It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time for a weekly Steelers links roundup at BTSC. But first, let’s take a look around the AFC North:
- Ravens request to interview Bears OC Declan Doyle (Baltimore Beatdown)
- Browns head coach search tracker: Down to 4 options, 3 have withdrawn (Dawgs by Nature)
- Why Saints standout Demario Davis is a realistic free agent target for Bengals (Cincy Jungle)
Now, onto some Steelers news and discussion:
Greenfield welcomes Mike McCarthy’s return as Pittsburgh Steelers head coach
(From WTAE’s Marcie Cipriani):
Despite McCarthy’s career taking him to Green Bay and Dallas, Gregg said McCarthy always came home, supporting his former grade school, St. Rosalia, and Greenfield baseball. The community celebrated when they heard he would be the Steelers’ new head coach.
“Oh, it was great. It was like a holiday here in Greenfield Saturday. Everybody was excited,” Gregg said. “I sent him a text actually. I just told him congratulations, and I said ‘Greenfield Pride.'”
While McCarthy’s Pittsburgh background shouldn’t have been a key point in why the Steelers decided to hire him, it does make for a good story. From this article highlighting his Greenfield roots to his emotional press conference, it does seem like the longtime NFL coach finally landed his dream job.
Rams back Chris Shula after ‘bombed’ Steelers interview report
(From Sporting News’ KD Jain): Right after Chris Shula’s second year as the Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator was completed, he became the subject of a controversial report that could put his coaching stock at stake.
Shula’s defense couldn’t trouble Sam Darnold’s Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field as the Rams were defeated 31-27 in the NFC Championship game. Shula hopes to become a head coach of another NFL team and he was reportedly among the list of four names that the Steelers interviewed before they named Mike McCarthy as their head coach.
Rumors have been floating around online that Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula didn’t do well in his interview with the Steelers. However, Rams President of Team and Media Operations Kevin Demoff publicly disagreed with the rumors on social media Wednesday.
Mike McCarthy’s history with non-franchise quarterbacks weighs into Steelers’ future
(From The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Christopher Carter): But in each of his destinations, McCarthy inherited a franchise quarterback — or two. He took over the Packers in 2006 when Brett Favre was in the twilight of his career but still a Pro Bowl quarterback, while Aaron Rodgers was his backup and eventually became the superstar quarterback who’d lead most of McCarthy’s teams.
Even if Rodgers returns to the Steelers for a 22nd season when he’d turn 43 years old, it wouldn’t be the same as having one of the top quarterbacks in his prime the way McCarthy’s had every season he’s been a head coach and 244 of his 288 games as a head coach.
Mike McCarthy has been a controversial hire, to say the least, but his biggest defenders have repeatedly pointed to his success on offense — especially at the quarterback position. Carter does a great job looking at the seasons where McCarthy didn’t have players such as prime Aaron Rodgers or Brett Favre at his disposal, as Pittsburgh’s 2026 quarterback situation doesn’t look all that inspiring at the moment.
Mike McCarthy’s Coaching Tree Has Plenty of Branches for Steelers to Mine for Coordinator Hires
(From Steelers Now’s Alan Saunders): That means that, when it comes to filling out his coaching staff, McCarthy will have an extensive Rolodex of former assistants that he can call up. (As a 62-year-old, McCarthy might have an actual Rolodex).
Just looking at potential offensive and defensive coordinator hires for the moment, here are 10 former McCarthy assistants that appear to be available to the Steelers this offseason:
This is a worthwhile read from Saunders, breaking down a number of names with connections to McCarthy as Pittsburgh prepares to fill its coaching staff for the 2026 season. You can view BTSC’s assistant coaching tracker HERE.
3 winners and 2 losers for Steelers after Mike McCarthy Hire
(From Still Curtain’s Marcus Mosher): Loser: Kaleb Johnson, RB
There are parts of Johnson’s game that do fit Mike McCarthy well, as he likes to run the ball inside, especially near the goal line. Could he be his modern-day Ezekiel Elliott? That is certainly possible, and there is a decent chance that this is just a better scheme fit for Johnson, as McCarthy loves to run inside zone.
But as we mentioned above, McCarthy’s offense usually lives in shotgun, and he wants running backs who thrive as pass blockers. That’s not really Johnson’s strength, and we didn’t see him used as a receiver much at Iowa or with the Steelers.
Mosher is not a favorite writer of many Steelers fans, but he knows the Cowboys and this article is an interesting look into how the Mike McCarthy offense could affect the team’s personnel in 2026.
Will Kaleb Johnson rebound in Year 2?
As Mosher points out, Johnson is a worse fit in McCarthy’s offense than he was in Arthur Smith’s scheme. However, the young running back’s career arc can only improve entering 2026 — the rookie third-rounder finished 2025 as a gameday inactive with just 69 rushing yards and 2.5 yards per carry on the year.
Also, by the start of the new season Johnson will be a year removed from his kickoff return gaffe against the Seahawks and playing for a new coaching staff — there shouldn’t be any concerns about him being in the doghouse.
However, Johnson was drafted for the Arthur Smith offense, and Jaylen Warren put together a strong 2025 that should earn him the RB1 role for yet another season in 2026. And that’s not to mention Kenneth Gainwell, who won team MVP and is one of the Steelers’ top free agents entering the offseason.
If Gainwell returns, it will be tough for Johnson to crack the starting lineup, even with a strong camp. He’ll almost certainly have an improved second season, but I wouldn’t expect a breakout campaign.
What are your thoughts on Kaleb Williams in the Mike McCarthy offense? Join the BTSC community and let us know in the comments!
