After the Pittsburgh Steelers suffered another blowout loss in the Wild Card round of the NFL Playoffs, they needed a change. However, no one could have predicted Mike Tomlin's retirement. Then came an even more surprising move: the hiring of Mike McCarthy. McCarthy's hire bucked a 57-year trend of teams hiring young defensive coordinators as first-time head coaches. Still, the expectations were clear: fix a mediocre offense. Once the dust settled and the offseason got underway, a little more optimism surrounded the change. However, not everyone is convinced it's enough to move the needle. Even a former Steelers cornerback and future Hall of Famer shares that outlook.
Patrick Peterson spoke to D.J. Siddiqi of Casino.CA and shared his outlook on the Steelers' ceiling.
“They're third in the division right now. I think Baltimore is a better team. Cincinnati is going to be better if Joe Burrow is healthy. I think the Steelers, they're going to be salvageable,” Peterson said. He then gave the Steelers a low ceiling for 2026.
“They're going to get their eight-to-nine wins and Aaron Rodgers is going to go off into the sunset. But I don't think they're in position to compete as a team right now in the AFC North.”
New Steelers Against a New AFC North?
The reality is that while the Steelers have made a lot of changes, their environment has changed too. The Baltimore Ravens, like the Steelers, have a whole new coaching staff and made upgrades in the NFL Draft. Baltimore also returns a lot of starters, which makes continuity easier to navigate. In all likelihood, the Ravens and Steelers face a similar era of change.
The Cincinnati Bengals, however, suddenly have a chance with a retooled defense. It may not be enough to stop elite offenses, but Cincinnati has taken drastic steps to address its weaknesses. Is it enough to compete with the Ravens and Steelers, who are both navigating their own eras of change?
The Cleveland Browns also face a new era, even if constant change is nothing new for them. They hired Todd Monken to replace Kevin Stefanski. However, they also dealt away their best player and have limited talent. There's no denying, though, that Monken has a strong track record of developing offenses.
McCarthy's Challenge Within the Steelers
“Mike McCarthy is a great head coach. He's done some great things in Green Bay, done great things in Dallas, but I think with this team being an older team, it's going to be a lot more challenging,” Peterson added about the Steelers' outlook under their new head coach.
As Tomlin did in 2007, McCarthy must win over a locker room full of veterans accustomed to the previous regime. That can be a challenge for some coaches; however, this won't be McCarthy's first rodeo. His previous head coaching experience means he's already faced these types of challenges before. Chances are his track record will bring a good offense to the Steelers. However, his first years weren't lights-out in Green Bay or Dallas.
McCarthy had a quarterback nearing retirement when he took the Green Bay job in 2006, and Dak Prescott suffered a gruesome, season-ending injury in Dallas in 2020. Both teams missed the playoffs in McCarthy's first season with each club. However, neither was a playoff team the season before, either.
This time, McCarthy inherits a playoff team with questions, and for once, that might work in his favor. Peterson's ceiling for the Steelers is understandably low. However, how high their ceiling truly is remains up in the air. It may not reach Super Bowl aspirations, but the Steelers should stand a chance in the AFC North.
