Secret Convos Reveal Art Rooney II Knew Steelers Fans Would Hate The Mike McCarthy Hire

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ long-time head coach, Mike Tomlin, made it clear he was done with coaching after the 2025 season ended. Tomlin couldn’t break the team’s playoff drought, which has persisted since the 2016 season. At 53 years old, he felt it was time for a new voice in the Steel City. Following his decision, the Steelers verbally agreed to hire former Super Bowl-winning head coach, Mike McCarthy.

The 62-year-old McCarthy hasn’t exactly inspired confidence among Steeler Nation, who had hoped for a true retool of the organization and a new era under a younger head coaching option. Instead, Art Rooney II and Omar Khan opted for a relatively safer choice: a head coach everyone knows and has seen for decades in McCarthy. Many fans expected bold, fresh leadership, and the decision to go with a familiar figure has already stirred skepticism.

Former Steelers player and now NFL analyst Ryan Clark went on ESPN on Monday to detail conversations he had with people inside the organization. According to Clark, those inside the front office knew the choice to hire McCarthy was going to absolutely upset the fans. Despite the backlash, Rooney and Khan appeared willing to prioritize experience and proven leadership over taking a risk on a newer, untested candidate.

"You know what, I have talked to some people within the organization, and they are excited about Mike McCarthy," Clark said while speaking on ESPN on Monday. "I think they [the Steelers] understood that people would be sort of uninspired by this hire."

Steelers fans were not all upset, but roughly 90% of them seemed disgruntled by the hire. Among those 90%, about 80% were outright opposed to it. Some fans are trying to remain optimistic, but it is difficult when you realize that McCarthy was not reportedly receiving serious interest from other teams, yet the Steelers appeared to think they saw something others did not. 

Clark agreed, noting that the choice to hire McCarthy signals Rooney is not committed to a full rebuild, and that approach could potentially hurt the Steelers in the future.

"Now you move to Mike McCarthy," Clark said. "I think it’s difficult when someone like Mike Tomlin steps away from the team. Players talked about it feeling like the morning at a funeral inside the building. You go to someone with a guaranteed pedigree as a head coach, someone who has won a Super Bowl and has had quarterbacks play well under his tutelage. They believe in who Mike McCarthy is, and they love his connection to the city. For me, I am in a wait-and-see sort of mode because, to me, this is an unwillingness to rebuild and an unwillingness to retool. By not doing that, you may be pushing off the inevitable, which is finally being a losing team in order to get back to where you wanna be, which is a Lombardi [Trophy]."

Steelers Fans Are Not Too Confident About Hiring Mike McCarthy

The hiring of McCarthy marks a controversial chapter in Steelers history. While experience and a Super Bowl pedigree bring credibility, many fans worry it signals a reluctance to rebuild and embrace a new direction. The decision has left a large portion of the fan base frustrated, and time will tell if Rooney and Khan’s gamble pays off. 

For now, Steeler Nation faces uncertainty, balancing hope for McCarthy’s leadership with lingering doubts about whether this choice will truly revive the franchise.

The Steelers also have several questions remaining about McCarthy’s assistants and how he will construct the roster, particularly regarding the future of free agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

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