The Pittsburgh Steelers have spent months listening to the outside world question whether hiring Mike McCarthy was truly the right move for this franchise. However, a former Steelers Pro Bowl cornerback who knows this city and this locker room better than almost anyone just made a gripping case for why Pittsburgh is the perfect place for McCarthy to succeed, and why the players inside that building are ready to run through a wall for him.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike McCarthy (left) and veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers (right) share a laugh during Organized Team Activities (OTAs) in May of 2026 as the team gets a workout done in Pittsburgh, PA.
Former Steelers cornerback Joe Haden sat down on the Deebo & Joe podcast and broke down exactly why he believes McCarthy has a massive advantage heading into his first season as Pittsburgh's head coach that nobody else is talking about. Haden pointed to three things that set McCarthy apart from any other coach who could have taken this job. He is from Pittsburgh. He loves this city. And the veteran leaders inside that locker room already know exactly what is at stake. Haden had this to say:
"New coach coming in. Coach McCarthy from Pittsburgh loves the area, knows what he got to do. He understands the situation that he's in. So do the players. So does TJ Watt, so does Cam Heyward. So does Jalen Ramsey, DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr. End of the day, I believe that he can do it."
That quote is deceptively simple but it carries real weight. What Haden is pointing to is something that does not show up on a depth chart or a stat sheet. McCarthy is not walking into a foreign city trying to convince a skeptical locker room to buy into his vision. He grew up in Greenfield, five miles from Acrisure Stadium. He watched the Steelers as a kid. He knows what this city expects and what it means to fall short of those expectations. That is a different kind of motivation than any outside hire could ever bring. And Haden is saying the players feel that.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (x: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Despite spending just five seasons in Pittsburgh, cornerback Joe Haden was a fan favorite for his play.
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The other part of Haden's take that stands out is the mention of the veteran leaders. TJ Watt and Cam Heyward are not just great players. They are franchise cornerstones who have watched this team fail to win a playoff game since the 2016 postseason, and are running out of time to change that. Jalen Ramsey came to Pittsburgh specifically because he believed this roster was capable of competing for a championship. DK Metcalf is in the prime of his career and hungry to prove he can be part of a winning program. Every single one of those players knows what this season means and every single one of them is ready to go to work for a coach who grew up dreaming about doing exactly what they are all trying to do together.
Peter Diana / Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh Steelers captains, defensive tackel Cam Heyward (left) and edge rusher TJ Watt (right) during an away game.
Aaron Rodgers said publicly this is his final NFL season. That means the window is now. Not next year. Not in two years. Now. And what Haden is saying is that McCarthy walking into that building with a hometown connection, a genuine love for this city, and a locker room full of veterans who understand the urgency is as good a combination as you could possibly ask for heading into a season that means everything to everybody involved. Patrick Graham is in place to fix the defense. McCarthy is in place to fix the offense. The players are bought in. The only thing left to do is play the games.
What do you think about Joe Haden's comments on why Pittsburgh is Mike McCarthy's city to win? Let me know on X @hagenbackus94!
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