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Former Wisconsin Badgers QB interviewing for offensive coordinator job with Mike McCarthy and Pittsburgh Steelers

New Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy is looking at a former Wisconsin Badgers and Green Bay Packers quarterback to be his offensive coordinator.
Lorin Cox|
Former Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Scott Tolzien (16) is interviewing to be the offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers under Mike McCarthy.
Former Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Scott Tolzien (16) is interviewing to be the offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers under Mike McCarthy. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

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Some deep Wisconsin connections could come together for the Pittsburgh Steelers' coaching staff under new head coach Mike McCarthy.

While Jim Leonhard has been the former Badgers player getting a lot of the coaching attention this winter, a different ex-Wisconsin standout is now in the mix to be a coordinator in Pittsburgh.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported that the Steelers are planning to interview former Badgers quarterback Scott Tolzien to be their offensive coordinator.

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Tolzien is currently the quarterbacks coach for the New Orleans Saints, but he spent the previous two years in that same role for the Dallas Cowboys, where McCarthy was last head coach.

He also played for McCarthy when the two were both with the Green Bay Packers from 2013-2015.

Tolzien actually started his coaching career with the Badgers for one season in 2019, helping out Paul Chryst's staff as an analyst who helped scout opponents.

From there, he jumped to the NFL as an assistant for McCarthy on the Cowboys.

Related: Former Wisconsin Badgers coach Jim Leonhard connected to open defensive coordinator role on team he played for

Tolzien was a two-year starter as a QB at Wisconsin, going 21-5 over that span and leading the Badgers to the Rose Bowl in 2010.

He went undrafted in the 2011 NFL Draft but went onto have a seven-year pro career as a backup for the 49ers, Packers and Colts.

He appeared in six games with two starts for Green Bay, throwing for one touchdown and rushing for another with a spin move many Packers fans still remember.

As a coach, he has worked with Tyler Shough of the Saints and Dak Prescott of the Cowboys.

In Pittsburgh, he could get a chance to coach Aaron Rodgers if he returns for another season.

Even if he doesn't get the Steelers job, Tolzien will remain on the radar for offensive coordinator gigs in the future.

He is currently serving as the OC for one of the two squads of college all-stars participating down at the Senior Bowl.

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Lorin Cox
LORIN COX

Lorin Cox is the managing editor of Wisconsin Badgers on SI. He has been covering Badgers sports since 2014, when he was an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin. He previously wrote for the Wisconsin State Journal, NBC Sports Chicago and USA Today Sports Media Group, and he is a former analyst for Pro Football Focus.

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