Mike McCarthy filled the Steelers’ coaching staff with many familiar faces, but not exclusively. Recently, he explained his philosophy behind building a staff. For nearly two decades, the organization has only known gradual, incremental change, so this is a shock to the system. But after Mike Tomlin resigned, they didn’t have much choice. Now they get to find out if their new coach has a better approach to assembling a coaching staff.
“Diversity is something I’ve always had in the forefront of my mind,” McCarthy said, via the Steelers’ website, when discussing how he built the coaching staff. “Whether it’s player, former player, non-former player, small college guy. I always wanted my staff to have a level of experience that I wanted, like, a middle class that can grow to that position. And I always want to develop young guys.”
The Steelers reportedly told all coaches to look for other positions before hiring Mike McCarthy. They would retain coaches only if McCarthy wanted to, and he retained only two. Both are coaches with whom he’s worked before, those being QB coach Tom Arth and ILB coach Scott McCurley.
Otherwise, the rest of the Steelers’ coaching staff under McCarthy is all new to the organization. And it runs the gamut, from 21-year veteran OL coach James Campen from his Green Bay staff to Campen’s assistant, Jahri Evans, a former All-Pro guard who is still early in his coaching career.
Retaining play-calling duties for himself, McCarthy hired first-time coordinator Brian Angelichio to run the offense. On defense, he went with a more experienced hand in Patrick Graham, who has seven seasons of coordinating experience and many more years under his belt in a variety of roles.
“I’ve always viewed the coaching staff very similar to the locker room. I’ve always looked at that. If you look at the three staffs that I’ve hired in Green Bay, Dallas, and now Pittsburgh, you’ll see the diversity in those staffs,” McCarthy insisted.
He did expand the Steelers’ coaching staff slightly and added a chief of staff, a new position for the organization.
While Mike McCarthy retained only two coaches, the remainder of the Steelers’ former staff, including coordinators and position coaches, already found work elsewhere, some even within the same division. So it’s not like Mike Tomlin’s staff had some abysmal reputation that prevented him from developing a tree.
Nevertheless, there have always been concerns about the Steelers’ coaching staff under Tomlin, so if McCarthy’s approach yields better results, nobody is going to complain. But as the offensive play-caller, he is staking his reputation on his own abilities. It’s something he has done throughout his career, so it’s nothing new in that regard.
But in some ways, McCarthy may delegate more to the coaching staff than the Steelers’ previous coach did. Tomlin seemed to have an iron in every fire, and he clearly exerted immense influence over the defense. McCarthy seems more likely to leave that side to his staff and focus on the offense. Particularly, the game-day responsibilities.
Recommended for you