For a likely future Hall of Fame coach who’s won a Super Bowl and has never been shy about showing his pride for being from Pittsburgh, Mike McCarthy has not exactly enthused Pittsburgh Steelers fans in the wake of his hiring by the team.
Steelers president Art Rooney II, though, believes that will come in time.
“The message for our fans is we’re very excited,” Rooney II told the Steelers’ official website Sunday, the day after the team announced an agreement with McCarthy to replace Mike Tomlin as head coach. “We think we have a coach who is well-equipped to lead us into the next winning phase of Steelers football, and that’s what it’s all about. I think they’re going to love Coach Mike.”
In addition to lauding McCarthy’s long track record as an NFL head coach and his demonstrated ability to work with young quarterbacks, Rooney said, too, that McCarthy’s Pittsburgh roots played a minor role in the decision.
McCarthy is from the Greenfield section of the city.
One factor that did not influence the Steelers’ hierarchy, Rooney said, is the prevailing opinion of its fan base that preferred a younger option. McCarthy, 62, is more than two decades older than the average age of the other eight candidates whom the Steelers considered.
Since the hire was announced, many Steelers fans have expressed angst that McCarthy’s resume too closely resembles that of Tomlin’s.
“We’re really not worried about winning the initial press conference. It’s about picking the coach we believe will help us win games,” Rooney said. “And social media really doesn’t enter into it. And none of that will matter once we’re starting to play games.
