Stop me if you’ve heard this once  twice three times before: Mike McCarthy is the next head coach in the NFL, this time for the Pittsburgh Steelers. On Saturday afternoon, the team announced that a verbal agreement had been reached on their website and social media accounts. Without the terms of the deal being put to paper, the details remain a mystery.

McCarthy has been an NFL coach in some capacity for 34 years, breaking in as the wide receivers’ coach for the Steelers in 1992. Since that time, he’s made stops in Kansas City, Green Bay, New Orleans, San Francisco, and back to Green Bay as head coach from 2006-2018 (won Super Bowl XLV). McCarthy went on to string together eight consecutive playoff appearances but was never able to recapture the Lombardi Trophy after the 2010 season.

In December of 2018, McCarthy was relieved of his duties, and he took the following year off. In 2020, he returned to coach the Dallas Cowboys, amassing a 49-35 record before being let go after the 2024 season.

Now, the head coach returns to his hometown team, where his career began. Reactions on social media have been largely negative for the man tasked with filling the shoes of Mike Tomlin. Former Steelers have come out of the woodwork to voice their displeasure, as well. Former running back Le’Veon Bell took to X to say “4-13 incoming… but hey, at least Mike Tomlin isn’t the coach of the Steelers anymore, right?”

Fantasy lowdown: This is hardly the last of Pittsburgh’s moves this offseason, with free agency and 12 draft selections to play with. The Steelers’ brass has indicated that the hiring has nothing to do with McCarthy’s glory days quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, whose status remains in limbo. It’s tough to predict the team’s fantasy relevance for 2026 with so many changes on the horizon.

Author: Samwise (@BuyAndSellYou)