Steelers legend Jerome Bettis calls Mike McCarthy a 'championship-caliber head coach'

For nan first clip since 2007, nan Pittsburgh Steelers made a caput coaching prosecute this offseason, bringing successful Mike McCarthy, and squad fable Jerome Bettis is excited astir nan move.

Mike Tomlin stepped down aft 19 years arsenic nan caput coach, winning a Super Bowl and ne'er having a losing play successful his tenure, leaving large shoes to fill. Bettis said that he is excited for what McCarthy brings to nan table.

"I deliberation he's decidedly a fundamentals-type coach. He's won a championship, truthful he's a championship-caliber caput coach. He knows what occurrence looks like," Bettis told Fox News Digital successful a caller interview.

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Pittsburgh Steelers backmost Aaron Rodgers listens to caput coach Mike McCarthy during NFL believe successful Pittsburgh connected May 20, 2026. (Gene J. Puskar/AP)

McCarthy was nan caput coach of nan Green Bay Packers successful 2011, erstwhile they hit nan Steelers successful Super Bowl XLV pinch Aaron Rodgers arsenic his quarterback. Now, complete a decade and a half later, he is opening a caller section arsenic nan Steelers caput coach, pinch Rodgers erstwhile again his quarterback.

"We're excited that he's starting nan adjacent section of nan Steelers statement successful position of a activity perspective. I deliberation there's a batch of excitement for what he brings to nan table," Bettis said.

Bettis said that Tomlin had a "hell of a run" arsenic nan Steelers caput coach. He said he knew nan anticipation existed of Tomlin stepping distant simply because of really agelong his tenure was.

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Pittsburgh Steelers caput coach Mike Tomlin stands connected nan sidelines earlier an AFC Wild Card Round crippled against nan Houston Texans astatine Acrisure Stadium successful Pittsburgh, Pa., connected Jan. 12, 2026. (Barry Reeger/Imagn Images)

"I was surprised, but successful nan aforesaid breath, I was not. He had been location 19 years. I mean that's a hellhole of a tally successful position of nan timetable. So, you knew that he had put a batch of clip successful pinch nan organization. It's ne'er a awesome clip to locomotion away. So, it was astonishing successful that nary 1 expected it," Bettis said.

"I didn't decidedly didn't expect it to happen, but I knew that nan anticipation ever exists erstwhile it’s been 19-20 years of being pinch an organization."

Bettis said he is thankful for what Tomlin did for nan organization.

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Jerome Bettis speaks connected SiriusXM during Super Bowl LIX successful New Orleans, La., connected Feb. 5, 2025. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

Bettis is 1 of nan champion moving backs successful Steelers history. Nicknamed "The Bus," Bettis is successful nan Pro Football Hall of Fame.

In 13 seasons successful nan NFL, pinch nan past 10 pinch nan Steelers, Bettis ran for 13,662 yards and 91 touchdowns while catching 200 passes for 1,449 yards and 3 touchdowns. He was an integral portion of nan Steelers’ Super Bowl XL triumph complete nan Seattle Seahawks, arsenic he ran for 3 touchdowns during their playoff run.

Bettis will beryllium playing successful nan American Century Tournament from July 10-12 astatine Edgewood Golf Course successful Lake Tahoe. It will beryllium broadcast connected NBC and Peacock.

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