Super Bowl XLV: Mike Tomlin and Mike McCarthy History Shows Who Will Win

Pittsburgh Steeler's Head Coach: Mike Tomlin

Mike Tomlin is the current head coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Many of you might know that at age 38, Tomlin is the third youngest head coach in any of the four major professional American sports.

He is only the tenth African-American head coach in NFL history. With the Steeler's victory in Super Bowl XLIII in 2009, Tomlin became the youngest head coach and second African-American head coach to win a Super Bowl.

Through his fourth season of coaching Tomlin has accumulated a career record of 43-21-0 in the regular season and 5-1 in the postseason, winning the AFC North three times.

To accomplish this much at such a young age doesn't come with just luck, it takes discipline and a day-by-day mentality. Much of this can be acredited to his coaching track record.

2001: The Journey Begins

Tomlin was hired as the defensive backs coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while being coached by Tony Dungy. For those of you that don't remember, Dungy is the only other African-American head coach to ever win a Super Bowl.

During his tenure in Tampa, Tomlin was a key component to the great Buccaneers defenses—the defense never ranked worse than sixth overall.

Tomlin even had a blessing to win a Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003 with Tampa, in a game where his defensive backs recorded five interceptions, three of which were returned for touchdowns.

2006: One step closer

The next stop of his short coaching voyage, was the Minnesota Vikings.

Then head coach of the Vikings, Brad Childress, hired Tomlin to be his defensive coordinator in 2006. 

At the age of just 34, Tomlin was coordinating two players older than him, and even a long-lost college teammate of his Darren Sharper. 

The 2006 Minnesota Vikings defense finished with the NFL's eighth-best overall defense.

2007: Winning is everything

Tomlins early success paid off. The following season he became the Pittsburgh Steelers sixteenth head coach—replacing Bill Cowher— and only the third in the past 35 years. 

The Steelers finished Tomlin's first season winning the AFC North at 10-6, with the NFL's top-ranked defense—much in part to defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau— and lost in the first round to the Jacksonville Jaguars 31-29.

2008: I'm here to win

In his second season Tomlin led the Steeler's to the AFC North crown and their second Super Bowl victory in four seasons; meanwhile making the Steeler's the NFL's first franchise to win six Super Bowls.

Simply put, Mike Tomlin is winner—after two seasons, he was the winningest head coach in Steeler's histroy, with a 68.8 percent winning percentage.

2009: How do we fix this?

The Steelers started off 6-2 before losing five in a row. Tomlin was able to rally the troops by seasons end and finish strong with a three game winning streak, good for a record of 9-7.

Disappointing season for the Steelers as they miss the playoffs—third time in a row the "Black and Gold," fail to make the playoffs the season after a Super Bowl Victory.

2010: You're going to get knocked down, it just matters how you pick yourself back up

Despite the departure of Santonio Holmes via trade to the New York Jets, and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger suspended the first four games of the season the Steelers started the season off surprisingly 3-1.

Finishing the season strong Tomlin kept his team level headed finishing 9-3 and another AFC North title, and another shot at the Super Bowl.

Being at such a young age as a head coach I believe has benefited him so much to relating with his players. James Farrior even said it himself, in the USA Today: http://t.co/h11o4Y4

Green Bay Packer's Head Coach Mike McCarthy

On the other side of the ball we have head coach Mike McCarthy—who I think is overrated— of the Green Bay Packers. 

Out of the five season's McCarthy has coached the Packers, he has won the division only once. That is chump-change compared to Tomlin's three division titles out of four.

1993: The Beginning

McCarthy's NFL coaching tenure began as an offensive quality control assistant with the Kansas City Chiefs, who was then coached by Marty Schottenheimer. 

Two years later McCarthy was appointed to quarterbacks coach for the Chiefs. He worked with Rich Gannon, Elvis Grbac, and Steve Bono who he helped make into a Pro Bowler in 1995.

1999: One open door leads to another:

McCarthy's next stop on his voyage was in Green Bay, as the quarterbacks coach. That season quarterback Brett Favre threw for 4,091 yards, the fourth-best of his career. 

After 1999 the Packers released the entire coaching staff, leading to his hiring as offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints through 2004. 

In his first season in Baton Rouge, he was selected as NFC Assistant Coach of the Year by USA Today.

McCarthy was hired as offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers. 

For those that don't remember he was part of the decision of drafting Alex Smith number one overall. That season the 49ers finished dead last in the NFL in points scored and yards gained.

2006: You Lucky Dog

Some how after all this, the following season, he finds himself back in Green Bay interviewing for the head coaching position. 

The Packers finished the season 8-8.

2007: Year Two

The proceeding season, McCarthy had his best season statistically as a head coach—led the Packers to a 13-3 record—making it to the NFC Championship game, losing to the eventual Super Bowl Champions—the New York Giants.

2008: The year of the crash

He followed up his best season-to-date by having his worst. The Packers finished third in the NFC North at 6-10.

2009: Things are looking good

The Packers showed improvement finishing 11-5, with a Wild Card birth. At the same time it is going to be hard to win games when your quarterback is sacked 50 times, the most in the NFL. The "pack," lost in the Wild Card round to the Cardinals 51-45.

2010: This could be it

After four up and down seasons, the Packer's finished two seasons consecutively in 2010 above .500 with a 10-6 record. Though they did not win the NFC North, they won another Wild Card spot. 

In the 2010 Super Bowl run McCarthy and company have gone through hell and back to get to were they are. 

They faced the ever so dangerous Michael Vick against the Eagles in the Wild Card round and then the number one seeded Atlanta Falcons. In the NFC Championship game they faced long-time divisional rival, the Chicago Bears. Prevailing in a 21-14 victory after quarterback Aaron Rodgers had a sub-par game for his standards.

McCarthy in the end did half his job so far this season, reaching the Super Bowl.

Now he just has to win it, to earn my respect, and to make a lot of pre-season predictors look very smart.

McCarthy finished this regular season with a career winning percentage of .600, but with the talent he has had, I believe it should be more on Tomlin's level of a .672 winning percentage—that is why I believe McCarthy is overrated.

I'm a history guy, I believe history has a funny way of repeating it self. With the Packers holding the most NFL titles and the Steelers owning the most Super Bowl titles, I believe history will repeat. 

That history is in the "modern-times," meaning I will take the guys with more Super Bowl titles over NFL titles. This is much largely due to the fact that Super Bowl runs consisted of more teams, than the Packers ever faced, back in the "good-ol-days."

So, after laying out the timeline of both head coaches; who do you think has the best shot of leading their team to a Super Bowl victory?