Mike McCarthy Takes the Reins in Pittsburgh - and the Playbook
The Pittsburgh Steelers are finally turning the page on a frustrating era of offensive mediocrity. With Arthur Smith officially out and Mike McCarthy stepping in as head coach, the franchise is hoping 2026 marks the end of what’s become known around the Steel City as the “OC curse.”
Let’s be honest: the Steelers’ offense hasn’t exactly been lighting up the scoreboard in recent years. Smith, hired in 2024 with hopes of reviving a sputtering unit, never quite found the spark.
Over his two seasons as offensive coordinator, Pittsburgh ranked 24th in total yards per game and 16th in points per game. The advanced metrics weren’t much kinder, with Smith’s offense checking in at 18th in DVOA and 19th in EPA per play.
That’s squarely below average by NFL standards - and well below what Steelers fans expect.
Now, Smith is heading back to the college ranks, finalizing a deal to become the offensive coordinator at Ohio State. It’s his third job in as many years, moving from head coach in Atlanta to OC in Pittsburgh, and now to Columbus. For the Steelers, it’s a clean break and a chance to reset.
Enter Mike McCarthy.
The longtime NFL head coach was officially hired on January 24 to replace Mike Tomlin, and he’s wasting no time putting his stamp on the team - starting with the offense. McCarthy has made it clear: he’s calling the plays.
That’s a significant shift from the Tomlin era, where coordinators were often selected for their willingness to stick to a conservative, ball-control game plan. Run the ball, protect the football, and let the defense do the heavy lifting.
It worked well enough in the regular season, but over the past 14 years, that formula produced just three playoff wins.
The offensive coordinators who cycled through during that stretch - Randy Fichtner, Matt Canada, and most recently Arthur Smith - all followed that same blueprint. And the results, frankly, were hard to watch.
The offense lacked creativity, big-play potential, and any real sense of rhythm. Steelers fans were left yearning for the days of Todd Haley’s aggressive, vertical attack - or really, any sign of life from the playbook.
McCarthy brings a different approach. He’s not just an offensive-minded coach; he’s a proven play-caller with a track record of building productive, efficient offenses.
During his five-year run in Dallas, McCarthy’s Cowboys ranked 11th in EPA per play and 10th in success rate. They finished in the top five in both total offense and scoring offense in 2021 and 2023.
That’s not just solid - that’s top-tier production in today’s NFL.
And here’s the key: McCarthy isn’t handing over the keys to someone else. He’s taking ownership of the offense himself, something he’s only strayed from once - back in 2018, when he briefly gave up play-calling duties in Green Bay.
He’s since said that’s a decision he won’t repeat. So, while the Steelers will still hire an offensive coordinator, the playbook will be McCarthy’s, and the game-day calls will come from him.
That alone should be enough to inject some optimism into a fan base that’s endured eight straight seasons of uninspired offense. Whether or not McCarthy finds a high-profile OC to join his staff, the direction is clear: this offense is getting a reboot, and it’s long overdue.
The bar isn’t exactly high. Over the past eight seasons, the Steelers’ offensive identity has been defined more by what it wasn’t than what it was.
It wasn’t explosive. It wasn’t creative.
It wasn’t efficient. Now, with McCarthy at the helm, there’s a real opportunity to change that narrative.
For the first time in a long time, the Steelers are being led by a head coach who’s not just managing the offense - he is the offense. And if his track record in Dallas is any indication, Pittsburgh fans might finally get to see a product on the field that matches the passion in the stands.
The OC curse? It might just be over.