Bill Cowher Reacts to Mike McCarthy Hire in New Video After Mike Tomlin Steps Down as Steelers HC

After Mike McCarthy agreed to replace Mike Tomlin as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers this weekend, he received a nod of approval from another franchise legend.

On Sunday, CBS NFL analyst and former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher praised the team for hiring McCarthy, highlighting his potential impact on Pittsburgh's offense:

The Steelers announced on Saturday that they reached a verbal agreement with McCarthy for him to succeed Tomlin, who stepped down at the end of the 2025 campaign after coaching the team since 2007. McCarthy is just the fourth head coach in Pittsburgh since 1969, joining a lineage that also includes Cowher and Chuck Noll.

McCarthy most recently coached the Dallas Cowboys for five seasons, spending 2025 away from the NFL after parting ways with the team following the 2024 campaign. He also coached the Green Bay Packers from 2006 to 2018, winning a Super Bowl title in 2010.

Cowher explained that he expects McCarthy to revamp a Steelers offense that had been the weak point of the team in recent seasons.

"He's an offensive-minded guy, Mike McCarthy, everywhere he's been," Cowher said. "He grew up under Marty Schottenheimer, so he understands the value of running the football. He coached Joe Montana. He coached Brett Favre. He coached Aaron Rodgers. He coached Dak Prescott. Everywhere he's been, he's uplifted the offense. And if you look at the Pittsburgh Steelers right now, if there's been inconsistencies in the last recent years, it's been the instability of having a reliable offense."

The hiring is also a homecoming for McCarthy, who is a Pittsburgh native. Cowher said he thinks that makes it an even more perfect fit for both sides.

"And oh yeah, he's from Pittsburgh, too. That doesn't make it bad," he added. "He knows the tradition, he knows what the expectation is, he knows what that fan base is all about. He's a Yinzer. I think it's a very good hire for the Pittsburgh Steelers."