The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a new situation now that Mike McCarthy is at the helm. With Mike Tomlin no longer in charge, the Steelers are already operating differently. It is going to look like a much different organization as Steelers fans get used to this new era, but one thing is certain. McCarthy is building out this staff in full. The Steelers have long been criticized for having a smaller coaching staff, but with McCarthy in town, he is making hires with assistants the Steelers never had under Tomlin.
Manuel Balce Ceneta / Associated Press
Steelers' new assistant head coach, Joe Whitt Jr. during his time with the Washington Commanders.
According to insider Tom Pelissero, Joe Whitt Jr. is joining Pittsburgh as assistant head coach and secondary coach. Whitt has a long history with McCarthy, working on his staff for over a decade from 2008 to 2018. He also reunited with McCarthy in Dallas, serving on the Cowboys’ staff from 2021 to 2023.
The Joe Whitt Jr. highlights you didn't know you needed: 😤 pic.twitter.com/YRjJMMMiNM
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) February 16, 2024
Whitt then followed Dan Quinn to the Washington Commanders to become their defensive coordinator in 2024, and now he is back in the Steel City working again with McCarthy. His return brings experience, continuity, and a proven defensive mind to Pittsburgh’s coaching ranks, which Steelers fans will be eager to see make an immediate impact. One video circulated after the hire went public, and it gives Steelers fans a clear idea of what to expect, at least in terms of Whitt’s attitude, now that he is in Pittsburgh.
"The way that we live is not for everybody," Whitt said while speaking to the media during the 2024 season. "It is not. Alright? We are going to run and put our bodies on people in a violent manor. Alright? The structure doesn't matter to me. The main thing that matters to me is: are we going to be arriving violently? Are we going to turn the ball over? We are going to make sure we disrupt these quarterbacks. You will hear me say it all the time. The ball is life and so it is like air. We got to have it. We got to get it. As coaches when you start to lose sometimes, you tend to stay later. My thought process is, because I have won 20 in a row and I have lost six in a row. I go home at the same time because I am giving you everything I have. Everything I have every single time. When coaches started to stay later after we lost two or three games... man you were cheating us."
It sounded eerily reminiscent of Tomlin and how he spoke about turnovers. In fact, there are a ton of similarities between the two, and some football fans took notice as this video circulated.
Joe Sargent / Getty Images
New Steelers head coach, Mike McCarthy on the sideline at Lambeau field in Green Bay, Wisconsin as he looks up at the replay board during his head-coaching tenure with the Green Bay Packers.
One thing Steelers fans get to hear is the mindset Whitt is bringing to McCarthy’s staff. Hearing an assistant coach talk about holding the other coaches accountable is an exciting change that seems to be coming to Pittsburgh.
Steelers' New Coaches Will Be Called Out In 2026 And Beyond
One critique of Tomlin was that many did not like the coaches on his staff and felt they were not doing a good job. One thing about Whitt is that he has made it clear he is not afraid to call anyone out. He even went so far as to say that if you are not doing your job, you will be called out when he is on a staff.
Washington Commanders
Steelers' new assistant coach, Joe Whitt Jr. speaking to the media during his time with the Washington Commanders.
That is a big change and something that is likely to excite Steelers fans. Whitt also said that if his coaches do not want to live that way, they will probably be somewhere else. That is the mentality he is bringing to the Steel City.
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