Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy at his introductory press conference on Jan. 27, 2026. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
The Pittsburgh Steelers officially announced Mike McCarthy as their new head coach on Tuesday, and while some criticized the hire, others believe it’s exactly what the organization needs.
Among those is one of the greatest players in NFL history — Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana, who is expecting great things from the Pittsburgh native.
“I think it’s great,” Montana said on The Pat McAfee Show. “What a great fit from a guy that understands what that area is all about and how important football is to Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh area. I think it’s a great fit for him. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do down there because he’s bringing a completely different style of play to that offense.”
Montana may be a bit biased about McCarthy, who served as the Kansas City Chiefs offensive quality control coach from 1993-94 at the end of Montana’s NFL career.
However, McCarthy has a track record of winning with a 174-112-2 career record and .608 winning percentage.
He could also be exactly what the Steelers stagnant offense needs as the team’s first head coach with an offensive background since Bill Austin, who coached from 1966-68, and the first Steelers head coach with previous NFL head coaching experience since Buddy Parker, who coached the Steelers from 1957-64.
Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy looks at his play chart against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Oct 6, 2024. — Charles LeClaire / Imagn ImagesCredit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Only time will tell if it will work out in Pittsburgh, but McCarthy revealed he’s planning to do everything he can to help the team improve on offense, and that includes calling the plays.
“I will call the plays on offense,” McCarthy said. “So obviously will run the offense. (This) coaching staff, it’s a bigger challenge each and every year. I just think there’s more moving parts to it, but it’s been very fluid the last 48 hours.”
During McCarthy’s 18 seasons as a head coach, his offenses have ranked in the top-10 in yards gained 13 times and scoring on 14 occasions. His teams led the league in scoring in 2011, 2014, 2021 and 2023.
Mentioned In This Article: Joe Montana Mike McCarthy Pittsburgh Steelers Steelers