The Pittsburgh Steelers are settling in for what will be an exhausting and detail-oriented head-coaching search. Mike Tomlin made the decision to step down and walk away from the organization after an incredible 19 years at the helm. There are certainly favorites to land the job, and it is uncharted territory in the Steel City as the last time this happened, Ben Roethlisberger was just finishing up his third professional season. Not only will the process be very specific, it will be fascinating to see if the franchise goes the offensive-minded route, or sticks to a defensive genius like it has in the past.
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Former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin roams the practice field as his team works out during a 2025 training camp practice at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Tomlin faced a lot of criticism throughout his tenure because he did not possess much of a coaching tree. That is one way to evaluate present-day head coaches. Many believed that the Steelers legend preferred to keep individuals around him that simply listened, rather than possibly challenging his authority. There are, however, other leaders in the NFL that have endless mentees rising the ranks in the professional football world.
Sean McVay leads this group, and it just so happens that Pittsburgh has already requested to interview Los Angeles Rams minds Chris Shula and Nathan Scheelhaase. Shula is one of the top candidates in this cycle, while Scheelhaase is a young passing game coordinator that is expected to land an offensive coordinator gig. He could be coming to town as a labeled head coaching interview, but it could also be to assess his readiness to be a play-caller in the Steel City.
In a perfect world, the Steelers could execute a double-hiring of sorts. Shula is viewed as someone who is ready to lead right now. Scheelhaase would then have the potential to receive an external promotion, and come to town as the offensive coordinator. This one-two punch would give Pittsburgh two of McVay's closest allies. That's not where Pittsburgh would have to stop, either.
John McCoy / Associated Press
Los Angeles Rams Defensive Coordinator Chris Shula roams the sidelines as his team participates in a regular-season football game at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA.
Shula would be expected to call the defensive plays as his expertise is well-respected around the league. That doesn't mean that a very experienced defensive mind wouldn't bring value to the coaching staff. Depending on what kind of interest teams have in veteran coach Raheem Morris, he could be the perfect individual to come to Pittsburgh as a defensive coordinator-type or senior defensive assistant.
All of a sudden, the Steelers would be looking at three of their top coaching candidates all having had worked for McVay in recent years. It sounds like an extremely attractive trio to partner all together. If another team can't land McVay as a head coach, the next best thing to do may be to bring in as many people as possible that worked for him and the Rams. Shula, Scheelhaase and Morris would immediately become one of the more intriguing units throughout the NFL.
Morris once worked above Shula until he received the top job with the Atlanta Falcons, but after being fired, he could settle for a lesser role in a legendary city like Pittsburgh. This would immediately shake up the staff for the Steelers, but in a very positive way. McVay helped mold Zac Taylor, Matt LaFleur, Kevin O'Connell, Brandon Staley, Liam Coen, and many others.
Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press
Los Angeles Rams Head Coach Sean McVay smirks as he stands on the field while his team warms up prior to participating in a professional football game at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA.
Steelers Would Absolutely Nail Coaching Staff Restructure With McVay's Trio
While Morris could be the outlier if this scenario were to play out, a duo of Shula and Scheelhaase coming to Pittsburgh is something that could certainly happen. It's not the easiest thing in the world to find a franchise head coach, and it's even more difficult when the process hasn't played out for an organization in nearly two decades. The Steelers are facing a tall task, but the best possible outcome could be poaching brilliant minds from McVay.
Do you think that the Steelers could pull off a hiring a brand new coaching staff featuring several individuals from the McVay tree? Let us know in the comments below!
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