Mike Tomlin has expressed his full support for Mike McCarthy as the new head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, his former team. Tomlin, who stepped down in January after 19 seasons at the helm, made his debut in his new role on NBC's "Football Night in America" ahead of the Hall of Fame Game.
"Certainly, being a Pittsburgh native, he understands the standard that is Pittsburgh, and he’ll embrace that," Tomlin said. "His coaching experience will also allow him to manage that. He’s got an awesome résumé. Obviously, the confetti’s rained down on him before with his current quarterback, Aaron Rodgers.
"There’s no substitute for shared success."
Tomlin, who led the Steelers to a Super Bowl victory in 2009 and never had a losing season, believes McCarthy is the right fit for the franchise. "I think he's perfect for them, and they're perfect for Mike," Tomlin stated. He acknowledged the pressure associated with taking over a team that consistently reaches the playoffs but falls short of its ultimate goal, drawing a parallel to the New York Knicks' recent championship drought.
"When you’re running knee-deep into the playoffs, but you don’t get to your desired destination, there’s some expectations that come with transition," Tomlin said. "Certainly, he’s got a little bit of that, but Mike has been around before."
During his NBC debut, Tomlin also advocated for former Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward's induction into the Hall of Fame. He highlighted Ward's "Hall of Fame numbers," including over 1,000 career receptions, more than 12,000 receiving yards, and 85 touchdowns. Tomlin emphasized Ward's "predator" mentality on the field, noting that opposing defensive players feared him.