Not everyone is buying into the Steelers’ outlook entering the 2026 season.
In his latest NFL power rankings, Yahoo Sports senior writer Frank Schwab slotted Pittsburgh at No. 20 in the league, making it clear he has significant doubts about the direction of the franchise under first-year head coach Mike McCarthy.
Schwab was particularly critical of the Steelers’ coaching hire, suggesting the organization opted for familiarity over a bold change after moving on from longtime head coach Mike Tomlin.
“The Steelers could have swung big on a young coach rising through the ranks,” Schwab wrote.
He continued by questioning whether McCarthy will be able to elevate Pittsburgh beyond the level it reached under Tomlin.
“Instead, they settled for Mike McCarthy, who at 62 years old seems like a knockoff version of Tomlin with all the same criticisms of not being able to raise a team’s ceiling to an elite level.”
Schwab also suggested the Steelers may have been influenced by McCarthy’s Western Pennsylvania roots.
“McCarthy is from Western Pennsylvania and it seemed like the Steelers got caught up with a fun homecoming story rather than trying to change the course of the team.”
Those are strong words for a coach who enters Pittsburgh with a Super Bowl championship and nearly two decades of head coaching experience.
Schwab’s evaluation wasn’t entirely negative, however. He handed the Steelers a B grade for their offseason additions, praising the team’s work in free agency. He specifically highlighted the signings of cornerback Jamel Dean, safety Jaquan Brisker and running back Rico Dowdle as moves that should improve the roster.
Where Schwab remains skeptical is at quarterback.
The Steelers are once again betting on Aaron Rodgers, who reunites with McCarthy after the pair won Super Bowl XLV together in Green Bay. While that history is undeniable, Schwab believes Rodgers’ age makes expecting a bounce-back season a risky proposition.
“Rodgers had some of the NFL’s greatest single seasons with Mike McCarthy coaching him, but their last season together was eight years ago.”
He added that history isn’t on Rodgers’ side.
“If Rodgers improves upon last season, at an age in which only one quarterback has had any success, it would be a surprise. But the Steelers happily signed up for this plan.”
Schwab concluded with a pessimistic outlook for Pittsburgh’s season, acknowledging the defense has the potential to rebound but questioning whether that improvement is guaranteed after its regression a year ago.
“The defense could be better, but that’s far from a guarantee after a big step back.”
His prediction for the AFC North was equally blunt.
“The Steelers will be better than the Browns, that seems safe. But a third-place finish in the AFC North, and their first losing season in a while, seems to be firmly on the table.”
Whether Schwab’s projection proves accurate remains to be seen, but it’s clear he views the Steelers as a team with far more questions than answers entering the 2026 campaign.
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