In his multi-faceted West Coast offense, new Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy has always had a need for a fullback. During his tenure in Green Bay, players like William Henderson, Korey Hall, John Kuhn, Aaron Ripkowski and Danny Vitale carved out roles at the fullback position.
In Dallas, Hunter Luepke went from an undrafted free agent to signing a multi-year extension with the franchise before McCarthy was let go.
The fullback is a vital part of the West Coast offense, both in the run game and in the passing game. As a Bill Walsh disciple, the importance of the fullback position remains ingrained in McCarthy’s offensive philosophy. After all, Walsh once said, “The most critical part of our passing game” is the fullback position and what it offers.
So, will that translate to Pittsburgh under McCarthy? History suggests yes.
Looking back on his coaching tenures in Green Bay and Dallas, McCarthy always had a fullback as a key part of the offense.
“I’ve always been a believer in the fullback,” McCarthy said in 2016. “You talk about offense, you have a one-back offense, and you have a two-back offense.
Early in his tenure, William Henderson was the fullback in front of players like Ahman Green and Ryan Grant before Hall stepped into the mix for a few years. In 2010, Shippensburg University product John Kuhn emerged in McCarthy’s offense and eventually became a fan favorite in Green Bay.
Kuhn could handle the traditional lead-blocking role of the fullback position, but he was also more than that, providing some juice as a runner and a receiver. During the 2010 season, Kuhn had his true breakout, rushing 84 times 281 yards and four touchdowns. That season, he also caught 15 passes for 97 yards and two touchdowns. On a high-powered offense, Kuhn was a key piece and helped lead the Packers to the Super Bowl win over the Steelers.
While playing under McCarthy, Kuhn became the best fullback in the NFL. He earned a first-team All-Pro accolade in 2014, a second-team All-Pro honor in 2011 and was a three-time Pro Bowler before signing with the New Orleans Saints ahead of the 2016 season.
Letting Kuhn walk was a tough decision for McCarthy and the Packers. They never found a replacement for him in Green Bay. But in 2023 in Dallas, McCarthy found a guy very similar to Kuhn in Luepke. McCarthy even compared him to Kuhn after the Cowboys signed him as an undrafted free agent out of North Dakota State.
“John Kuhn is an excellent comparable that has been used in our conversations,” McCarthy said in 2023, according to Sports Illustrated. “If you can recall, John was a very productive one-back runner at Shippensburg, and Hunter has those skills.”
Luepke emerged in 2024, playing 30% of the Cowboys’ offensive snaps, earning a two-year extension in the process.
Taking over the head coaching job in Pittsburgh, McCarthy steps into an organization that hasn’t used a traditional fullback in a number of years. The last time the Steelers had a traditional fullback on their roster was Derek Watt in the 2022 season. He spent three seasons with the Steelers but had just 10 carries for 22 yards and a touchdown and eight receptions for 26 yards and a touchdown.
He was primarily brought in for his special teams abilities and wasn’t a weapon offensively that McCarthy likes to have. Though he’s set to hit free agency, Connor Heyward could be that type of player McCarthy likes to have at the position. But he’s barely played as a true fullback.
Instead, most of his snaps have come as the quarterback in the “Spartan” tush push, or as an in-line tight end or detached tight end lined up in the slot. Last season, Heyward played just 17 snaps as a true fullback under former offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. In 2023 and 2024 combined, he logged a combined 80 snaps as a traditional fullback.
In total, that’s just 97 career snaps as a true fullback. That’s not enough to go on, but the rushing and catching abilities — on top of special teams — are strong reasons why the Steelers should entertain re-signing Heyward and placing him into that Kuhn/Luepke style role under McCarthy.
Late last season, Heyward flashed as a blocker in the run game.
#Steelers TE/FB Connor Heyward is just a football player through and through.
Two huge blocks on a pair of explosive runs to spring Kenneth Gainwell and Jaylen Warren against the #Lions, both on LB Jack Campbell.
Such an underrated piece in Pittsburgh.
Same exact play, too. pic.twitter.com/wcS5V4oaSo
— Josh Carney (@ByJoshCarney) December 22, 2025
He’s not that true battering ram, but he’s efficient as a blocker and had success last season in a true fullback role. That versatility he brings with the ability to wear a number of different hats is appealing, too.
But if the Steelers want to get younger, cheaper and better at the position through the draft, they’ll have plenty of options.
Michigan’s Max Bredeson, Indiana’s Riley Nowakowski, Navy’s Alex Tecza, Syracuse’s Dan Villari, and North Dakota State’s Truman Werremeyer all make plenty of sense at the fullback position and fit what McCarthy tends to like there.
With a projected 12 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, it will be fascinating to see if the Steelers address fullback via the draft, or if they go the safe route and re-sign Heyward to an affordable contract.
One thing is clear right now though: the fullback position is on its way back to the Steel City — and in a big way — under McCarthy’s vision offensively.
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