For the Pittsburgh Steelers, the safe choice at head coach has created a high-stakes gamble in the draft room. By hiring Mike McCarthy, the Steelers may have solved their head coaching vacancy, but according to one insider, they’ve inadvertently created a must-win situation in the first round of the NFL Draft. According to renowned insider Tom Pelissero, the Steelers are currently settling in for good enough while leaving behind elite success.

“You need the person in place to develop a quarterback,” Pelissero said on the Rich Eisen show. “As much as I understand, the fans and the media people saying “Well, get a young guy. We need the young blood. It’s always been the Steelers way. Hire those guys in their 30s.” There’s not a lot of those guys out there right now who are dialed up head coaches, much less those with a quarterback development history. If you look around the NFL right now, that’s the pattern.”

The Steelers’ history has shown notable success by taking risks on younger head coaches. A prime example of this was Mike Tomlin, who was just 34 years old when hired in 2007. The decision led to 19 straight non-losing seasons, 13 playoff appearances, three AFC Championship Games, and two Super Bowl trips. This also included a victory at the Super Bowl XLIII at the age of just 36 (the youngest at the time). Replacing him with McCarthy marked a shift in tradition. He is an older and more established coach. This makes the move feel safer to many fans who are used to seeing the Steelers bet on long-term upside.

By Steelers standards, Mike McCarthy’s hire stands out sharply. At 62, he arrives nearly three decades older than the franchise’s traditional comfort zone, where Mike Tomlin and Bill Cowher were both 34, and even icons like Chuck Noll and Bill Austin were just 37 when entrusted with the job. With McCarthy, the Steelers seem to have pivoted, with Pelissero emphasizing that such young options weren’t feasible.

With an early coach appointment, the Steelers would be looking to secure a draft pick strategy on an urgent basis, with pressure on them to do well. The previous draft saw the Steelers add seven new players, including Derrick Harmon (DT, Round 1), Kaleb Johnson (RB, Round 3), Jack Sawyer (EDGE, Round 4), Yahya Black (DE, Round 5), Will Howard (QB, Round 6), Carson Bruener (LB, Round 7), and Donte Kent (CB, Round 7).

They filled needs on the defensive line and added depth everywhere. Some fans praised Kaleb Johnson as a strong value pick and also lauded Bruener, who made the PFWA All-Rookie Team for special teams in 2025. But many criticized the Steelers for passing on Shedeur Sanders, a top quarterback who was later drafted by the Browns.

For a franchise that rarely bottoms out, the Steelers have grown accustomed to living in the draft’s middle ground, and this year is no exception. After selecting 20th in 2024 and 21st last year, Pittsburgh once again finds itself holding the 21st overall pick. It is far from the luxury of a top-ten selection.

Amid the brewing criticism of McCarthy’s hire, other notable names have also weighed in, warning the ownership of a move that would fail to yield expected results.

Renowned sportscaster makes concerning prediction following Mike McCarthy’s entry

The entry of Mike McCarthy as Tomlin’s replacement didn’t turn out to be as pleasant as the ownership expected. Soon after the team signed a deal with the 62-year-old, renowned sportscaster Joe Starkey stepped forward to claim how things are poised to go down from the next season onwards. He pressed on the fact that the duo of Aaron Rodgers and McCarthy wouldn’t be sustainable, and the team’s aim to earn a Super Bowl title appears even more distant now.

“I can see it now: The Steelers go 9-8 next season with 43-year-old Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, lose to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the wild-card round 34-13, and then have Rooney tell the world his team was “in contention, and that’s what you want,” Joe Starkey said. “The precious non-losing streak will reach 23 years. What is this man doing? He couldn’t, at least, wait to interview the two enticing Los Angeles Rams candidates in person? Nobody else wanted McCarthy. What was the rush?”

Despite the criticism, it seems that the ownership led by Art Rooney II doesn’t seem to be moved by the claims. Rooney recently dismissed fan and media criticism, making it clear that the organization is focused on winning games, not winning press conferences.

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According to him, social media reactions don’t matter once the season starts. While many fans hoped Mike Tomlin’s departure would lead to a full reset, Rooney still sees hiring Mike McCarthy as a part of his efficient strategy. However, only time would tell if the new head coach turns out to be the one that the Steelers need to accomplish what they couldn’t under Tomlin.