Inside Mike McCarthy’s vision for the Steelers offense
· Yahoo Sports
The Pittsburgh Steelers are entering a new era on offense, with Mike McCarthy set to call plays in 2026. It marks a notable shift for a franchise that has long been defined by defensive-minded leadership under Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin.
Speaking on “The Pat McAfee Show,” McCarthy made his intentions clear. “Yes, we certainly are when I'm calling the plays. That's right,” he responded with a grin when McAfee joked the Steelers would be running up the scoreboard.
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For McCarthy, the decision is rooted in experience. “I didn’t call [plays] twice in my career, and I think they clearly were the right decisions. I didn’t in 2015 and didn’t from 2020 to 2022. You learn from that,” he explained. While he has delegated play-calling in the past, this situation calls for a different approach.
“I think it's important as a head coach when you bring something specific to the table that your team reflects that,” McCarthy added. That philosophy appears central to what he wants to build in Pittsburgh.
He also pointed to environmental factors. “We want to play a certain way on offense. We're an outdoor team, which goes back to the Green Bay days, as opposed to being an indoor team in Dallas. So that's why I'm going to call the plays.”
After decades of defensive identity, the Steelers’ offense will now bear the imprint of their head coach.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Mike McCarthy Steelers offense plan, play-calling philosophy