The Pittsburgh Steelers will be repeating as AFC North champs due to an under-the-radar, impressive offseason thus far. The six-time Super Bowl-winning franchise got the ball rolling by mutually agreeing to part ways with longtime head coach Mike Tomlin and bring in Pittsburgh native Mike McCarthy as his successor.
Tomlin was widely expected to be relieved of his duties following another first-round playoff exit, while McCarthy made a ton of sense logically as a replacement. His well-established history of success in the NFL, offensive prowess, and aforementioned roots to the city all aligned with what the front office was seeking in their next head coach.
In terms of player personnel, Pittsburgh has added impactful players like Rico Dowdle and Jamel Dean via free agency and traded for Michael Pittman Jr., who was then immediately rewarded with a contract extension. To sum it up, these are three high-quality players that will contribute to winning and play quality football immediately, and a coach with a Super Bowl ring on his mantle at home, being added to a historic franchise.
So where is the excitement?
McCarthy Immediately Becomes The Best Coach In The Division
In recent years, public opinion seems to have soured on Mike McCarthy, but this could largely be attributed to negative Cowboys bias from his time in Dallas. The vitriol was clearly warranted because all he did was spearhead three consecutive twelve-win seasons, which is extremely easy to do in the NFL, and every franchise turns out those kinds of seasons regularly. Clearly, McCarthy’s teams’ playoff performances left something to be desired, but that should not disparage his overall reputation as one of the league’s top options at the helm.
The AFC North will welcome three new head coaches in 2026. The lone survivor being Zac Taylor, who is guaranteed to be on the hot seat the second the season gets underway. The offense is unquestionably talented, but with a patchwork defense that lost its best player in Trey Hendrickson to a division rival, and a head coach who knows his job is on the line, it’s hard to envision a successful season in Cincinnati.
The Browns shocked many around the league when they decided to hire 60-year-old Todd Monken as their head coach. Not much can be said about this team to give Cleveland fans hope. Their roster is putrid, and Monken does not inspire much of any confidence that this season will be any different than the last few.
The Ravens are most definitely the biggest threat to dethrone the Steelers in the division. Baltimore brought in the young Jesse Minter to replace longtime head coach John Harbaugh and will immediately be expected to win. The 42-year-old has impressed in his young career as a college defensive coordinator for Michigan and then in the NFL with the Chargers for the last two years. He clearly oozes potential; however, it remains to be seen if he’s more of a Steve Spagnuolo or Bill Belichick.
Based on that group of coaches within the division, it is impossible to honestly believe that McCarthy is not clearly the best of the bunch. His resume boasts 18 years of NFL head coaching experience, a .608 winning percentage, and a Lombardi Trophy. None of the other three coaches comes anywhere near those types of accolades. McCarthy will have instant credibility with his players, and his leadership, coupled with his offensive expertise, will be a difference maker in the coming season.
The Offense Will Be The Reason They’re AFC North Champs
Since the days of the Killer B’s (Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell, Antonio Brown), the Steelers have been looking for an identity on the offensive side of the ball. In recent years, they have been able to reach the playoffs with subpar offenses, but have been swiftly exposed and eliminated each time.
The most recent being a demoralizing 30-6 loss in the Wild Card round at home to the Houston Texans, which included two defensive scores and 23 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. The embarrassing loss brought an unceremonious end to Tomlin’s tenure in Pittsburgh. At the very least, it may have been the moment of realization for the front office that offense is actually somewhat important to winning, and it probably should be addressed.
Going into 2026, one thing can be said that hasn’t been said about the Steelers in many years. On paper, their offensive skill position players actually look solid. The idea of a backfield featuring Dowdle and Jaylen Warren, a receiving core headlined by DK Metcalf and Pittman Jr., and a tight end duo of Pat Freiermuth and the monstrous Darnell Washington is extremely promising. These are all veteran players who know what their roles are, and it will be incredibly interesting to see how Coach McCarthy builds an offense around them.
Obviously, the elephant in the room is the quarterback position. As of now, it appears the most likely options include second-year man Will Howard, newly free agent Kirk Cousins, and potentially even future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers. Admittedly, this isn’t exactly a group of guys that teams are lining up to sign; nonetheless, they have all had success in college or the pros, and would be joining a team where they would not be asked to carry an immense load in order for the team to be successful.
McCarthy is adept at tailoring his offensive strategy to the abilities of his quarterback, and he would put whoever that may be in the best position to succeed. Couple that aspect with an improved offensive roster and a still stout defense led by TJ Watt and Cameron Heyward, and the Pittsburgh Steelers will repeat atop the AFC North once again come next January.
