It’s only been four training camp practices but the early returns are promising for Mike McCarthy as begins his tenure with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Reactions upon’s McCarthy hire were mixed at best. In many ways, it felt like an uninspired but “safe” choice, but those opinions were formed before McCarthy had a chance to establish himself with the Steelers. With training camp now in full swing, beat reporter Mark Kaboly thinks that the conversation surrounding McCarthy and the Steelers has shifted.
“He’s won people over. People are excited,” Kaboly said on the Kaboly+Mack podcast. “I think for the majority, only the curmudgeons are skeptical. I think for the most part, they’re really anticipating something different here and new here. I think they’ll be let down if the team struggles and it’s a 6-11 team. I think it’s gonna really hit him hard because I think they’re thinking something new and different here with him compared to Tomlin.”
Much of the change in attitude has come from the ways that McCarthy has run practices and his attention to detail. Even some players have noted the difference and how things have changed under McCarthy compared to Tomlin.
Tomlin faced plenty of criticism for his game management so McCarthy’s contrasting approach has added to the buzz of change. Focusing on installing the playbook and practicing in-game scenarios has led to the impression that McCarthy’s number one focus is on being prepared.
The million dollar question is whether that preparation leads to more on-field success. McCarthy is taking over a team with plenty of talent but hasn’t been able to reach it’s ceiling. Cleaning up basics like clock management and defensive communication will be a great starting point, but becoming a contender will require more.
The biggest challenge for McCarthy is looking to the future while still staying competitive this season. Aaron Rodgers has made it clear that this will be his final NFL season, and with two young quarterbacks on the roster, McCarthy must find the balance of preparing his team for success this season while still evaluating whether they have the future answer at quarterback already on the roster.
Hiring of McCarthy continues to make more sense if the intention was to clean up some of the details that were lacking under Tomlin. His reputation for developing quarterbacks doesn’t hurt either, but McCarthy’s biggest strength appears to be his meticulous approach.
Training camp is a time where the hype sometimes gets out of hand for certain players or in this case, possibly a coach. There’s a long road ahead for McCarthy if this season is going to be considered a success. So far, he’s made the right impression.