Surprise HC Candidate Emerging for Steelers?

The Pittsburgh Steelers' short list of candidates for their head coaching vacancy has come into focus and had seemed rather set in stone, but a new name may be entering the fray.

According to former NFL offensive lineman and current analyst Brian Baldinger on his "Best Football Show" podcast, Pittsburgh is "very interested" in University of Miami head coach Mario Cristobal.

"Not out here trying to play reporter or doing any of that nonsense, but I hear the Steelers are very interested in Mario Cristobal, the coach at the University of Miami," Baldinger said. "I think Mario Cristobal actually would really translate well to the NFL. I watched his practice in the spring. The way that Mario coached that team reminded me of what old-school coaches used to do."

Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal reacts after a play against the Indiana Hoosiers during the first half of the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Would Cristobal Actually Make Sense for Steelers?

Cristobal, who is fresh off a loss in the national title game to the Indiana Hoosiers, hasn't appeared to generate any meaningful buzz around his name in regards to him potentially jumping up a level.

Pittsburgh reportedly had interest in Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman before he decided to remain with the program for at least another season, so it's not as though the organization is a stranger to considering collegiate coaches.

Cristobal is among the top coaches in the NCAA, having gone 35-13 in his five years at Oregon from 2017 to 2021 before heading to Miami, his alma mater, ahead of the 2022 campaign.

With the Hurricanes, Cristobal has compiled a 35-19 record and led the program to its first-ever College Football Playoff appearance this year.

Baldinger is the only national pundit to connect the Steelers to Cristobal at this point in time, so it's unclear if there's truly any formal interest in him.

Poaching coaches from the college ranks to become first-time leaders in the NFL is usually a hit-or-miss process, with the Carolina Panthers' decision to hire Matt Rhule away from Baylor before the 2020 campaign was a whiff.

That's not to say Cristobal would suffer a similar fate if Pittsburgh were to ever hire him, but it's still pertinent given the context.

Again, bringing Cristobal in feels relatively unrealistic from where things stand at the moment, but Baldinger may know something the rest of the football world doesn't.

The State of the Steelers' HC Search

Earlier this week, Pittsburgh completed in-person interviews with Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores as well as former Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy. The organization will also sit down with Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver on Jan. 23.

A pair of Los Angeles Rams coaches in defensive coordinator Chris Shula and pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, both of whom completed virtual interviews with the Steelers, also seem to be among their top candidates. Neither can meet with the team in-person until next week, though, as the Rams get set to face the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC championship game.

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