Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy during his introductory press conference on Jan. 27, 2026. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
During a one-on-one interview with former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Max Starks at the NFL Owners Meetings, Mike McCarthy explained the process behind how he built his staff for his first year in Pittsburgh.
“Diversity is something I’ve always had in the forefront of my mind,” McCarthy told Starks, who now works for the team as a color commentator. “Whether it’s player, former player, non-former player, small college guy. I always wanted my staff to have a level of experience that I wanted, like a middle class that can grow to that position. And I always wanted to develop young guys.
“I’ve always viewed the coaching staff very similar to the locker room. I’ve always looked at that. If you look at the three staffs that I’ve hired in Green Bay, Dallas, and now Pittsburgh, you’ll see the diversity in those staffs.”
McCarthy has assembled a ton of past connections on his staff. There’s a slew of Pittsburgh ties and former members of the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys.
Some view this as a negative, suggesting that there’s too much nepotism and lack of innovation. McCarthy rejects that notion, however.
“Oh, definitely, we are all loving it,” McCarthy said in an interview with ESPN Wisconsin in February. “It’s just like anything. These are friends for life that I was able to bring aboard, and it means the world to me. Just for them to hear all the old stories, and now to actually see where it happened, has been funny. But no, they are not just great people, they are also great coaches.”
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy during his introductory press conference on Jan. 27, 2026. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Like most of the coaches hired by the Steelers this offseason, Brian Angelichio has a previous tie to both McCarthy and Pittsburgh. He coached for the Green Bay Packers with McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers from 2016-18. He also coached at Pitt from 2006-10.
Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham also worked with McCarthy for one season in Green Bay in 2018, serving as the linebackers coach and run game coordinator.
James Campen, 61, will be the veteran on the offensive coaching staff. He was already on the coaching staff in Green Bay when McCarthy arrived in 2006, and the two stayed together all the way until McCarthy’s depart in 2018.
Assistant offensive line coach Jahri Evans played for McCarthy in his final NFL season in 2017 with the Packers.
Assistant head coach/secondary coach Joe Whitt Jr. was on McCarthy‘s staff for 11 years in Green Bay (2008-18). Defensive pass game coordinator/defensive backs coach Jason Simmons got his coaching start for McCarthy’s Packers from 2011-19.
A New Castle, Pa., native, inside linebackers coach Scott McCurley has been coaching in the NFL since 2006. All but one of those seasons were under McCarthy. He stayed with him in Green Bay for 13 years and then moved to Dallas for four more.
McCurley and quarterbacks coach Tom Arth are the two holdovers from Mike Tomlin’s staff. Arth played under McCarthy in Green Bay briefly in 2006.
Former Pitt and IUP coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. was McCarthy’s quarterbacks coach in Green Bay in 2018.
“It’s exciting to build something new but still have the lessons that we learned, particularly with our team in Green Bay,” McCarthy said.
Running backs coach Ramon Chinyoung, wide receiver coach Adam Henry and defensive line coach Domata Peko worked with McCarthy in Dallas.
When it comes to position coaches, only tight ends coach Robert Kugler and outside linebackers coach C.J. Ah You don’t have a past history with McCarthy.
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