Will we eat our words?
Folks have been pondering the great Steelers breakup with longtime head coach Mike Tomlin and whether that was good or bad in the long term. There was outrage on both sides with Tomlin critics asserting it was time for a change and his walking away was for the best. Tomlin loyalists (along with long-suffering fan bases like the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets and Oakland Raiders) warned Steelers fans who wanted Tomlin gone to be careful what you wish for and that – often – the grass isn’t always greener.
There was much wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth across Steelers Nation. What would the Rooneys do? Who would they hire? Interviews and rumors of interviews followed with everyone becoming an expert on social media and at the local watering holes. We need a young coach … we need an offensive-minded coach, etc.
Finally, like a great black and gold puff of smoke billowing from atop Acrisure Stadium, word of the final decision trickled down to the masses. Mike McCarthy. Huh? Really? Him? The guy who was fired from his last two head coaching jobs? Sure, he’s a Pittsburgh native who grew up bleeding black and gold and even worked as an overnight toll taker on the Pennsylavnia Turnpike while volunteering as a grad assistant coach at Pitt back in the day. But Mike McCarthy?
The masses seethed and rolled their eyes at the thought of a 62-year-old guy who was out of the coaching game last year after being dismissed from the Cowboys by Jerry Jones taking the reins of our favorite football team. “How could they do this? Art Rooney needs to step down and sell the team! What a terrible hire!” shouted the fans across social media, text messages and around the water coolers and watering holes.
I shook my head imagining the moment the Steelers’ turn came at the upcoming NFL Draft being held in Pittsburgh in April and the Rooneys and Steelers possibly facing boos from their own fans in their own city. Were people overreacting? Was this really a savvy move by the Steelers owners and management?
Slowly, people started to calm down and analyze the situation. McCarthy has a winning record overall and led the Green Bay Packers to a Super Bowl victory (over the Steelers). He is an offensive-minded coach known for calling his own plays and developing quarterback talent.
“Hmmm, well, let’s see who he hires as his assistant coaches,” sniffed the skeptics. So far, the list is coming together packed with coaches he worked with in Green Bay and other spots and who have decent resumes themselves.
Then came the formal press conference when he addressed the masses and let everyone see just how much this chance, this team and this city mean to him. I wondered as I watched: Will we all be eating our words this time next year? Let’s hope so!
Here. We. Go.
Kristin Emery can be reached at kristinemery1@yahoo.com.