The Pittsburgh Steelers have made a move that’s turning heads across the NFL landscape - and not necessarily in the way fans were hoping. In a bold and unexpected decision, the franchise has tapped former Packers and Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy to lead the team moving forward.
McCarthy, who took a year off from coaching in 2025 after Dallas chose not to renew his contract, brings a résumé that’s solid on paper. From 2021 to 2023, he coached the Cowboys to three straight 12-win seasons - a level of regular-season consistency that most teams would gladly take. But despite that success, the reaction to his hiring in Pittsburgh has been anything but warm.
Former Steelers star running back Le’Veon Bell didn’t hold back his feelings. Taking to social media, Bell dropped a blunt, sarcastic reaction: “4-13 incoming,” he wrote, before adding, “But hey, at least Mike Tomlin isn’t the coach of the Steelers anymore right?”
That’s a sharp jab - and it’s loaded with context. Bell played under Tomlin from 2013 to 2017, during some of the most productive years of his career. He sat out the 2018 season over a contract dispute and eventually signed with the Jets in 2019, but his time in Pittsburgh left a lasting impression - and clearly, a strong loyalty to Tomlin.
The reaction from Bell isn’t isolated, either. Around the league and among Steelers fans, there’s a growing sense of confusion about the direction Pittsburgh is heading. McCarthy is a proven veteran coach, no doubt, but his style and recent track record haven’t exactly inspired confidence, especially when compared to the stability Tomlin brought to the franchise for nearly two decades.
Tomlin’s departure alone is a seismic shift. He was the embodiment of consistency in Pittsburgh - no losing seasons, a Super Bowl ring, and a locker room culture that players respected. Replacing that with McCarthy, whose postseason results in recent years have been mixed at best, is going to be a tough sell.
Now, to be fair, McCarthy does bring a wealth of experience and a history of working with elite quarterbacks. His time with Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay and Dak Prescott in Dallas showed flashes of offensive innovation, particularly when he had the right pieces in place. But the question in Pittsburgh is whether those pieces are there - and whether McCarthy is the right coach to mold this roster into a contender.
The Steelers are betting that a fresh voice and a different approach can spark something new. But if Bell’s reaction is any indication, a segment of the fanbase - and former players - aren’t convinced this is the right move.
One thing’s for sure: the pressure is already on in Pittsburgh, and McCarthy hasn’t even called his first play.