Aug 13, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy during warm-ups for a pre-season game against the Green Bay Packers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
"He Wanted To Be Cute": Steelers Legend Rips Mike McCarthy Over Late-Game Calls 1
Mike McCarthy has the Pittsburgh Steelers at 4-2, but Sunday’s win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers showed how quickly a close game can tilt. Pittsburgh spent most of the afternoon chasing the Buccaneers, and the late comeback gave the team a chance to finish things off.
That was a moment that needed real care. The Steelers had fought back from a 16-3 fourth-quarter hole, and one defensive play put the ball near the goal line. What came after left Tampa Bay with a narrow opening to force overtime.
Le’Veon Bell Criticizes Mike McCarthy’s Late-Game Decisions
Former Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell criticized McCarthy for passing instead of giving Jaylen Warren the ball in a crucial situation. Bell followed up in another post, saying the coach “wanted to be cute” rather than score a touchdown or use more of the clock.
“We goin to overtime because Mike McCarthy wanted to be cute .. instead of SCORING A TOUCHDOWN or at the WORST run the clock low as possible to where they don’t have time to respond.. made this way harder than it has to be, game should be over with !!” Bell tweeted.
Pittsburgh had the ball at Tampa Bay’s 3-yard line after Jamel Dean intercepted Jalon Daniels with 1 minute and 38 seconds left. The Buccaneers had two timeouts.
we goin to overtime because mike mccarthy wanted to be cute .. instead of SCORING A TOUCHDOWN or at the WORST run the clock low as possible to where they don’t have time to respond.. made this way harder than it has to be, game should be over with !!
— Le’Veon Bell (@LeVeonBell) October 18, 2026
Instead of running on all three downs, McCarthy called passes on first and third down, with a Jaylen Warren run in between. Both passes fell incomplete, and Chris Boswell made a 20-yard field goal to put Pittsburgh ahead 19-16. Only 17 seconds came off the clock.
Tampa Bay had time to answer. Chase McLaughlin kicked a 53-yard field goal with eight seconds left, tying the game at 19-19 and sending it to overtime.
Aug 13, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy watches the action against the Green Bay Packers during the first half at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
Aug 13, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy watches the action against the Green Bay Packers during the first half at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
Pittsburgh eventually won 26-19 after Rodgers connected with Germie Bernard for a 6-yard touchdown on the opening drive of overtime. The defense then sealed the win with a Jalen Ramsey sack on the Buccaneers’ ensuing possession.
Mike McCarthy Had a Safer Option With Jaylen Warren
Bell’s argument was not that running the ball would have guaranteed a touchdown. Pittsburgh could have made Tampa Bay use its timeouts and forced the Buccaneers to begin their final drive with less time. A field goal would still have put the Steelers ahead, but Tampa Bay would have had a smaller window to respond.
Jaylen Warren Loves Mike McCarthy Energy
Mar 31, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy speaks to reporters in the media during the 2026 NFL Annual League Meeting at the Arizona Biltmore. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Warren finished with 50 rushing yards on 14 carries and caught two passes for 28 yards against Tampa Bay. Those numbers did not guarantee success near the goal line, but the clock made the decision more important than yardage alone.
Pittsburgh earned a chance to control the final minute, but after letting Tampa Bay force overtime, the Steelers ultimately rallied to secure a 26–19 overtime victory.
The overtime win rescued the result, but it did not erase the risk in McCarthy’s decision. Pittsburgh is now 4-2, and the coaching staff has a clear lesson to learn. In a similar situation, taking the lead and draining the clock should take priority over giving the opponent another possession.
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