The Pittsburgh Steelers managed to escape with an overtime victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but Head Coach Mike McCarthy is facing criticism for a decision that nearly cost his team the game. Pittsburgh appeared to be in position to close things out in regulation after getting the football deep in Tampa Bay territory. Instead, the Steelers left enough time on the clock for the Buccaneers to put together a game-tying drive. Former NFL star Chris Long believes McCarthy made an inexcusable mistake.
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Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike McCarthy (left) and quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) during 2026 training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
The Steelers had an opportunity to control the final moments of regulation after a late return gave their offense excellent field position. With Tampa Bay trailing 16-13, Pittsburgh eventually settled for a short Chris Boswell field goal to extend its lead to 19-16. However, the Steelers kicked with 1:21 remaining, leaving the Buccaneers enough time to move into field goal range. Tampa Bay took advantage, tied the game, and forced overtime before Pittsburgh ultimately secured the victory.
Long discussed the situation during an episode of his Green Light with Chris Long podcast, expressing frustration with how McCarthy managed the final possession. The former defensive lineman explained that his show's statistician calculated how much time Pittsburgh potentially could have removed from the clock. According to Long, the Steelers could have left Tampa Bay with approximately 40 seconds and no timeouts instead of giving the Buccaneers more than a minute to respond.
"Dude, you want to talk about what I am mad about? I am so mad at Mike McCarthy," Long said.
Long's frustration centered on Pittsburgh's decision to throw the football twice while already positioned near the goal line. With the Steelers holding the lead and Tampa Bay needing a field goal to force overtime, running the football could have forced the Buccaneers to use their remaining timeouts or allowed additional seconds to disappear. Instead, the passing plays helped preserve valuable time for the opposing offense.
That distinction matters because Pittsburgh did not necessarily need another touchdown to put itself in a favorable position. The Steelers already had the opportunity to kick a short field goal and force Tampa Bay to respond without much time remaining. Managing the clock was arguably just as important as gaining additional yardage. Long believes McCarthy failed to recognize how much control Pittsburgh had over the situation.
"Again, it doesn't matter who the offense is," Long said. "If you give them the ball at the end of the game, and Jalon Daniels gave Pittsburgh the ball at the end of the game, you get a run back inside the five-yard line. These coaches find ways to f*** games up."
The criticism is particularly interesting because Pittsburgh ultimately won the game. McCarthy avoided the worst possible outcome, but the victory does not automatically erase questions about his late-game management.
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New Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy looks on during the third quarter of a Week 6 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium.
Tampa Bay still received an opportunity to extend the contest, and the Buccaneers successfully took advantage of it. Had Pittsburgh lost in overtime, the decision likely would have received considerably more attention.
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Long continued his criticism by explaining why he considers passing in that situation such a significant mistake. His argument was not simply that Pittsburgh should have run the football more frequently throughout the game. Instead, he believed the circumstances demanded a specific approach designed to minimize Tampa Bay's remaining opportunities.
"I'm just like, it's a cardinal sin to me," Long said. "I don't know if it's coming from Aaron Rodgers, but throwing the ball twice down there is a cardinal sin. You run that thing down to nothing and you kick the field goal."
That is an important distinction when evaluating the decision. Rodgers may have had input into the offensive approach, but Long acknowledged that he did not know where the decision originated. McCarthy remains responsible for overseeing the team's game management, making him a natural target for criticism. The head coach must balance the desire to score with the importance of protecting a late lead.
Do you agree with Chris Long that Mike McCarthy badly mishandled the clock against Tampa Bay, or was Pittsburgh right to remain aggressive near the goal line? Follow me on X @anthonyghalkias and share your thoughts with Steeler Nation.
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