Now that we know Mike McCarthy is the Steelers' next head coach, attention will quickly turn to who he'll hire for his staff. One question will be how large of a staff he'll be permitted to employ. But more important, who will be the new offensive and defensive coordinators?
"He's in the process right now of trying to hire a staff," Art Rooney IItold Steelers.com's Bob Labriola. It's not an easy task, because some of the people he'd like to hire are under contract to other teams, and so we've got to get permission to talk to them. But just in general, the people he had targeted for key positions -- offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, offensive line coach, and those kinds of things -- we were very comfortable with the discussion around that."
Most recently, McCarthy had 24 coaches under him with the Cowboys in 2024. In 2025, Mike Tomlin had only 18 coaches on his staff. However, we likely won't get an answer for that until McCarthy is formally introduced by Rooney and Omar Khan.
For now, just to get the ball rolling, let's at least take a look at some potential options for both coordinator roles.
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR
Whoever McCarthy hires for this role won't be under the same microscope as previous offensive coordinators. Most likely, McCarthy will be the offensive play caller, something the Steelers have never had at head coach. So, this is truly uncharted territory.
That being said, it doesn't mean this coach won't have an impact on game planning or instruction. This could also be a coach that is young enough to be groomed as some sort of successor down the road.
Nate Scheelhaase Age: 35
Scheelhaase is a hot commodity in this hiring cycle and is still under consideration for the Browns and Raiders head coaching vacancies. So, there is no guarantee he will even be available for this position. However, if he doesn't land any of those jobs and Mike LaFleur doesn't leave his position as offensive coordinator under Sean McVay, perhaps Scheelhaase is available to take a promotion and become McCarthy's offensive coordinator. There are no previous ties between McCarthy and Scheelhaase, but if Rooney and/or Khan were impressed by him during their virtual interview, perhaps he is recommended to McCarthy.
Luke Getsy Age: 41
Getsy, a native of Munhall and Steel Valley alum, worked under McCarthy for four years in Green Bay, two as offensive quality control coach and two more as wide receivers coach. Despite being just 41 years old, he has 11 seasons of coaching experience at the NFL level, three as an offensive coordinator (Bears in 2022-23, Raiders in 2024). While his time in Chicago and Las Vegas did not go well, perhaps he learned enough in four seasons under Matt LaFleur (2019-2021, 2024) to bring more value as an offensive coordinator under McCarthy.
Scott Tolzien Age: 38
Tolzien is a young coach that lacks a lot of experience, but was one of McCarthy's first hires in Dallas. He was with the Cowboys for all five of McCarthy's seasons as head coach, serving as a coaching assistant in 2020-22 and then quarterbacks coach in 2023-24. After McCarthy left Dallas, Tolzien went on to New Orleans to become the Saints' quarterbacks coach in 2025, aiding in Tyler Shough's development as a rookie. Given his experience under McCarthy and work with Shough and Dak Prescott, who was runner up as MVP in 2023, I don't believe Tolzien is completely off McCarthy's radar.
Alex Van Pelt Age: 55
Van Pelt is another Pittsburgh native that has years of experience working under McCarthy. He served as McCarthy's running backs coach in 2012-13 and quarterbacks coach in 2014-17 (Aaron Rodgers' second MVP was with Van Pelt as his quarterbacks coach in 2014). Van Pelt eventually landed his first offensive coordinator role under Kevin Stefanski with the Browns in 2020-2023. He was even the play caller in the Browns' wild-card victory over the Steelers at Heinz Field in 2020. After a disappointing one-year stint as the Patriots' offensive coordinator under Jerod Mayo in 2024, Van Pelt moved on to become a senior offensive assistant under McVay this season with the Rams.
Chase Haslett Age: 33
The son of Pittsburgh native and former Steelers defensive coordinator Jim Haslett, Chase Haslett is another coach that worked under McCarthy for all five of his seasons in Dallas. He served as offensive quality control coach in 2020-22, assistant tight ends coach in 2023 and then pass game specialist in 2024. When McCarthy left Dallas, Haslett joined Tolzien in New Orleans as the Saints' tight ends coach. Outside of Scheelhaase, Haslett could be viewed as the closest thing to an up-and-coming coach at just 33 years old. Also, McCarthy served as offensive coordinator under Jim Haslett with the Saints. Talk about full circle if Jim's son served under McCarthy as offensive coordinator.
Honorable mention: This isn't for offensive coordinator, but firmly believe one way to possibly keep Eddie Faulkner on staff is to give him the title of run game coordinator on top of his role as running backs coach. That's what McCarthy did with Jeff Blasko, his running backs coach with the Cowboys in 2024. Faulker has been interim offensive coordinator for the Steelers before and could help carry over some continuity at the position, especially if Kenneth Gainwell is re-signed in free agency.
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
Defensive coordinator is perhaps the most important hire McCarthy will make once he's officially signed his contract. While McCarthy will shift the primary focus to the offense, making sure the Steelers' defense becomes a formidable unit again is almost as important as finding/developing the next franchise quarterback. Look at the four remaining teams vying for a spot in the Super Bowl. All of them have great defenses.
Not only will this coach need to bring a breath of fresh air from a schematic standpoint, but also take advantage of a good collection of talent. The Steelers have veteran players such as Cam Heyward, T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Patrick Queen, Jalen Ramsey and DeShon Elliott, but also a good crop of younger players such as Joey Porter Jr., Derrick Harmon, Keeanu Benton, Payton Wilson and Nick Herbig that need to continue taking strides forward.
This doesn't have to be an up-and-coming coach. Teams throughout the league have used veteran coach to coordinate great defenses.
Anthony Weaver Age: 45
Should Weaver not land a head coaching job somewhere, perhaps he made enough of an impression during his two interviews with Rooney and Khan that he could be strongly recommended to McCarthy. Weaver has a lot of experience, including stops in both Baltimore and Cleveland, so the AFC North isn't foreign to him. He's also considered to be a strong leader. The main question is if he can do enough from a schematic standpoint.
Al Harris Age: 51
Harris has ties to McCarthy, but in multiple ways. He played as a cornerback under McCarthy in 2006-2010, but then later joined him as a coach with the Cowboys. He served as defensive backs coach and held that position for five seasons in 2020-24. In the fifth and final season under McCarthy, Harris was also made assistant head coach. After McCarthy left, Harris joined Ben Johnson's staff with the Bears as defensive backs coach and defensive pass game coordinator. While Harris has never been a defensive coordinator, this could qualify as an up-and-coming hire.
Raheem Morris Age: 49
If McCarthy wants a coordinator that has some pedigree, Morris might be the way to go. Morris has head coaching experience, but he's also been a a coordinator for a team that's won a Super Bowl (2021 Rams). Morris might not be available, as he's still in the running for the Cardinals' head coaching job. But if he doesn't land that job, Morris could be in the running for this spot in Pittsburgh.
Patrick Graham Age: 47
Graham also has ties to McCarthy, though he spent just one season under him as linebackers coach and run game coordinator with the Packers in 2018, the season McCarthy was fired in Green Bay. Graham later became defensive coordinator with the Dolphins in 2019, and then moved on to become defensive coordinator and assistant head coach with the Giants in 2020-21. Most recently, Graham’s been the Raiders' defensive coordinator for the past four seasons.
Jason Simmons Age: 49
Simmons played 10 NFL seasons as a defensive back, starting with the Steelers in 1998-2001. Just a few years after his playing career ended, McCarthy brought him on with the Packers as a defensive assistant and secondary coach in 2011-15. Simmons stayed in Green Bay even beyond McCarthy's firing in 2018, then moved on to become the Panthers' defensive pass game coordinator and secondary coach in 2020-21. He coached in the same exact role with the Raiders in 2022-23, then joined Dan Quinn's staff with the Commanders as defensive pass game coordinator. With his eight seasons of coaching under McCarthy, then two more seasons coaching under Quinn, who was one of McCarthy's defensive coordinators in Dallas, Simmons is a name that can't be overlooked in this process.
Honorable mention: The Browns' head coaching search could be worth a close eye. If they land on a head coach that chooses not to retain Jim Schwartz as defensive coordinator, he could be a slam-dunk hire for McCarthy. Schwartz is an accomplished coach that's one of the more respected defensive minds in the game, plus he has plenty of experience of coaching against teams within the AFC North. The hangup here is waiting for the Browns to make a decision, and there's no guarantee Schwartz hits the market. Would it be worth the risk?
THE ASYLUM
Potential coordinators for McCarthy
Now that we know Mike McCarthy is the Steelers' next head coach, attention will quickly turn to who he'll hire for his staff. One question will be how large of a staff he'll be permitted to employ. But more important, who will be the new offensive and defensive coordinators?
"He's in the process right now of trying to hire a staff," Art Rooney II told Steelers.com's Bob Labriola. It's not an easy task, because some of the people he'd like to hire are under contract to other teams, and so we've got to get permission to talk to them. But just in general, the people he had targeted for key positions -- offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, offensive line coach, and those kinds of things -- we were very comfortable with the discussion around that."
Most recently, McCarthy had 24 coaches under him with the Cowboys in 2024. In 2025, Mike Tomlin had only 18 coaches on his staff. However, we likely won't get an answer for that until McCarthy is formally introduced by Rooney and Omar Khan.
For now, just to get the ball rolling, let's at least take a look at some potential options for both coordinator roles.
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR
Whoever McCarthy hires for this role won't be under the same microscope as previous offensive coordinators. Most likely, McCarthy will be the offensive play caller, something the Steelers have never had at head coach. So, this is truly uncharted territory.
That being said, it doesn't mean this coach won't have an impact on game planning or instruction. This could also be a coach that is young enough to be groomed as some sort of successor down the road.
Nate Scheelhaase
Age: 35
Scheelhaase is a hot commodity in this hiring cycle and is still under consideration for the Browns and Raiders head coaching vacancies. So, there is no guarantee he will even be available for this position. However, if he doesn't land any of those jobs and Mike LaFleur doesn't leave his position as offensive coordinator under Sean McVay, perhaps Scheelhaase is available to take a promotion and become McCarthy's offensive coordinator. There are no previous ties between McCarthy and Scheelhaase, but if Rooney and/or Khan were impressed by him during their virtual interview, perhaps he is recommended to McCarthy.
Luke Getsy
Age: 41
Getsy, a native of Munhall and Steel Valley alum, worked under McCarthy for four years in Green Bay, two as offensive quality control coach and two more as wide receivers coach. Despite being just 41 years old, he has 11 seasons of coaching experience at the NFL level, three as an offensive coordinator (Bears in 2022-23, Raiders in 2024). While his time in Chicago and Las Vegas did not go well, perhaps he learned enough in four seasons under Matt LaFleur (2019-2021, 2024) to bring more value as an offensive coordinator under McCarthy.
Scott Tolzien
Age: 38
Tolzien is a young coach that lacks a lot of experience, but was one of McCarthy's first hires in Dallas. He was with the Cowboys for all five of McCarthy's seasons as head coach, serving as a coaching assistant in 2020-22 and then quarterbacks coach in 2023-24. After McCarthy left Dallas, Tolzien went on to New Orleans to become the Saints' quarterbacks coach in 2025, aiding in Tyler Shough's development as a rookie. Given his experience under McCarthy and work with Shough and Dak Prescott, who was runner up as MVP in 2023, I don't believe Tolzien is completely off McCarthy's radar.
Alex Van Pelt
Age: 55
Van Pelt is another Pittsburgh native that has years of experience working under McCarthy. He served as McCarthy's running backs coach in 2012-13 and quarterbacks coach in 2014-17 (Aaron Rodgers' second MVP was with Van Pelt as his quarterbacks coach in 2014). Van Pelt eventually landed his first offensive coordinator role under Kevin Stefanski with the Browns in 2020-2023. He was even the play caller in the Browns' wild-card victory over the Steelers at Heinz Field in 2020. After a disappointing one-year stint as the Patriots' offensive coordinator under Jerod Mayo in 2024, Van Pelt moved on to become a senior offensive assistant under McVay this season with the Rams.
Chase Haslett
Age: 33
The son of Pittsburgh native and former Steelers defensive coordinator Jim Haslett, Chase Haslett is another coach that worked under McCarthy for all five of his seasons in Dallas. He served as offensive quality control coach in 2020-22, assistant tight ends coach in 2023 and then pass game specialist in 2024. When McCarthy left Dallas, Haslett joined Tolzien in New Orleans as the Saints' tight ends coach. Outside of Scheelhaase, Haslett could be viewed as the closest thing to an up-and-coming coach at just 33 years old. Also, McCarthy served as offensive coordinator under Jim Haslett with the Saints. Talk about full circle if Jim's son served under McCarthy as offensive coordinator.
Honorable mention: This isn't for offensive coordinator, but firmly believe one way to possibly keep Eddie Faulkner on staff is to give him the title of run game coordinator on top of his role as running backs coach. That's what McCarthy did with Jeff Blasko, his running backs coach with the Cowboys in 2024. Faulker has been interim offensive coordinator for the Steelers before and could help carry over some continuity at the position, especially if Kenneth Gainwell is re-signed in free agency.
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
Defensive coordinator is perhaps the most important hire McCarthy will make once he's officially signed his contract. While McCarthy will shift the primary focus to the offense, making sure the Steelers' defense becomes a formidable unit again is almost as important as finding/developing the next franchise quarterback. Look at the four remaining teams vying for a spot in the Super Bowl. All of them have great defenses.
Not only will this coach need to bring a breath of fresh air from a schematic standpoint, but also take advantage of a good collection of talent. The Steelers have veteran players such as Cam Heyward, T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Patrick Queen, Jalen Ramsey and DeShon Elliott, but also a good crop of younger players such as Joey Porter Jr., Derrick Harmon, Keeanu Benton, Payton Wilson and Nick Herbig that need to continue taking strides forward.
This doesn't have to be an up-and-coming coach. Teams throughout the league have used veteran coach to coordinate great defenses.
Anthony Weaver
Age: 45
Should Weaver not land a head coaching job somewhere, perhaps he made enough of an impression during his two interviews with Rooney and Khan that he could be strongly recommended to McCarthy. Weaver has a lot of experience, including stops in both Baltimore and Cleveland, so the AFC North isn't foreign to him. He's also considered to be a strong leader. The main question is if he can do enough from a schematic standpoint.
Al Harris
Age: 51
Harris has ties to McCarthy, but in multiple ways. He played as a cornerback under McCarthy in 2006-2010, but then later joined him as a coach with the Cowboys. He served as defensive backs coach and held that position for five seasons in 2020-24. In the fifth and final season under McCarthy, Harris was also made assistant head coach. After McCarthy left, Harris joined Ben Johnson's staff with the Bears as defensive backs coach and defensive pass game coordinator. While Harris has never been a defensive coordinator, this could qualify as an up-and-coming hire.
Raheem Morris
Age: 49
If McCarthy wants a coordinator that has some pedigree, Morris might be the way to go. Morris has head coaching experience, but he's also been a a coordinator for a team that's won a Super Bowl (2021 Rams). Morris might not be available, as he's still in the running for the Cardinals' head coaching job. But if he doesn't land that job, Morris could be in the running for this spot in Pittsburgh.
Patrick Graham
Age: 47
Graham also has ties to McCarthy, though he spent just one season under him as linebackers coach and run game coordinator with the Packers in 2018, the season McCarthy was fired in Green Bay. Graham later became defensive coordinator with the Dolphins in 2019, and then moved on to become defensive coordinator and assistant head coach with the Giants in 2020-21. Most recently, Graham’s been the Raiders' defensive coordinator for the past four seasons.
Jason Simmons
Age: 49
Simmons played 10 NFL seasons as a defensive back, starting with the Steelers in 1998-2001. Just a few years after his playing career ended, McCarthy brought him on with the Packers as a defensive assistant and secondary coach in 2011-15. Simmons stayed in Green Bay even beyond McCarthy's firing in 2018, then moved on to become the Panthers' defensive pass game coordinator and secondary coach in 2020-21. He coached in the same exact role with the Raiders in 2022-23, then joined Dan Quinn's staff with the Commanders as defensive pass game coordinator. With his eight seasons of coaching under McCarthy, then two more seasons coaching under Quinn, who was one of McCarthy's defensive coordinators in Dallas, Simmons is a name that can't be overlooked in this process.
Honorable mention: The Browns' head coaching search could be worth a close eye. If they land on a head coach that chooses not to retain Jim Schwartz as defensive coordinator, he could be a slam-dunk hire for McCarthy. Schwartz is an accomplished coach that's one of the more respected defensive minds in the game, plus he has plenty of experience of coaching against teams within the AFC North. The hangup here is waiting for the Browns to make a decision, and there's no guarantee Schwartz hits the market. Would it be worth the risk?
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