Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy looks on during an OTA practice at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on May 20, 2026. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Seven Shots and Backs on Backers were two training camp staples under Mike Tomlin. Both drills are not expected to continue with Mike McCarthy, however, according to Christopher Carter of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Locked On Steelers.
“OTAs and minicamp, I didn’t see Seven Shots once, so that’s a sign that that’s pretty much gone,” Carter said on 93.7 The Fan.
Carter added: “If we don’t get Backs on Backers, it will be missed, and a lot of people are going to be looking for something.”
Tomlin was known for having arguably the most physical and grueling training camps in the league. McCarthy’s training camps are high-intensity and detailed, but there’s not much live-contact physicality.
McCarthy has brought several new methods and philosophies to the organization. It appears training camp will look a lot different.
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy at OTAs on May, 18, 2026 — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
The tempo at spring practices were intense under McCarthy, according to former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
“Well, I think from what I heard also is that this new coaching regime has these guys moving, grooving and running,” Roethlisberger said on his Footbahlin podcast. “There is no slowing down, there’s no sitting down. From what I have heard, it’s eye-opening and a big change. Change isn’t always bad by any means.”
Roethlisberger has one concern with the new practice method, however. He doesn’t want to see the Steelers get burned out late in the season. That famously happened with the Steelers in Tomlin‘s first year as the team’s head coach in 2007.
“I know Tomlin, one of his big things was he didn’t have any issues with guys being in pads. We would be in pads, guys would be hitting, it’s like we are in Week 12 and we are hitting still, like our bodies were beaten up… He gave guys breaks early so Tomlin felt like he could get away with that,” Roethlisberger said. “From what I hear with this staff is it’s go go go, and OK, so what’s going to happen on the backend of this, because guys are going so much in camp. It’ll be interesting to see. Obviously McCarthy is not a newbie … He knows what he’s doing.”
Mentioned In This Article: Mike McCarthy Mike Tomlin Pittsburgh Steelers Steelers Steelers News Steelers Training Camp