Steelers' Mike McCarthy Shares Secret Phone Call He Had With Mike Tomlin After Getting Hired In Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a very consistent and loyal organization, and not a lot of change happens with the franchise. That is exactly why the 2026 offseason has been such a whirlwind. Mike Tomlin stepped down as head coach the day after the season ended, and the organization then went out and hired Mike McCarthy to be the next man in charge. He has a deep connection to the franchise as he is from Pittsburgh, but he does have some big shoes to fill. It will be weird not seeing Tomlin on the sidelines in 2026, but McCarthy will be a nice change of pace at the position as an offensive-minded head coach.

The organization hiring McCarthy has been a move that the fan base has been very critical over, despite the coach's ties to the city. Many fans wanted some youth at head coach, which would assumably would bring along some innovative play-calling and ingenuity. That did not happen, but McCarthy seems to be desperate to bring this franchise back to glory. 

The new Pittsburgh head coach joined The Pat McAfee Show on Friday, and he spoke with the crew about the transition so far. He mentioned that he has spoken with Tomlin since being hired.

"I mean I'm learning everything as I go," McCarthy said. "This building hasn't had any change in 19 years. It's funny, I was talking to Mike Tomlin on the phone the other day, and he operated out of a different office, I think the furniture was still there from Bill Cowher. So us three have had a laugh about the furniture, I'm getting new furniture, so that's a good gig. It's been there for decades."

Pittsburgh is a classic organization and a bit outdated in some areas. That is a big reason they're consistently near the bottom of the NFLPA's report cards when it comes to facilities, locker rooms, and things of that nature. Most things aren't modern, which is what McCarthy, Tomlin, and Bill Cowher were able to have a laugh about.

A lot of fans were pondering what that dynamic might be like between Tomlin and McCarthy. The two coached against each other in a Super Bowl, and now McCarthy is replacing Tomlin at a job he held for 19 years. Despite the fact that Tomlin stepped down and was not fired, fans might expect there to be a little bit of animosity there. That does not seem to be the case, and McCarthy even suggested that the two would catch up and get a beer together after being asked about the tradition between Pittsburgh coaches.

"Well, Bill and Mike have been awesome through this experience," McCarthy said. "I think Mike must have drank them [referring to the passed down, leftover beers from previous coaches]. I'm sure Mike and I will catch up down the road here and have a couple ourselves. It's all good."

It has been talked about how Chuck Noll left IC Light for Cowher when he took over the job, and Cowher did the same thing for Tomlin. McCarthy was asked if Tomlin did that as well, but the former coach did not apparently. It seems like McCarthy and Tomlin are on excellent terms and have been in a decent amount of communication with one another, which is good to hear for Steelers fans.

Steelers' Mike McCarthy Faces Immense Pressure In First Season As Head Coach

Pittsburgh has been one of the most consistently successful franchises in sports. Noll, Cowher, and Tomlin all went to multiple Super Bowls and they each have at least one Super Bowl ring. That pressure now falls on McCarthy as the Steelers have been stuck in purgatory since the turn of the decade. Fans want this team to be a serious competitor again, and maybe McCarthy is the guy to make that happen.

What do you think about McCarthy chatting with Tomlin? Let us know in the comments below!

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