Mike McCarthy’s new-look Pittsburgh Steelers coaching staff is officially in place. Just two on-field coaches were retained from Mike Tomlin’s staff in the franchise’s biggest single-season turnover since 1992, when Bill Cowher kept just one coach from Chuck Noll’s staff – longtime RBs coach Dick Hoak.

So how does it compare to Tomlin’s? Quality is subjective and to be determined. If Pittsburgh finds success, McCarthy hit home runs. If the Steelers struggle, fire them all. That’s the sentiment.

We can compare them in quantity. Since 2022, we have been examining coaching staff size not just in Pittsburgh but league-wide. Using that previous information, here’s how McCarthy’s 2026 group compares to the 2022-25 staffs under Tomlin.

Keep in mind the “total coaches” column adds in the head coach and is the reason why the Offense/Defense/Special Teams columns are one shy of the total. Also, to stay consistent with our past studies, we’re only counting on-field positional coaches, not the strength & conditioning staff, nor am I counting chief of staff Steve Scarnecchia.

Off. Coaches
Def. Coaches
ST Coaches
Total Coaches

Mike McCarthy (2026)
10
8
2
21

Mike Tomlin (2025)
10
7
1
19

Mike Tomlin (2024)
10
7
1
19

Mike Tomlin (2023)
10
7
1
19

Mike Tomlin (2022)
9
7
1
18

Compared to 2025, McCarthy has increased the staff size by two. Like Tomlin, he has 10 offensive assistants although McCarthy himself is an offensive coach who will call the plays. McCarthy has one more defensive coach than Tomlin. Given that Tomlin himself is a defensive-minded coach, that tracks. And McCarthy has two special teams coaches, something Pittsburgh hasn’t had in official title since the 2011 season.

Overall, a slight increase.

How does that compare to McCarthy’s staffs with the Dallas Cowboys? Let’s check that out.

Off. Coaches
Def. Coaches
ST Coaches
Total Coaches

Mike McCarthy (2026)
10
8
2
21

Mike McCarthy (2024)
11
9
3
24

Mike McCarthy (2023)
11
10
2
24

Mike McCarthy (2022)
9
8
2
21*

*Assistants are one number shy. In my first year of the study, there were some unspecified offense/defensive coaches I did not include in either category, meaning the table didn’t always align.

McCarthy’s staff is smaller than his final two years in Dallas. One fewer offensive, defensive and special teams coach compared to 2024.

We won’t conduct our league-wide comparison until later in the offseason, when all coaching staffs are settled and publicly updated. But based on 2025’s edition, the Steelers are still likely to come in below average. Last year, the average NFL staff had 23.9 total coaches: 11.4 on offense, 9.3 on defense and 2.3 on special teams. Rounding down for all, Pittsburgh has one fewer on offense and defense and the same defensively.

By 2025’s standards, 21 coaches in 2026 would tie for last in the NFL. We’ll see exactly where that number comes in for the new-look group, but it’s almost certain Pittsburgh will rank at or near the bottom. Still, 21 coaches would put them closer in-line with NFL norms and averages than they were during Tomlin’s tenure.