Steelers Lose Top OC Candidate, New Frontrunner Emerges

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers had a clear-cut frontrunner for their vacant offensive coordinator position. New head coach Mike McCarthy has quickly moved to fill out his coaching staff, and all signs pointed to former Green Bay Packers quarterback and New Orleans Saints quarterbacks coach Scott Tolzien as the next OC in Pittsburgh.

All of a sudden, a new name emerged for the Steelers. Minnesota Vikings tight ends coach and passing game coordinator Brian Angelichio became another top candidate in the mix. The race was then down to these two candidates.

Now, Tolzien's time as frontrunner is done and Angelichio is the candidate McCarthy and the Steelers are zeroing in on. According to a recent update from Jonathan Jones of NFL on CBS, Tolzien is set to return to the Saints for the 2026 season in the same role as quarterbacks coach. Because of this, Angelichio is now expected to be named offensive coordinator in Pittsburgh.

"Scott Tolzien, who interviewed yesterday with the Steelers for their offensive coordinator position, is going to stay with the Saints as their quarterbacks coach," he wrote via his X account.

Scott Tolzien, who interviewed yesterday with the Steelers for their offensive coordinator position, is going to stay with the Saints as their quarterbacks coach, source tells @NFLonCBS.
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) February 3, 2026

What Angelichio Brings

After quickly popping up as a name to watch in the team's search, it appears that Angelichio is the only name left in the race. After spending the past few seasons with the Vikings, Angelichio is set to take a huge leap as the new offensive coordinator in Pittsburgh.

During his time in Minnesota, he's been a key part of Kevin O'Connell's staff and offensive game planning. In 2022, he was instrumental in helping tight end T.J. Hockenson return to Pro Bowl form. In his debut campaign with Minnesota, Hockenson hauled in 519 receiving yards in just 10 games with the Vikings and exceeded 700 yards overall.

Another McCarthy Guy

Angelichio doesn't have experience calling plays at the NFL level, but that won't matter in Pittsburgh. During McCarthy's introductory press conference, he stated that he would be calling the plays on offense. That sets up Angelichio to learn the role slowly while helping to form and execute McCarthy's offensive game plan.

Before Angelichio officially takes the job, there is one other candidate to consider. Lunda Wells, tight ends coach of the Dallas Cowboys, has also interviewed for the role. Wells also has previous ties and experience with McCarthy. For now, Angelichio is the frontrunner to be the new OC for the Steelers in 2026.

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