Jan. 24, 2026, 2:28 p.m. CT
The Pittsburgh Steelers and former Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy have agreed on terms that will make McCarthy — a Pittsburgh native — the franchise’s next coach, replacing Mike Tomlin, who stepped down following the 2025 season.
McCarthy, 62, was born in Pittsburgh, grew up in the city and later returned as a collegiate coach at Pitt. He has now come full circle as a professional, agreeing to become only the fifth Steelers coach of the Super Bowl era.
McCarthy will be the only coach in NFL history to have been the head coach of the Packers, Cowboys and Steelers, three decorated and legendary NFL franchises.
McCarthy coached for the Packers for 13 seasons between 2006 and 2018, leading Green Bay to nine postseason appearances and a win over the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV. Despite two more trips to the NFC Championship Game (2014, 2016), the Packers did not return to the Super Bowl under McCarthy.
The Packers missed the playoffs in 2017 and then fired McCarthy after a loss in December of 2018. He took a year off in 2019 but then returned to the sidelines in 2020 as the coach of the Dallas Cowboys, a job he held for five seasons. McCarthy, who now lives in Green Bay, took another year off coaching in 2025.
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McCarthy’s overall record as a coach is 185-123-2, including an 11-11 mark in the postseason. He has coached teams to 10 or more wins 11 times and has won at least one playoff game in seven different seasons.
The Steelers have not won a playoff game since 2016.
The next big question surrounds Aaron Rodgers, the quarterback McCarthy helped develop into a Super Bowl winner and MVP in Green Bay. Will the two reunite in 2026? Rodgers led the Steelers to the postseason in 2025, but he will turn 43 years old during the 2026 season. McCarthy landing the Steelers job could be what brings Rodgers back for one more season.