The Pittsburgh Steelers are making moves to reshape their offense under new head coach Mike McCarthy, and one of the first steps is bringing in a familiar face with deep NFL and college experience: Frank Cignetti Jr.
Cignetti’s exact role hasn’t been officially announced, but what’s clear is that McCarthy is leaning on someone he knows and trusts. The two go back to their Green Bay days, where Cignetti served as quarterbacks coach in 2018.
That season, Aaron Rodgers put together a Pro Bowl campaign-throwing for over 4,400 yards with 25 touchdowns against just two interceptions. It wasn’t just clean quarterback play-it was disciplined, efficient, and reflective of a coach who knows how to maximize talent under center.
That’s exactly what the Steelers need right now.
Let’s face it: Pittsburgh’s offense has been stuck in neutral for a while. The line has been inconsistent, the quarterback situation murky, and the play-calling predictable.
Enter Cignetti, a coach who’s been around the block-starting his career back in 1989 as a graduate assistant at Pitt and going on to coach at nearly every level of football. He’s had stops at Rutgers, the Giants, and most recently served as offensive coordinator at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
He’s also the brother of Curt Cignetti, who just led the Indiana Hoosiers to a national title.
But this isn’t just about resumes or connections. It’s about building an offensive identity that can compete in today’s NFL-something McCarthy and Cignetti have experience doing together.
Their prior collaboration in Green Bay means there’s already a shared language, a shared philosophy. That kind of continuity matters when you’re trying to implement a new system quickly and effectively.
And yes, there’s another layer to this: Aaron Rodgers.
McCarthy made it clear in his introductory press conference that he’d love to see Rodgers return for another season in Pittsburgh. Rodgers, of course, is taking his time deciding whether to retire. But adding Cignetti-someone Rodgers worked closely with during a productive season-could be a strategic move to make the decision a little easier.
If Rodgers does come back, he’ll be walking into a room with two coaches he knows and trusts. If he doesn’t, Cignetti still brings a wealth of quarterback development experience that could be crucial if the Steelers go young at the position or look to reshape their passing game altogether.
Either way, this hire signals that McCarthy isn’t wasting time. He’s assembling a staff with NFL chops and personal chemistry-guys who know how to teach, scheme, and adapt. The Steelers have long been known for their defensive identity, but if McCarthy and Cignetti can get the offense humming, Pittsburgh could be looking at a much more balanced-and dangerous-team in 2026.
This isn’t just a reunion. It’s a calculated step toward building something new in Pittsburgh.