Mike McCarthy's new coaching job has Cowboys fans doing double takes

It became evident early in Brian Schottenheimer's first season that the Dallas Cowboys were right to move on from Mike McCarthy. It's very easy to argue that McCarthy should've been fired after the Cowboys' embarrassing playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers in 2023, but the damage is already done.

McCarthy failed to land a head coaching gig in 2024, but he has returned with a bang, as NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported the Pittsbrugh Steelers are working towards a deal to hire McCarthy.

This is a dream outcome for McCarthy, who grew up in Pittsburgh and worked as a graduate assistant at Pitt in the 1980s. Say what you will about McCarthy, but he will have coached for three of the NFL's most iconic franchises -- the Cowboys, Packers, and Steelers -- when he retires.

That is a wildly impressive résumé.

Ex-Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy to become Steelers' new head coach

McCarthy received significant coaching interest this cycle, taking interviews with the Giants and Titans before those teams pivoted to John Harbaugh and Robert Saleh, respectively.

For a moment, it looked like he was going to strike out again, but Mike Tomlin’s decision to step down after 18 years as the Steelers’ head coach opened the door for McCarthy to return to Pittsburgh.

The Steelers historically have targeted young, defensive-minded coaches, so this is a big departure from how they normally operate. They won the AFC North in 2025 with a 10-7 record before losing at home to the Houston Texans in the first round of the playoffs.

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The biggest question McCarthy must answer is whether he wants Aaron Rodgers to return as quarterback. Steelers owner Art Rooney previously intimated that Rodgers wouldn't be back, but he left the door open for the 42-year-old's return.

McCarthy and Rodgers won a Super Bowl together with the Packers in 2010, and they spent 13 seasons together in Green Bay.

Tom Pelissero clarified that the Steelers are not hiring Mike McCarthy to entice Aaron Rodgers back to Pittsburgh, but McCarthy may be the lone coach besides Tomlin that Rodgers would consider playing for at this stage of his career.

This is not a deep quarterback class, but Pittsburgh is well-positioned at pick No. 21 to throw a dart at Alabama's Ty Simpson if he's available. Regardless, McCarthy's status as one of the league's top QB developers makes it likely that the Steelers will draft a quarterback.

Before you ask, no, the Cowboys do not play Steelers in 2026. The only way the teams can meet is in the Super Bowl.

There is no love lost between Dallas and Pittsburgh, but it is still cool to see McCarthy get another opportunity in the city where he grew up.