Art Rooney II Is Revealing How Mike McCarthy Is Changing The Steelers Compared To Mike Tomlin

The Pittsburgh Steelers are entering an entirely new chapter in their storied history, following Mike Tomlin’s decision to step away after the 2025 season. News of Tomlin’s next move broke on Tuesday, revealing that he will be joining NBC Sports as a studio analyst for the Football Night in America pregame show.

Now, the Steelers turn the page with Mike McCarthy at the helm. There has already been plenty of discussion about what this team will look like under new leadership and what McCarthy will bring to Pittsburgh. He has a clear system and is looking to shift the direction of the franchise quickly. If that turnaround is going to happen, McCarthy knows the start has to be strong. That means doing a few things differently than Tomlin did during his tenure.

Steelers Team President Art Rooney II is fully aware of that shift. He recently sat down with Bob Pompeani on CBS Pittsburgh to discuss how McCarthy is changing the Steelers compared to Tomlin, not as a criticism, but as a reflection of a new approach in Pittsburgh. It is safe to say that Steeler Nation will likely be very interested in what he had to say.

"Yeah, there is definitely a big difference between the two Mikes," Rooney said while speaking with Pompeani. "You know, it has been fun to see how Coach McCarthy has brought his different approach to the draft, personnel and team development. There are obviously similarities also, but it's been fun to see. There have been a lot of changes and it will be interesting to see how it all unfolds."

The Steelers have not won a playoff game since the 2016 season, and that long drought has become a defining storyline of the last decade. That pressure steadily built on Tomlin, and it ultimately played a role in his decision to step away after nearly two decades at the helm.

Almost two decades without a losing record in the regular season is an incredible achievement, but for the fan base, consistency without postseason success eventually began to feel hollow. The standard in Pittsburgh has always been championships, and over time, playoff disappointment started to outweigh regular-season stability.

Now, the Steelers are looking to reset and reestablish themselves as true contenders under McCarthy. If that is going to happen, it will require doing things differently than before. Many fans felt that things had grown stale in recent years, not necessarily because Tomlin was doing a poor job, but because the results in January stopped matching the expectations that define Pittsburgh football.

Steelers Have A Chance To Reset The Trajectory

With McCarthy now in charge, the organization has a chance to reset that trajectory. It all begins with the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh. The Steelers hold 12 picks, and if they can maximize that capital, they have an opportunity to reshape the roster quickly and meaningfully.

Tomlin’s legacy will always be secure. He will be remembered as one of the greatest coaches in NFL history, a leader who brought stability and respect to the franchise. However, the final chapter of his tenure will also include years of playoff frustration that never fully broke through.

That is the nature of the NFL. Even the best eras eventually reach a turning point. As Tomlin would likely acknowledge himself, the results down the stretch were not enough, and change became inevitable. It is interesting to hear Rooney highlight those differences now, as Pittsburgh moves forward into a new era with new expectations and a new direction.

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