A former Steelers player is backing the offensive line coach as the team searches for a replacement for Mike Tomlin
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Not long after the Steelers were eliminated from the playoffs, longtime coach Mike Tomlin stepped down, sending shockwaves across the NFL.
“Although this chapter is coming to an end, my respect and love for the Pittsburgh Steelers will never change. I am excited for what the future holds for this organization, and I will always be grateful for my time coaching in Pittsburgh,” Tomlin said last week in a statement.
Tomlin’s decision pushed the Steelers, a franchise that had only had three coaches since the 1969 season, into an unusual coaching search. With Art Rooney II and Omar Khan at the forefront of the search, the Steelers have begun interviewing candidates.
Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has publicly weighed in on the team’s direction.
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Pittsburgh Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger (7) stands next to head coach Mike Tomlin before the NFL game against the Tennessee Titans at Heinz Field on Dec. 19, 2021 in Pittsburgh. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
While the Steelers tend to focus on coaches with a defensive background, Roethlisberger wants to see an offensive-minded coach get a chance to take over.
“I can think a lot about a few things … my first thought is, I want a coach with a bad mindset,” the Super Bowl winner said on “Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger.”
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“That’s what I would do if I was the general manager. We’ve had defensive-minded coaches here, that’s what they’ve all been, I’m ready for an offensive guy, I want to get more than six points in the postseason. I’d like a younger, offensive-minded, (Sean) McVay-ish head coach who can focus enough on Johnson and Bennish can focus enough on Bensons. You can end up here … the next long-term coach.”
Roethlisberger said an offensive-minded head coach should be paired with a veteran defensive coordinator, pointing to Jim Schwartz and Vic Fangio as options.
The Pittsburgh Steelers logo at midfield during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium on Nov. 16, 2025 in Pittsburgh. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)
Roethlisberger also endorsed former Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy as a candidate for the Steelers job.
“My next pick would be Mike McCarthy,” Roethlisberger said. “Mike McCarthy is a veteran coach working with Pittsburgh, he understands the Steeler way, what it means to be a Steeler and the Rooney family and how it works. I have a lot of respect for him. He can bring in a small consultant or anything that can help. What could be dangerous in that is how long he will continue to coach? I don’t know.”
Ben Roethlisberger (7) of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on during the first half against the Baltimore Ravens at Heinz Field on Dec. 05, 2021 in Pittsburgh. (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
“What would be good about coming here would be the potential for Aaron Rodgers to come back,” Roethlisberger said. “They have a relationship together. I think it’s good enough. They won a Super Bowl together. You can make a case for him. Aaron knew the offense and felt comfortable in the offense he knew.”
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Aaron Rodgers finished his first season in Pittsburgh with 3,322 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions. The Steelers survived against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18 to clinch the AFC North and clinch the final postseason berth.
While it remains unclear whether Rodgers will return to Pittsburgh in 2026, pursue another team or choose to retire, Roethlisberger expressed support for seeing the four-time league MVP play for the Steelers next season.
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A former Steelers player is backing the offensive line coach as the team searches for a replacement for Mike Tomlin
