Mike McCarthy is 62, has more than a decade of experience as an NFL head coach, and already owns a Super Bowl ring. That background made one question unavoidable when he first stepped to the podium as the Steelers’ head coach: what drove him to come back to the NFL at this stage of his career? McCarthy’s answer touched on several factors, but one point stood above the rest. He isn’t ready to walk away from the game.

“I love coaching. I think the biggest thing is the interaction every day with the players, the coaches, the support group, and to line up every single day and work and do hard stuff with people that are committed,” McCarthy said this week. “I’ve had a chance to step away and look at other things, (but) there’s nothing like the National Football League to do at the highest level. It’s something that I’m not ready to walk away from, and to have this opportunity just seemed like it was meant to be on so many different levels.”

McCarthy’s hiring wasn’t without criticism. But that debate can wait. What’s clear is that the 62-year-old sounds just as energized leading the Steelers as he did during his early head-coaching days in Green Bay or later in Dallas. His return to the NFL, though, was hardly expected. Not simply because of his age, but because of what he has already accomplished.

McCarthy spent over a decade with the Green Bay Packers, where he won a Super Bowl against the same Steelers he now leads. After his firing in 2018, he stepped away before resurfacing as the Dallas Cowboys’ head coach. But when Dallas let him go following the disappointing 2024 season, it felt like his career might be winding down. But it wasn’t. McCarthy couldn’t stay away, largely because coaching at the highest level still pulls him in, and something that won’t let him call it a career anytime soon.

That pull aligned perfectly when Mike Tomlin stepped down after a 19-year run as the Steelers’ head coach. For the first time since 2007, Pittsburgh was now searching for a new leader. And rather than sticking to their long-standing habit of hiring rising young coordinators, the Steelers pivoted, choosing a veteran presence to fill the void.

“You know we came into this wanting to hire the best coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. We did not say we’re trying to hire a young defensive coordinator or an offensive guy,” Steelers president Art Rooney II said. “We had an open mind about it, I think, and really just like I said wanted to make sure we found the best coach and we were able to interview some great coaches.”

For McCarthy, this third chapter carries real extra weight. After Green Bay and Dallas, he’s now back in his hometown of Pittsburgh. Expectations will be high, sure, considering the Steelers haven’t won a postseason game in nearly a decade. But this isn’t unfamiliar territory for him. He isn’t learning on the job. He’s been here before.

And as the offseason begins, his first major task will be sorting out the quarterback room. And while Aaron Rodgers hasn’t clarified his retirement plans, McCarthy has already made it clear where he stands on a possible reunion.

Mike McCarthy wants a reunion with Aaron Rodgers

The Steelers are slowly piecing together a familiar puzzle from Green Bay. They brought in Aaron Rodgers in 2025 to run the offense. Now, a year later, they’ve added Mike McCarthy to lead the franchise in 2026 following Mike Tomlin’s departure. And with that move, an obvious question has taken center stage: Will Rodgers play one more season in Pittsburgh under his former head coach? McCarthy has made his stance clear.

“Definitely. I don’t know why you wouldn’t,” McCarthy said when asked if he wants Rodgers back in the 2026 season.

The connection runs deep. The Packers drafted Rodgers in 2005. One year later, McCarthy replaced Mike Sherman as Green Bay’s head coach. From 2006 to 2018, the two built a Super Bowl-winning partnership, with McCarthy helping Rodgers establish himself as the franchise quarterback and earn two MVP awards. Fast forward to now, and both have landed in Pittsburgh. While Rodgers has previously suggested that the 2025 season could be his last, an official decision still hasn’t come.

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On the field, the 42-year-old showed he can still play. Rodgers completed nearly 66% of his passes for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions across 16 games, finishing with a 94.8 passer rating. McCarthy would clearly like to begin his Steelers tenure with that version of Rodgers under center. Whether Rodgers feels the same way, though, remains very much up in the air.