Cam Heyward Backs Mike McCarthy: “I Love That He Loves Pittsburgh”
The Steelers have a new man at the helm, and while the hire raised some eyebrows around the league, team captain Cam Heyward is making one thing clear: Mike McCarthy’s deep Pittsburgh roots aren’t a concern - they’re a strength.
Speaking on The Jim Rome Show from Super Bowl week, Heyward didn’t hold back his support for the new head coach, who grew up in Greenfield and still has family in the city.
“I just talked to him not too long ago, and I love that he loves Pittsburgh,” Heyward said. “That means the world to me because that’s someone who’s gonna value the job.
That’s someone who’s going to make the most out of this opportunity. There’s a hunger there.
There’s a respect there.”
For Heyward, a player who’s worn the black and gold for over a decade and bleeds the city’s blue-collar ethos, McCarthy’s connection to Pittsburgh isn’t just a feel-good storyline - it’s a signal that the new coach understands what this job means. That matters in a place like Pittsburgh, where football is more than just a game; it’s part of the city’s identity.
McCarthy, for his part, hasn’t shied away from embracing that identity. Despite spending nearly two decades leading the Packers and Cowboys, he’s made it clear that coaching the Steelers is personal.
“Oftentimes, coaches and players put on new team colors, and it takes a minute to feel comfortable in them,” McCarthy said via the team’s official site. “But, if you are blessed beyond measure, one day you put on the colors you’ve worn since you were brought home from Mercy Hospital.”
That’s not just sentiment - it’s a window into what McCarthy brings to the table. Yes, he’s a Pittsburgh guy. But he’s also a proven winner, and Heyward was quick to remind everyone of that.
“He’s a hell of a coach, too,” Heyward added. “He’s won a Super Bowl, and the players here today that have had the chance to be coached by him have a lot of respect for him as well.”
The numbers back it up. McCarthy owns a 174-112-2 career record and a .608 winning percentage. He’s been to the playoffs 12 times, and of course, he led the Packers to a Super Bowl XLV victory - ironically, over the Steelers.
But as much as that résumé speaks for itself, the question now is whether he can do what Pittsburgh’s been chasing for years: win in January.
Like his predecessor Mike Tomlin, McCarthy’s recent postseason track record has been underwhelming. He went 1-3 in the playoffs during his time with Dallas, and the Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since the 2016 season. That’s the cloud hanging over both coach and franchise - and the challenge they now share.
Still, if early reactions from team leaders like Heyward are any indication, the locker room is buying in. And that’s no small thing.
This isn’t just about nostalgia or hometown ties. It’s about finding someone who understands what it means to coach in Pittsburgh - and has the chops to back it up.
McCarthy checks both boxes. Now, it’s about turning that combination into wins when it matters most.