Former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy is joining another historic NFL team.
The Pittsburgh Steelers plan to hire McCarthy as their next head coach, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported on Saturday, per sources. The team later announced they've verbally agreed to terms with McCarthy.
McCarthy, 62, takes over in Pittsburgh after Mike Tomlin stepped down on Jan. 13 following 19 seasons with the organization.
McCarthy, who spent this past season away from the sidelines, becomes the 17th head coach in Steelers history and the fourth since 1969. The Steelers' last three coaches, Chuck Noll (1969-1991), Bill Cowher (1992-2006) and Tomlin (2007-2025), provided the organization with consistency for decades upon decades. The Steelers hope McCarthy, who grew up in Pittsburgh, can deliver similar stability.
The three aforementioned previous leaders in Pittsburgh were known for their defensive mindset, so the Steelers electing to go with McCarthy is a bit of a departure. In this year's coaching cycle, Pittsburgh interviewed six defensive coordinators but found its new head coach in McCarthy, who has plenty of experience in the NFL.
McCarthy began his head coaching career with the Green Bay Packers in 2006. He spent 13 seasons with the Packers and went 125-77-2, leading Green Bay to six NFC North titles and alongside Aaron Rodgers winning Super Bowl XLV, a 31-25 victory over the Steelers. After the Packers fired him in Week 13 of the 2018 season, McCarthy took a year off from the sidelines before his next opportunity.
He eventually got that with the Cowboys. In Dallas, McCarthy's pairing with quarterback Dak Prescott led to success in the NFC East. McCarthy coached Dallas to a 49-35 record, including three 12-win seasons and two NFC East titles. The sides parted ways following a 7-10 2024 campaign after they could not agree to terms on a new deal.
Following another one-year hiatus for McCarthy, the Steelers are hoping he can duplicate his successes in Pittsburgh. The Steelers have not won a playoff game since the 2016 Divisional Round, a streak of seven consecutive postseason losses.
In 2025, the Steelers relied on Rodgers, now 42, to fix their recent struggles in the playoffs. Pittsburgh won the AFC North in the regular-season finale against the Baltimore Ravens, but their postseason woes continued as they fell to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round.
After Tomlin decided to step down, it seemed unlikely that Rodgers would re-sign with Pittsburgh should be keep playing, but could a reunion with McCarthy change his mind? It's certainly a possibility, given their lengthy history together in Green Bay.
It will be a busy offseason for the Steelers, but for now they've found their new leader in McCarthy.
