The Steelers desperately want an Aaron Rodgers re-run. The reports around the league confirm that the front office and locker room are almost infatuated with the veteran QB. But Rodgers came in specifically for Mike Tomlin, as Art Rooney II himself confirmed. Now, with Tomlin out of the picture, the Steelers find that QB door stuck tight. However, Christian Kuntz just found a way that could kick that jammed door wide open.

“I saw that Mike McCarthy’s name got thrown in the hat here now. And that’s his guy. That’s his guy in Green Bay. That’s a Pittsburgh guy. Now that could save him. That could save it,” Kuntz said on his podcast on January 22. 

Mike McCarthy has been in the mix with the Steelers for a while now. The 62-year-old coach already interviewed in person with the team on January 22. The reason Kuntz believes McCarthy coming into the picture “could save” Pittsburgh boils down to a couple of key points.

First, Rodgers took a “soul” decision to join the Steelers because of Tomlin. The head coach’s famous “standard” was a major draw for A-Rod. But with Tomlin gone, that pull has vanished, leaving the team searching for a fresh voice to convince Rodgers to return. 

Second, after the front office moved on from Tomlin, they’ve made it clear the new head coach will have a big say in the “quarterback position.” That setup could let McCarthy step in and make the pitch directly.

McCarthy brings a coaching culture much like Tomlin’s, and as a Pennsylvania native, he’s positioning himself as a perfect fit for the Steelers. He started as a graduate assistant at Fort Hays State in 1987 and joined the league in 1993 as offensive quality control with the Chiefs. Later, the Packers hired him as head coach in 2006, where he won Super Bowl XLV and reached the playoffs seven times with Rodgers under center.

There’s growing sentiment in Pittsburgh that it’s time for the Steelers to set aside their defensive identity and pour energy into the offense, and McCarthy could lead that shift. However, some numbers around the league raise red flags that can make things worse.

Why Mike McCarthy could be a risky hire for the Steelers?

The Steelers struggled mightily with an inconsistent offense this season. They couldn’t even score ten points in three games, a sharp contrast to their 2024 season. But McCarthy could flip that script.

He took the struggling 2005 Packers (18th in total yards and fourth in their division) and turned them into a ninth-ranked unit in yards while finishing second in the division the next year. Under McCarthy, the Packers’ offensive identity improved massively, which could work wonders for Pittsburgh right now. However, one glaring issue stands out.

No head coach has ever won a Super Bowl with two different franchises. It’s zero in league history. The league hasn’t seen anyone pull off that feat in its entire history.

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Sure, coaches have made Super Bowl appearances with different teams, but no one has ever won with more than one franchise. That stat hangs heavy over McCarthy’s candidacy, who has already grabbed his ring with the Packers.

Voices in Pittsburgh are getting louder, pushing for someone fresh or young instead of the 62-year-old veteran. A lot of questions loom for Rooney II to answer this year. It’s a new phase for the stability-driven franchise. Only time will tell if Rodgers will be part of it, or if McCarthy’s pitch opens that jammed door for good.