NEWNow you can listen to Fox News articles!
Earlier this month, the Pittsburgh Steelers embarked on their third coaching search since hiring Chuck Noll in 1969.
On Jan. 13, Mike Tomlin has announced that he will step down after 19 seasons as the franchise’s head coach.
During the search for their next head coach, the Steelers interviewed a number of candidates, most of them young assistants in the vein of Noll, Mike Tomlin and Bill Cowher, all of whom arrived in Pittsburgh as relative unknowns and left with Super Bowl rings and Hall of Fame-worthy resumes.
During an at-times emotional introductory news conference with the Steelers, McCarthy, a Pittsburgh native, beamed with pride at his third head coaching opportunity.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH ONE OF THE GAMES ON FOXNEWS.COM
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy at a news conference announcing him as the new head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers at the PNC Champions Club at Acrisure Stadium Jan. 27, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)
“I thought I would at least be able to start,” said the new Steelers coach, trying to regain his composure without success as he watched members of the McCarthy family inside Acrisure Stadium.
McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers spent several years together when they were both part of the Green Bay Packers. McCarthy coached the Packers to a 125-77-2 record from 2006-18. Rodgers left the Packers after the 2022 season. He spent two seasons with the New York Jets before signing a one-year contract with the Steelers last season.
Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy during the first half against the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium on January 5, 2025. (Kevin Jairaj/Imagn Images)
While Rodgers had a very productive first season with the Steelers, the 42-year-old quarterback is arguably closer to the sunset of his storied career than the beginning. It is not clear whether Rodgers will return to the Steelers in 2026, pursue an opportunity with another team or simply leave the game.
The possibility of a meeting between Rodgers and McCarthy was raised during a press conference on Tuesday. McCarthy expressed hope for another chance to coach Rodgers.
“Absolutely, I don’t see why you wouldn’t,” McCarthy said in response to reporters’ questions about working with the four-time MVP.
TOM BRADY TALK ABOUT AARON RODGERS’ RETIREMENT, PROGRESS IN BROADCAST BOOTH
In 2022, before Dallas Cowboys coach McCarthy returns to Lambeau Field, Rodgers said the passage of time has made him appreciate the seasons he spent with his former coach.
“It’s almost normal in any relationship you have,” Rodgers said at the time. “If you can take the time, and you have that separation, it’s natural to look back and have a great sense of gratitude and gratitude and gratitude for that time.”
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy, right, speaks at a news conference introducing him as the next head coach of the Steelers as owner Art Rooney II listens at the PNC Champions Club at Acrisure Stadium Jan. 27, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)
CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS PROGRAM
McCarthy oversaw the Packers’ 2010 season when the franchise won its only Super Bowl title during Rodgers’ tenure, but the relationship between quarterback and coach eventually soured. McCarthy was fired late in the 2018 season.
Neither McCarthy nor his hometown Steelers have returned to the big game since. You know the clock is ticking.
“It’s time to bring another tournament back to this great city,” McCarthy said Tuesday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on Xand subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle.
