Super Bowl XLV Coaching Wars: Mike Tomlin vs. Mike McCarthy

While it may be on the verge on media saturation at this point, one of the most important aspects of the 2011 Super Bowl is the two head coaches on each team. 

Both will be under pressure to outsmart the other, so let's look at the statistics of the two men who are hoping to lead their respective teams to Super Bowl glory in 2011.

Mike Tomlin

Head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Mike Tomlin was hired in 2007 at the age of 34. While he is the sixteenth coach in Steelers history, he is only the third since 1969.

In 2008, in a victory against the Cardinals, Tomlin became the youngest person to ever coach and play in a Super Bowl. Additionally, he became the fastest head coach to win the title in Steelers history, winning only two years into his coaching tenure.

Tomlin has an incredibly solid record statistically. In three of his four seasons as coach, the Steelers finished the season 1st in AFC North.

His current win/loss record is 43-21-0, giving him a respectable .671 winning percentage. He has also won the one regular season game he has coached against the Packers.

While he is young, and only had four years in the NFL, he is in the process of carving out quite a legacy for himself.

Mike McCarthy

Green Bay Packers Mike McCarthy has been the head coach since 2006, though he has a lot of experience as offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and wide receivers coach with a slew of NFL teams.

McCarthy inherited a losing Packers team, and managed to turn them around within his first season. In his second season as head coach, he finished second in voting for the Associated Press Coach of the Year award. And while he didn't win the award, he did sign a five-year contract extension, which is a nice consolation prize.

This will be McCarthy's first showing in the Super Bowl, as he has lost his two other post-season appearances.

The first came in 2007 to the New York Giants in the NFC Championship Game and the second in 2009 to the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Wild-Card Game.

His regular season statistics are quite good. In his five seasons, the Packers have finished first once, second three times and third once. He has compiled a 48-32-0 win/loss record giving him a .600 winning percentage.

Who has the Edge?

McCarthy definitely goes in with the regular season advantage, but Tomlin has had more success in the playoffs. Their overall records are comparable, Tomlin has had better teams to coach.

While the Packers go into the 2011 Super Bowl the favorites, statistically the Steelers have the coaching advantage.