When the Pittsburgh Steelers hired 62-year-old Mike McCarthy as the 17th head coach in franchise history, replacing Mike Tomlin, the move was largely questioned as they broke from tradition and went experience over youth, not to mention offensive mind over defensive background.

McCarthy had been out of coaching since the end of the 2024 season after being unable to convert regular-season success into playoff success in Dallas.

While he has one Super Bowl title on his resume and is widely regarded as a great offensive mind, his teams have largely underachieved with the talent he’s had.

The Steelers have underachieved in the last decade, too, so many see the McCarthy move as more of the same after Tomlin. But NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks believes the Steelers can win a lot of games under McCarthy.

In a piece ranking the 10 new head coaching hires in the NFL from best to worst as far as who can win the most in 2026 and beyond, Brooks placed McCarthy fourth behind only Baltimore’s Jesse Minter, Buffalo’s Joe Brady and the New York Giants’ John Harbaugh.

“The grizzled coaching veteran’s reunion with his former quarterback gives Pittsburgh a chance to defy the odds as an old-school squad with aging superstars in marquee spots (QB Aaron Rodgers, OLB T.J. Watt, DT Cam Heyward and DB Jalen Ramsey),” Brooks writes. “While McCarthy will attempt to turn back the clock by modifying the team’s practice approach and game philosophies, the Steelers will only go as far as the graybeards guide them in 2026. Luckily, Pittsburgh’s star power and updated schemes are still enough to carry this proud franchise to wins in a competitive division, but the rookies and designated role players will need to make their mark as key contributors in order to spark a playoff run.

“McCarthy is a proven winner with a résumé he will continue to build as he takes over his hometown team.”

McCarthy is presiding over an aging team, one that is counting on a 42-year-old quarterback in Aaron Rodgers to play efficiently in McCarthy’s West Coast-style offense. The defense is on the older side, too, led by Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt, but with a new defensive coordinator in Patrick Graham the belief is the defense will be more innovative and way better than it was a season ago.

The Steelers underwent significant changes this offseason, from the coaching staff to the roster. While some of the big names are still around, Pittsburgh has a different feel entering 2026. Will that feel be enough to make the playoffs and get over the hump in the postseason?

That remains to be seen. But the roster McCarthy has at his disposal is rather strong. There are no holes on it, depth looks very good, and the play in the trenches appears to be on a significant rise. After all, games are won and lost in the trenches, and if the Steelers are better there they could be a real problem this season — and beyond.

It’s a nice feel-good story having McCarthy running his hometown Steelers, but success on the field matters most. He has a chance for that right away.