When Mike McCarthy was officially introduced as the new head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, it wasn’t just a press conference-it was a homecoming. And in the tight-knit neighborhood of Greenfield, where McCarthy grew up, it felt like a city-wide celebration.
For the roughly 7,000 residents of this Pittsburgh enclave, Tuesday turned into something special. The pride was palpable.
“It was like a holiday in Greenfield,” said Jimmy Gregg, a longtime friend and early mentor of McCarthy’s. Gregg isn’t just reminiscing-he’s speaking for an entire community that’s watched one of their own rise through the NFL ranks and now return home to lead the franchise that defines their city.
Gregg coached McCarthy back in the day at the now-closed St. Rosalia Academy, where a young McCarthy was already showing signs of the leadership that would one day take him to the top of the football world.
Holding up a photo of their 1975 basketball team, Gregg grinned. “That’s Mike there and me there.
We were 39-1.”
But for Gregg, what stood out about McCarthy wasn’t just his ability to lead a team. It was his loyalty. “Mike never forgot where he came from,” he said.
That loyalty showed even as McCarthy climbed the NFL ladder-from Green Bay to Dallas. Behind the scenes, he was still giving back to his old neighborhood, helping keep the lights on at St.
Rosalia’s and supporting Greenfield’s youth athletics programs. It wasn’t for attention.
It was just who he was.
“You could see his love for Pittsburgh in the press conference,” Gregg said. “He’s a Pittsburgh guy through and through.”
McCarthy’s emotions came through clearly during his introduction, and he wasn’t the only one getting choked up. Gregg, watching a kid he once coached take the reins of the Steelers, felt it too.
“I got emotional myself,” he admitted. “To see a young kid I had the opportunity to coach come up and be so successful.
What a role model he’s been to all the other kids in the community.”
The bond between McCarthy and Gregg didn’t fade over time. They’ve stayed in touch, even meeting up on the sidelines at Lambeau Field during McCarthy’s tenure with the Packers. Gregg made it to plenty of his games over the years-but now, with McCarthy back in Pittsburgh, he won’t have to travel far to catch the next one.
For Greenfield, this moment is about more than football. It’s about pride, roots, and the rare joy of watching one of your own come full circle. Mike McCarthy is home-and Pittsburgh is ready.