The Pittsburgh Steelers have gone through a lot of change over the last several weeks since their 2025 season came to an end. New head coach Mike McCarthy has been diligently working to round out his staff. Pretty much every position on that Steelers new staff is a new face now. While many felt the hiring of McCarthy was underwhelming given the other options that were available on the head coaching market, McCarthy has brought in coaches with various different backgrounds. That was one knock on former head coach Mike Tomlin and what many believe was the reason he continued to come up short.
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Steelers' new head coach, Mike McCarthy addresses the media in his introductory press conference.
With the various different football minds being brought in, the Steelers have a group of coaches with a diverse background of football knowledge. Steelers insider Mark Kaboly of The Pat McAfee Show was on 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh Tuesday night and dropped one name specifically that he believes is an excellent asset on McCarthy's new staff. Kaboly gave high praise to the hire of former NFL offensive guard Jahri Evans, who McCarthy hired on as the Steelers' assistant offensive line coach.
"You have to love what Jahri Evans brings to the table. Just, he walks right into the room and you're like, 'Man, this guy was a finalist for the Hall of Fame,'" Kaboly said. "You know where the Steelers have a lot of talent that needs fine-tuned, it would be the offensive line."
Evans, a 12-year NFL veteran, played a majority of his time in the league with the New Orleans Saints. The Steelers' offensive line was a unit that had a lot of moving parts in 2025, as they were hit by some injuries. Tackle Broderick Jones went down in Week 12 of the season after sustaining a neck injury, which abruptly ended the year for Jones. The injury forced the Steelers to shift and use Dylan Cook to fill the void.
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The Pittsburgh Steelers' starting offensive line in 2025.
Veteran guard Isaac Seumalo also had one of his better years in his NFL career, but he also battled a nagging pectoral injury throughout the year.
Steelers And Evans Should Be A Perfect Fit
The Steelers' offensive line played pretty well in 2025, despite all the moving parts due to injuries. It is also a relatively young group, with Seumalo being the kind of veteran that anchors the entire group. These factors are what makes the Steelers and Evans a great fit on McCarthy's staff heading into his inaugural season in Pittsburgh. He is a guy with plenty of NFL experience that can come in and really mentor a group that is still learning the league and doing so together. This will be especially helpful should Seumalo not return to Pittsburgh in 2026.
Evans, a six-time Pro Bowler and four-time First Team All-Pro, is a highly regarded former offensive lineman around the NFL. In fact, Evans has been a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame for three consecutive years from 2024 to 2026. Evans spent much of his time in the NFL protecting newly-inducted NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees during their time in New Orleans. This list of accomplishments alone speaks volumes as to just how valuable of a hire Evans is on the Steelers' staff and the impact he can have on the offensive line in 2026.
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New Orleans Saints guard Jahri Evans and quarterback Drew Brees line up on offense against the Green Bay Packers in a 2012 NFL game.
While the Steelers' offensive line was underwhelming in their first-round playoff exit against the Houston Texans, the unit had a solid season overall in 2025. They battled a lot of adversity, especially in the form of injuries as mentioned, and still found ways to protect quarterback Aaron Rodgers to get their offense going in many games. A Hall of Fame caliber assistant like Evans can be a great asset to the staff to maximize the talent for the offensive line in 2026 and beyond.
Do you agree with Mark Kaboly about the hiring of Jahri Evans and the possibilities of him fine-tuning the Steelers' offensive line? Let us know in the comments below!
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