Steelers inch one step closer to making an offensive coordinator hire that could set them up well beyond the Aaron Rodgers era
The Steelers and Mike McCarthy are closing in on a big-time hire that could set them up for years to come.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are having a busy Monday during Super Bowl week. After hiring their special teams coordinator, the Steelers are in a full-court press to fill out their staff and name an offensive coordinator.
While that may seem like a moot hiring given the fact that Mike McCarthy is a offenisve minded coach who will call plays and install his offense, the offensive coordinator has a chance to groom the quarterback of the future for Pittsburgh, and the favorite for the job has a history of doing just that.
Steelers interviewing Scott Tolzien for the offensive coordinator position
Is this another network hire, given that Tolzien backed up Aaron Rodgers and obviously played under Mike McCarthy? No doubt. However, there is certainly something to be said for what Tolzien did in his most recent stop with the New Orleans Saints.
Tolzien took second-round pick Tyler Shough and turned him into a Rookie of the Year candidate following his 2025 season, where Tolzien was his quarterback coach. That tells me, that, well, after Aaron Rodgers is gone and potentially even Mike McCarthy, the Steelers may have found the man to develop the quarterback position for them.
I asked Adam Holt of A to Z Sports New Orleans about that.
“This would be a tough blow for New Orleans, when you consider how they’re attacking Tyler Shough’s development as a young quarterback. They don’t want to see Tolzien exit, but the Saints also understand that’s a positive for a Kellen Moore assistant in another way. Another team, especially one with a veteran, proven offensive mind like Mike McCarthy, having an eye on your young assistant coach means you’re doing something right. The Steelers, along with other teams around the NFL, saw what Tolzien helped produce with a rookie QB. That’s clear value.”
“For the Steelers, I think this sort of move makes sense on more than one level. Tolzien won’t be thrust into offensive play calling since McCarthy is the head coach. He can “marinate” a bit in the new system and focus the most on finding strengths and weaknesses of players along the depth chart. Then, in time, we could see Tolzien step into a play-calling role down the road if it is clear that he should be the next in line for Pittsburgh.” – Holt
To me, this will be the best hire of the cycle for the Steelers if they get the job done. What Pittsburgh needs is to find the next upcoming quarterback guru and keep him around. Time will tell if that’s Tolzien, but the early returns are promising.
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