The Pittsburgh Steelers still have a lot of work to do this offseason, particularly when it comes to their quarterback position, where Aaron Rodgers’ future continues to hang in the balance. However, the Steelers have already managed to find a new head coach this offseason, Mike McCarthy, and it sounds like Alex Highsmith is looking forward to getting to work with him.

After Mike Tomlin abruptly resigned from his post with Pittsburgh at the conclusion of the 2025 season, McCarthy was hired to replace him. A Pittsburgh native, McCarthy has quickly embraced his new team, and he’s already managed to make quite an impact on Highsmith.

“I’m excited for it,” Highsmith said on “The Ross Tucker Podcast.” “It was great to meet him, got to chat with him already, so I’m just really excited for what he’s bringing to Pittsburgh. He’s obviously a Pittsburgh guy, so he has a lot of passion for the city of Pittsburgh. I think a lot of fans are going to love that.”

Highsmith is one of the most important pieces of Pittsburgh’s defense, as he’s a top sack artist when he’s healthy and playing up to his full potential. Despite missing four games in 2025, Highsmith still finished the year with 50 tackles, 9.5 sacks, three pass breakups and one forced fumble.

The Steelers need to figure out what is going on with Rodgers, but regardless of who lines up under center in 2026, the rest of the roster will be able to support the team’s quarterback. McCarthy’s presence could play a role in Rodgers’ decision to return, but with the 2026 NFL Draft drawing near, Pittsburgh still has no idea what its quarterback position will look like next season.

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