For the first time since 2007, the Pittsburgh Steelers are entering a season without Mike Tomlin at the helm. That’s a seismic shift for a franchise that’s only had three head coaches since 1969. In steps Mike McCarthy, a Super Bowl-winning coach with a long NFL résumé and a new challenge: snapping a seven-game postseason losing streak that’s hung over Pittsburgh since January 2017.
And while change at the top always brings questions, one of the franchise's most iconic voices - Ben Roethlisberger - has already weighed in on what McCarthy needs to address as he takes the reins.
Speaking on his podcast, Roethlisberger pointed to a cultural shift that crept into the locker room during the latter part of Tomlin’s tenure. His take? The accountability that once defined the Steelers started to slip.
“I think sometimes Tomlin got a little too lenient with young guys,” Roethlisberger said. “Early on, he cracked the whip on everybody - veterans, young guys.
Then it kind of shifted. Veterans got away with some stuff, which is probably okay.
Then it got to the point where even young guys could get away with some stuff.”
That’s a notable observation from a player who spent his entire career under Tomlin and saw the evolution of the team culture firsthand. Roethlisberger emphasized that he’s hoping McCarthy brings a more structured approach, one where fairness is key - but not necessarily equality across the board.
“I'm hoping that McCarthy’s the type that’s like, ‘Okay, if you earned it, I’m gonna treat you all fair, but not equal,’” Roethlisberger continued. “I’m hoping he comes in and is like, ‘No, listen, we’re gonna make a change.’”
One of the more visible examples of that cultural leniency came in the form of wide receiver George Pickens. The 2022 second-round pick flashed star potential on the field, but off it, he reportedly racked up a “litany of violations,” including showing up late to meetings - and even to the team’s Christmas Day game in 2024. Pickens, who was eventually traded to the Dallas Cowboys last spring, later admitted he “made some mistakes” during his time in Pittsburgh.
That kind of behavior would’ve been hard to imagine under the early Tomlin regime, which was known for its discipline and veteran leadership. But as Roethlisberger alluded to, the standards seemed to shift over time - and not always in a good way.
Now, with McCarthy stepping in, there’s a new tone being set. And while some have questioned how the locker room - especially players who’ve only known Tomlin - will respond to the change, Roethlisberger doesn’t see that as a major concern.
“McCarthy has been around for a long time,” he said. “He’s coached veterans.
He knows what it’s like to be a veteran in this league. He’s going to have an understanding, a soft spot if you will, for [veteran leaders on the roster].”
That kind of experience could be critical in navigating the transition. McCarthy isn’t walking into a rebuild - he’s walking into a team that still expects to compete.
But to do that, the Steelers need more than just a new voice in the locker room. They need a reset in identity - one that balances the hard-nosed tradition of Pittsburgh football with the modern realities of managing an NFL roster.
For years, critics wondered if Tomlin’s message had grown stale. Now, with McCarthy in charge, that question becomes irrelevant.
The message is changing. The culture is shifting.
And the Steelers, for the first time in nearly two decades, are turning the page.