Latest set of head coaching interviews proves the Steelers’ front office might be falling into a trap set by Mike Tomlin
If the Steelers hire either of these two candidates, it could be more of the same in Pittsburgh.
The NFL coaching carousel is in full swing as multiple vacancies have now been filled. John Harbaugh, Jeff Hafley, Robert Saleh, and Kevin Stefanski are all off the board. Luckily for the Steelers, Pittsburgh’s brass didn’t show a ton of intrigue in any of those candidates.
However, the Steelers have now formally scheduled two interviews for their head coaching vacancy this week, which really makes you wonder what they’re thinking when analyzing their similarities to Mike Tomlin.
Steelers interviewing Brian Flores and Mike McCarthy for head coaching job
“Steelers are interviewing Vikings DC Brian Flores today for their HC job, and former Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy on Wednesday,” wrote Adam Schefter of ESPN via Instagram on Tuesday. “Minnesota has been pushing to bring back Flores, and if he doesn’t land a head coaching job, would have a good chance at retaining him.”
Here’s the problem. For the first time in two decades, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a chance to hit the reset button. They can clean house, hire a whole new staff and start fresh at the quarterback position. If they select Brian Flores to be their next head coach, they are essentially hiring a younger Mike Tomlin.
Not only because Flores was once on Tomlin’s staff, but because they present identical philosophies as defensive-minded, culture-setting, head coaches. We saw how that worked out with the Miami Dolphins, where by the end of things, there was a total disconnect between Flores and the organization.
Mike McCarthy presents a very similar profile, only he comes from the offensive side of the ball. I understand that he is from Pittsburgh, he has a relationship with Steelers GM Omar Khan, and he could be the missing piece to bringing Aaron Rodgers back to Pittsburgh.
Why should the Steelers want that, though? Why hire a 62-year-old head coach whose best sell is that he can bring back Aaron Rodgers at 42-years-old? Why hire a defensive re-tread?
Mike Tomlin is why.
Mike Tomlin’s tenure has Pittsburgh scared of starting over
Most people don’t like change. As Art Rooney said in his presser after Tomlin resigned, he was fully prepared to run it back with Tomlin in 2026. However, the Steelers owner made it abundantly clear that he doesn’t want to waste a year and that he has no interest in rebuilding.
When, in Rooney’s words, you have been “in contention” for 20 years you don’t want to start new. The continuity that Mike Tomlin brought to the Steelers has Art Rooney and the rest of the Steelers brass more worried about having a losing season than finding the next head coach to win the franchise’s 7th Lombardi.
Or at least that will be the case if the Steelers hire Brian Flores or Mike McCarthy.
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