Add Mike McCarthy to the list of coaches the New Orleans Saints passed over who have gone on to beat them this year. First it was Klint Kubiak. Then it was Brian Flores. Now it's McCarthy and the Pittsburgh Steelers getting a win at the Saints' expense.
Back in 2024, McCarthy let it be known that he expected to be the top choice for the Saints' head coach opening. New Orleans had an opening after parting ways with Dennis Allen, and McCarthy's contract with the Dallas Cowboys had run its course. He was a free agent and could sign with the Saints without requiring any draft pick trading, as had been the case when Sean Payton wanted to coach the Denver Broncos. On top of that, McCarthy had deep roots with New Orleans. He came up as an offensive
coordinator for the Saints at the same time Mickey Loomis rose to prominence and was promoted to general manager. And Loomis brought his predecessor back to the team as an advisor in the front office. McCarthy looked like a shoo-in, at least from his perspective.
Right or wrong, the Saints were determined to hire a younger coach -- their finalists were Joe Brady and Kellen Moore, with Brady respectfully bowing out once he sensed Moore was the favorite. McCarthy never interviewed. Instead, he sat out the 2025 season and landed the Steelers gig. Now he's led his hometown team to a 5-2 start and handed the Saints an embarrassing loss on an international stage. That Moore developed as a play caller under McCarthy in Dallas just adds another layer to things.
If he's enjoying a win over a team that thought they were too good for him, McCarthy has kept it to himself. But he wouldn't be wrong to take some satisfaction in it. As for the Saints? They're left picking up the pieces.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Steelers HC Mike McCarthy got one over on Saints team that spurned him
