Chris Simms isn’t convinced Mike McCarthy got it right by hiring Brian Angelichio to be his right-hand man and offensive coordinator. Though McCarthy will serve as the gameday play caller, Angelichio has a key role in game planning and preparation to put McCarthy in the best position once the ball is kicked off. Simms doesn’t know if it’ll work.

“I’m not sure about Brian Angelichio,” Simms told co-host Connor Rogers on his Unbuttoned podcast. “I hope I said that right. That’s one I’m just not sure about.”

Simms, by the way, did not pronounce it correctly. It’s an-juh-LEEK-o, though most players just call him “Coach Ang.”

Unfortunately, Simms didn’t detail why he’s skeptical of Angelichio. There’s a couple of potential reasons. Pittsburgh is the first time he’s worn an offensive coordinator title since his days at D-III Ithaca in early-to-mid 2000s. He served as an interim OC for one game while at the University of Pittsburgh and, most recently, held the passing game coordinator title the last four years with the Minnesota Vikings, but it’s his first OC job at the NFL level.

Based on pure results, the Vikings passing game had its peaks and valleys. In 2024, the group shined under Sam Darnold. Last year, it cratered under J.J. McCarthy. Even during Minnesota’s best years, aspects of situational football underwhelmed. Only once in Angelichio’s four seasons did the Vikings finish top half in red-zone offense, a crucial indictor of offensive success. Even in the Vikings’ 2024 14-3 season, the unit finished only 19th.

Angelichio simply doesn’t have the “name” reputation of other offensive coordinators. He’s not a tried-and-true OC with plenty of NFL experience. At 53, he’s not a “whiz kid” up-and-comer like Scott Tolzien would’ve been viewed. Angelichio falls somewhere in between.

While Simms raised questions about Angelichio, he liked McCarthy’s hire on the other side of the ball.

“I love Patrick Graham of the Pittsburgh Steelers,” he said.

Judging coordinators is difficult. Separating the players on the field versus the play calling and behind-the-scenes coaching. For Angelichio, who won’t even be calling the plays, evaluating him will be even harder. Still, if the offense shines overall, the hire will be viewed favorably, and Simms will offer praise come 2027.