Sean McDermott Should Be Steelers Next Head Coach

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers just got some very interesting coaching news. Their initial list of candidates was a mix of offensive and defensive coaches, with really just one "older coach" being included in their interviews.

Maybe, they'll be adding a second.

Mike McCarthy was the outlier of the Steelers initial requests for interviews, being 62-years-old in a group of candidates that ranged from 35 to 46. Pittsburgh's Team President Art Rooney II clearly has an idea of what the age bracket is for his next head coach, but what if he can reconsider things with another candidate.

No, that candidate isn't McCarthy. The Pittsburgh native and former Aaron Rodgers head coach may be a candidate, but he's likely not the favorite to land the job. Sean McDermott could be, though.

The Buffalo Bills have decided to move on from McDermott after nine seasons. The 51-year-old head coach held a 98-50 record in Buffalo, taking the team to two AFC Championship games, and leading them to five AFC East titles with a .662 winning percentage (ranking 15th all-time).

When he took over the team, the Bills hadn't made the playoffs in 18 years.

Sources: The Bills have fired Sean McDermott after 9 seasons.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 19, 2026

The Steelers wouldn't want that? Rooney made it clear that he doesn't want to "rebuild" and is looking to remain a contender after Tomlin. It's what kept Tomlin around for 19 years, never being questioned by the organization.

" I'm not going to say, well, we're going to take a couple of years to figure this out, and then we'll try to compete. I think you try every year, and as I said, some years you have the horses to really get there, some years you don't. But you try every year, in my view," Rooney said.

"No," he later added when asked if the team will rebuild. "I don't know if it's a rebuild. It's a new coach, so there will be changes. We'll have to all get comfortable with kind of the plan. Whether you call it a rebuild or not, I don't like that word that much. We'll try to compete day one if we can."

McDermott is the Perfect Fit for Steelers

There's one quote from Rooney's press conference that continues to surface when discussing the Steelers head coaching search.

"There are a lot of things that go into being a successful coach,” Rooney said when asked what the team is looking for. “Number one, really, I think in my mind, is leadership and really trusting that this person can stand in front of your team day in and day out, and hold their attention and have them motivated to do what they do. So, that’s what’s most important.”

Last year, after the Bills lost to the Chiefs in the playoffs, quarterback Josh Allen showed just how well McDermott fits that criteria.

"This is gonna sound weird, I’m just so proud of coach,” Allen said. “I don’t know why he’s not recognized more in the awards stuff. That’s the cruddy thing about it. But time in and time out, he’s got us in position. . . . We’re fighting to get over that hump, and he gives his life to this. He’s so committed to doing whatever it takes.”

Jan 17, 2026; Denver, CO, USA; Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott during the second quarter of an AFC Divisional Round playoff game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

If McDermott was at the end of his career, the Steelers shouldn't be a team considering him. They're ready for something new and refreshing and an older head coach isn't that. After 19 years of Mike Tomlin, they need to find the next Mike Tomlin, but different.

McDermott is two years younger than Tomlin, though. And it was surprising that Tomlin chose to not pursue another job this season. But he's so young that people expect him to return and be great, even if it's down the road.

Which means McDermott has plenty of time left. Maybe he isn't the next 20-year head coach of the Steelers, but if he's there for 10, or 15, that's a successful run for any team, even Pittsburgh.

McDermott is a defensive-minded coach who's a proven winner and has helped turn an organization in Buffalo into a contender. Rooney is looking for that same success in Pittsburgh.

And without question, McDermott becomes a top - if not the top - option for the Steelers. An easy hire amongst anyone else on the market.

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