Steelers' Mike McCarthy Gets Extremely Personal About AFC North Division Ahead Of Bengals Clash

Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike McCarthy has coached in some of the NFL's best rivalries. He spent 13 seasons leading the Green Bay Packers in the NFC North and five more with the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East. However, the new Steel City lead man made it clear on Thursday that the AFC North means something different to him, and the reason goes back to his childhood in Pittsburgh. With a first-place showdown against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday night, McCarthy is embracing every bit of it.

McCarthy spoke before Thursday's practice and was asked about the atmosphere surrounding a primetime division game in Cincinnati. He grinned before giving his answer, according to Steelers.com's Brian Batko.

"There's nothing like this division. I probably said the same thing when I was in the other divisions. But divisional football is the best. I love it," McCarthy said.

McCarthy admitted he may have felt the same way about his old divisions. The difference is that he grew up in Pittsburgh. He was not raised on the Packers or the Cowboys. He was raised on the Steelers, back when the team's biggest rivals all played in the AFC Central.

"Growing up as a kid here, when it was the AFC Central, I can definitely relate to the history of all these franchises. You know, Baltimore's replaced 'Luv Ya Blue' down there in Houston, but these are great games. I've competed in Cincinnati before, but to go in there in a prime-time game, huge division game, these are the games you look forward to. These are games you talk about. Hopefully, this will be a game we're talking about for some time," McCarthy said.

The "Luv Ya Blue" line is a nod to the late-1970s Houston Oilers, who were the Steelers' fiercest rival during the dynasty years. The Ravens have since taken over that role, but the Bengals have been a division rival for more than five decades.

Steelers Bring New Confidence Into Bengals Rematch

The Steelers beat the Bengals 30-27 in Week 3 at Acrisure Stadium, handing Cincinnati its first loss of the season. Pittsburgh lost the following week to fall to 2-2, but it has won four straight games since then. McCarthy said the biggest difference between that team and this one comes down to one word.

"Confidence, you know, that comes with winning. Every time you win, a chunk of confidence goes with it," McCarthy said.

McCarthy also knows his job is to keep that confidence from turning into overconfidence. He described this game as an opportunity his players need to be fully ready for, with a hostile crowd and a national audience watching.

"It's part of your job, frankly, as a head coach, to make sure your guys are ready to go. Because at the end of the day, this is all about making sure the players are ready for this opportunity and that the confidence is as high as it can possibly be," McCarthy said.

McCarthy said he wants the Steelers to dictate how the game is played, knowing the Bengals will try to do the same. It is a fair concern. 

Cincinnati has also won four in a row, and Joe Burrow has the offense rolling. McCarthy did not downplay what his team is walking into.

"Cincinnati's in an incredible rhythm right now. Obviously, the individuals speak for themselves. The talent, the production, their experience, I think you can see how the whole operation is going, so they're playing at a very high level. ... This is a challenge for us, but it's a challenge we're looking forward to," McCarthy said.

McCarthy also said he remembers watching last year's Steelers-Bengals game in Cincinnati, a Thursday night loss in a white-out at Paycor Stadium. The Bengals will hold another white-out on Sunday, and the Steelers will be trying to spoil it.

McCarthy has also been careful not to get ahead of himself. In another session this week, shared by Steelers.com, he said a 6-2 record means nothing yet.

"I'm practical and realistic. I just think you don't win anything after eight games. That's why I think it's so important just to stay in tune with who you are and where we are," McCarthy said.

The stakes are clear. A win would give the Steelers a season sweep, sole possession of first place and the head-to-head tiebreaker. A loss would hand the lead to a Bengals team that SteelerNation noted has the NFL's easiest remaining schedule. For a coach who grew up with these rivalries, it is exactly the kind of game he wanted.

This story was produced with the help of AI and reviewed by SteelerNation editors.

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