Steelers have sometimes employed up-and-coming assistants as HCs
Since 1969, three males have coached the Steelers: Chuck Noll (1969-91), Invoice Cowher (1992-2006) and Tomlin (2007-25), all of whom guided the crew to a Tremendous Bowl. None had head-coaching expertise when employed, however every had qualities profitable coaches want.
Noll served as a defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts (then based mostly in Baltimore) earlier than accepting the Steelers’ job and profitable 4 Tremendous Bowls as HC. His consideration to element impressed his boss, Don Shula, the winningest coach in NFL historical past (328 regular-season video games, 19 playoff video games).
“He was one of many first coaches that I used to be round that wrote up in nice element all the strategies utilized by gamers — for instance, the backpedal and the defensive again’s place on the receiver,” Shula told Cleveland.com in December 2008. “He was like a classroom instructor.”
Cowher, one other Pittsburgh native, changed Noll at 34 after serving as a DC for the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs. His folks expertise helped him go 149-90-1 within the common season and hoist the Lombardi Trophy within the 2005 season.
“In Pittsburgh, I attempted to create a tradition that basically fostered collaboration and innovation and gamers took possession of that,” Cowher informed The Athletic’s Richard Deitsch for a narrative printed in September 2025. “There was collaboration with every part we did, connecting gamers, coaches and the entrance workplace. The whole lot we did in that constructing was collaboration and innovation.”
Like Cowher, Tomlin was 34 when he grew to become Steelers HC. Earlier than that, he was a Minnesota Vikings DC for one season. Regardless of his inexperience, it grew to become obvious that the coach’s confidence would assist him command a room.
“I am nonetheless coming to grips with what this implies,” Tomlin stated in February 2007, via ESPN. “However I’m what I’m as a coach — I do not name myself a 34-year-old coach or an skilled coach, I am a soccer coach.”
After shedding seven straight playoff video games, the Steelers clearly want a fresh start. To efficiently rebuild, they need to stick with the sample that has labored for many years, not hiring a retread in McCarthy.
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