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 the helm in Pittsburgh after Mike Tomlin stepped down after 19 seasons with the organization on Jan. 13.
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 previously had Chuck Noll (1969-1991), Bill Cowher (1992-2006) and Tomlin (2007-2025) coaching consistency that provided the organization with stability for the last couple of decades. The Steelers hope McCarthy, who grew up in Pittsburgh, can do the same.
The previous leaders in Pittsburgh were known for their defensive mindset, so the Steelers electing to go with McCarthy is a bit of a surprise. In this year's coaching cycle, Pittsburgh interviewed six defensive coordinators but found their 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 in the regular season, leading Green Bay to six NFC North titles and won Super Bowl XLV with Aaron Rodgers, a 31-25 win over the Steelers. After the Packers fired him in Week 13 in 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 led Dallas to a 49-35 record with two NFC East titles and three playoff appearances in five seasons.
Now, the Steelers are aiming McCarthy can duplicate his regular season and postseason success 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 a 42-year-old Rodgers to break their recent postseason struggles. Pittsburgh won the AFC North in the regular-season finale against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18 but lost 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, but could a reunion with McCarthy change his mind? It's certainly a possibility with their 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.
