Did you know Mike McCarthy’s dad was a Pittsburgh firefighter who owned a bar in city?

The Pittsburgh Steelers are beginning to conduct head coaching interviews with candidates to replace Mike Tomlin. One name to keep an eye on is longtime coach Mike McCarthy. Although he doesn’t fit the mold of the organization’s hiring methods in the past, McCarthy’s strong connections to the city could quickly make him a hometown favorite.

Reports indicate that the 62-year-old head coach grew up a Steelers fan and that his father was a Pittsburgh firefighter, police officer, and also owned a bar in the city, according to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. If hired by the franchise, McCarthy would become the head coach of his childhood favorite team.

“Mike McCarthy’s father, Joe, was a firefighter and Pittsburgh Police Department officer who also owned Joe McCarthy’s Bar and Grill. Mike was raised a Steelers fan — and beat them in Super Bowl XLV. Now, a true Yinzer could come home to pursue the franchise’s next Lombardi.”

His Pittsburgh background certainly doesn’t guarantee him the job, but it’s a cool bit of information about McCarthy in general. The Steelers are the second organization to interview the 18-year veteran coach, with the Tennessee Titans having already met with Mike McCarthy for their head coach opening.

The last time McCarthy was the head coach of an NFL franchise was in the 2024-25 season with the Dallas Cowboys. Although his final year in Dallas ended with a 7-10 regular season record, McCarthy had the team winning consistently in three out of his five seasons with the club.

However, his Super Bowl drought is noteworthy, as he has not won a championship since the 2010-11 season with the Green Bay Packers. Regardless, his career 60.8% win percentage is something most NFL teams strive for. Especially a team like the Steelers, who favor consistent winning every season.

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