The Pittsburgh Steelers have been stuck in a long playoff drought. They haven’t won a postseason game since 2016, which was a long time after Mike McCarthy’s Green Bay Packers defeated them in the Super Bowl game in 2010. Now, that same coach is at the helm of Steel City. But as the team approaches the new season, a franchise legend has a warning on what could go wrong.

“Worst case is he got to do .500 or better,” former linebacker James Harrison said on his latest Deebo & Joe podcast. “Because anything below .500, the hire of Mike McCarthy by the Pittsburgh Steelers will be considered a fail.”

There is certainly criticism for Mike McCarthy, and it goes deeper than mere superficial impressions. In the last ten years, his playoff performance has been subpar, earning only one victory in the playoffs since 2017, and that cannot be overlooked as valid criticism against him. Perhaps, this is the reason why Harrison also feels the situation with McCarthy can be dicey.

On the other hand, last season, the Steelers ended with a .588 record (10-7), finishing strong by winning four out of their last five games after being at 6-6. This late surge allowed them to secure the division title and make it to the playoffs. Unfortunately, they faced the same problem again, losing to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round.

Shortly after that, Mike Tomlin resigned, and the team turned to McCarthy for a new direction.

“I wouldn’t say the team’s in a rut,” McCarthy said in March regarding the Steelers’ inability to win in the playoffs. “The team won the division last year was a playoff football team. I viewed the team that way as a fan last year; I really liked the vibe of the team coming down the stretch. I thought they were coming together.”

However, expectations at Acrisure Stadium are quite high, and breaking this long losing streak would definitely change the story. Currently, they are entering their 10th consecutive season without a playoff victory, marking their longest dry spell since the Super Bowl era began.

And McCarthy is capable of changing that. He grew up close to the Steelers, attending training camps, so he really gets the vibe of Steel City. Plus, his experience is impressive, having coached the Packers and Cowboys for many years, not to mention his 2010 Super Bowl victory.

Right now, the main concern is the quarterback position. The Steelers are looking for answers as they head into 2026, and Aaron Rodgers is still being talked about as a potential choice. This uncertainty is looming over McCarthy’s beginning, and it might determine if Harrison’s warning comes true.

The Steelers remain in limbo with Aaron Rodgers’ return

As the 2026 NFL Draft approaches, the Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves in a tough situation. With the No. 21 pick, their whole strategy depends on whether Aaron Rodgers decides to return for another season. Until he makes that decision, the future in Steel City remains unclear.

Meanwhile, Rodgers still showed he can produce. He had a passer rating of 94.8, threw for 3,322 yards, scored 24 touchdowns, and had only seven interceptions in 16 games.

This kind of performance gives the Steelers hope that he can still run the offense effectively. But even if he comes back, many people in the league think the team should start planning for what’s next. That is where Jason McCourty steps in with a clear take.

“Mike McCarthy is known for developing young quarterbacks. So if you really fall in love with Ty Simpson, go and bring him in. If [Aaron] Rodgers decides that he is going to come back, that is somebody for Ty Simpson to be able to learn from,” McCourty noted during an interview with Get Up.

Ty Simpson already showed he can be a reliable option for any QB-needy team. In his best season at Alabama, he passed for 3,567 yards and threw 28 touchdowns, with just five interceptions, leading the Crimson Tide to the College Football Playoffs.

However, being ranked No. 32 on the consensus board makes people wonder about his value in the draft. Because of that, the Steelers face a real dilemma. Taking him at No. 21 could feel early, but waiting might cost them the chance altogether. However, with 12 total picks, including four on Day 2, the team could trade back into the late first round to secure the young quarterback.

So now, it comes down to whether McCarthy and the front office make that bold move or choose to wait it out.