves. After years of criticism about Pittsburgh being slow to adjust, that emphasis alone will resonate with a lot of fans.

McCarthy also mentioned that there are plenty of good coaches already in the Steel City, and he doesn't rule out keeping some on the staff.

"It's important to look at the current coaching staff in place. There is a lot of good coaches that were here in place under Mike [Tomlin], and you have to take that into consideration, that’s part of the fit and the ability to move forward," McCarthy said.

That leaves the door open for some continuity, which might be important in a locker room that’s been run the same way for nearly two decades. While change is clearly coming, McCarthy doesn’t seem interested in tearing everything down just for the sake of it. If certain assistants fit his vision and can help bridge the transition, keeping them around could help ease the adjustment for players who suddenly find themselves in a very different environment.

McCarthy continued.

"You got to look at some of these young and new ideas out there that would fit the direction that you want to go with your team," McCarthy said.

Despite his age and resume, he doesn’t come across as someone stuck in his ways. McCarthy understands that the league is being driven by innovation, whether that’s in scheme, analytics, or player development. If Pittsburgh truly wants to modernize how it operates, this willingness to listen and adapt could go a long way.

Steelers' McCarthy Eyes Young Coaching Staff Additions

At 62 years old, McCarthy also knows how important it will be to bring on young, hungry assistants. 

McCarthy began coaching in 1993, and he certainly understands what it takes to climb the ladder and become a head coach. Because of that, he places real value on assistants who are willing to grind, learn, and grow within a program. Surrounding himself with ambitious coaches not only helps keep ideas fresh, but also creates an environment where competition and accountability are constant. For McCarthy, developing future leaders is just as important as winning games now.

"You got to have them young dudes. You got to have the guys that grind. You got to have the grinders that are going to be there and came up the way Omar [Khan] and I did," McCarthy said. We didn’t have the resources back then that you have today. You slept in the office back then. Staying true to that methodology is how I've done it, at the end of the day, it has to fit together."

McCarthy is looking for people who live and breathe football. That mentality lines up with what the Steelers have traditionally valued, and it also suggests the organization isn’t trying to reinvent itself overnight. Instead, they’re trying to blend the old-school Steelers work ethic with a more modern approach to the game.

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