Mike McCarthy says he’s been invited to Packers-Steelers, will be in attendance for ‘Sunday Night Football’ showdown
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Mike McCarthy didn’t get the invitation for the first “McCarthy Bowl” this season.
He did for the second one. And he can’t wait to be there.
The top storyline in the Green Bay Packers’ Week 8 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, of course, is Aaron Rodgers.
The Steelers quarterback is facing his former team for the first time. It’s a game made for primetime.
But someone not involved in the game is also intertwined in the history: McCarthy.
McCarthy has a long history with Rodgers. He coached him for 11 years as the starting quarterback in Green Bay and spent 13 years overall with him. They were together when the Packers won their last Super Bowl 15 years ago over the Steelers. Oh, and McCarthy is also a Pittsburgh native.
During his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Friday, Oct. 24, when asked about Rodgers and the game, McCarthy said: “First off, you guys are awesome because you communicated so well that this is actually a ‘McCarthy Bowl,’ so now I’ve been invited to this one.”
The first “McCarthy Bowl” came last month when the Packers took on the Dallas Cowboys. The Packers and Cowboys played to a 40-40 overtime on “Sunday Night Football” in Week 4 on Sept. 28 at AT&T Stadium. McCarthy spent five seasons (2020-24) as the head coach in Dallas. After finishing 7-10 last season, the Cowboys and McCarthy parted ways.
McCarthy has relocated with his family back in the Green Bay area, where he has a street named in his honor. He’s loved in Pittsburgh as well.
That’s why he’s just as excited as anyone for Packers vs. Steelers.
“I think it’s going to be a hell of a game,” McCarthy said. “Just fall ball back in Pittsburgh. The Packers coming to town, I think it’s going to be an incredible setting. Really looking forward to watching the game.
“I think it’s a pick ’em. I’m going back to the old pigskin games. I don’t even know what the line is, don’t want to know what the line is.”
The Packers (4-1-1), winners of two straight, are a 3-point favorite over Rodgers and the Steelers (4-2), who are coming off a 33-31 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. At 41 years old, Rodgers, though, has turned back the clock and is playing as well as he has since his MVP seasons. He is completing 68.6% of his passes, is tied for fifth in the NFL with 14 TDs and has a 105.0 rating.
“I think it’s going to be a hell of a football game,” McCarthy said. “Looking forward to watching it.”
Mike McCarthy record with the Packers
McCarthy enjoyed a successful run during his 11-plus seasons as head coach of the Packers from 2006-18.
He led the Packers to six NFC North titles, nine playoff berths, including a franchise-record eight straight from 2009-16, and the crowning achievement in 2010 when Green Bay won the Super Bowl.
His 125 wins as head coach in Green Bay are the second-most in franchise history behind only Curly Lambeau. With a 125-77-2 record his .618 winning percentage is fifth highest. And his 18 playoff games coached and 10 postseason wins are both most in team history.
