Who would you like to have as a Head Coach?

First things first. The Art and the FO are going to do things the way they always do. The next HC, whenever that may be, will be a late 30's something DC with no HC experience. They're not going to recycle some prior NFL HC and they aren't going to look in the college ranks either. Minter fits the bill.

Second, any young DC fortunate enough to be offered the position will jump at it. It's the only job in NFL with some semblance of long-term job security. You're going to get plenty of time.

Now if we are making a wish list without regard to the "Steeler Way", it does bring up an interesting philosophical question. Do you want a "leader of men" or an X's and O's guy? Many of the posts in this thread mention how so-and-so has creative or inventive schemes, but the League has basically had their fill of schemes and is moving increasingly away from X's and O's guys and toward people leaders. Dan Campbell would be the ultimate example of the latter, while guys like Matt Eberflus and Brian Daboll exemplify the former. Sean Payton and to a lesser extent, Mike McDaniel, is a little of both, while Antonio Pierce is neither.

 

You don't get anymore stable than the Steelers. In fact, they're so stable, they're fossilized. The second it opens up it becomes the most desirable job in the NFL regardless of the roster.

 

It’s been called a “Life Time” position. I’d say that fits the ‘some semblance of long term job security’ tick on the ole new hire worksheet.

 

It's a moot point Tomlin signed a three-year extension earlier this year.

 

Warren will be a RFA he's not going anywhere.

 

Bring in Jeff Monken and run the Flexbone with Fields.

 

Many more years of suffering mediocrity i'm afraid, Rooney had the chance last off-season to do something and chose weakness instead.

 

DAB

 

Drank that a lot.

 

Not just Sid Gilman either. Paul Brown coached Noll as a Guard when he did play for Paul Brown's Browns during the time in which he did play. Don Shula would have him as his DC soon thereafter.


Quite a list of great teachers to learn the game from.


As far as up and coming College Coaches to full time NFL ones?! Aside from Matt Campbell of Iowa State, got me there. Not sure exactly.

 

Offensive vs. Defensive minds shouldn't be about which does the NFL compliment more but which person is the right one for the job?! Who cares about their background?! For every Kevin O'Connell, there will be a Shane Steichen. For every Andy Reid, there will be a Matt Gase. Hell, for every Dan Campbell, there will be a Doug Pederson. A Coaches background can help in some cases but if that person is not accustomed to dealing with all facets of running an NFL Lockerroom, then their tenure as a Coach will be as short as others that have failed; Kliff Kingsbury or even Arthur Smith to name a few.


Ben Johnson is yet to be an NFL Head Coach but his accomplishments are nothing short of great. However, results need to be shown before he is anointed as such. As for the rest?! McVay and Tomlin are currently in the same boat; both have one Super Bowl win and one Super Bowl loss. Massive difference is that McVay has been making the playoffs with a roster that is inferior to Tomlin since his star Defensive Player Aaron Donald retired. Dan Campbell was almost fired in 2022 until the Lions ended up turning it all around mid season. Since then, he has been one of the top Head Coaches in all of Football. Sean Payton and Andy Reid have both been Coaching long enough and both have had tremendous success; Reid now having much more.


Biggest one on the list is Kyle Shanahan. Dude developed a Super Team of sorts during 2017-2019. A massive whiff on Trey Lance but a redemption on Brock Purdy later shows that Shanahan isn't risk adverse. However, despite his best efforts, he has now come up short in the Super Bowl... twice.


Overall, I do agree that Offensive Minded Coaches are now the way to go given the current NFL Landscape. Oddly enough, Tomlin feels the same way. Arthur Smith was an Offensive Minded Coach but the results thus far have been spotty at best. While it is not impossible to make the Super Bowl as a Defensive Minded Head Coach, the fact of the matter is that, since 2020, only 10 out of the 28 Head Coaches have come from a Defensive Background; Tomlin (3), McDermont (3), Rivera, Belichick, Caroll and Bowles. That is, more or less the list of Defensive Minded Coaches. One aspect about the two consistent ones though is constant; both Tomlin and McDermont have been proven successful in the Regular Season. Tomlin's Playoff Record though is of... another story. For that matter, Tomlin's record of having three game skids after Thanksgiving within the past five of seven years is also another major black mark. McDermont's issues are, well, getting past Mahomes and Reid; a task all AFC Head Coaches must overcome.


In short though?! I also would love adding not just a new voice but also a new mind to the Franchises' proud tradition. Having an Offensive Mind doesn't mean the Defense is going to be an afterthought; further evidenced by Reid's, Shanahan's and McVay's history of either very good to excellent units. It will mean though that the Rooney's will adapt to the new paradigm of the NFL. Again though, one major piece of criteria has to be checked off.



Will this new presumed Offensive Minded Head Coach operate well with all facets of an NFL Team?!



Who is to say for that Coach isn't here. We all will have to wait and see what happens.

 

One final tidbit regarding Ben Johnson by the way...


Ryan Poles isn't too fond of the idea and may want Brian Flores instead.

 

I think the first 2 on your list are no-brainers. They are way better than Tomlin. I'm not taking McVay or Sean Payton over Tomlin. The jury is way out for me on the Detroit coaches. I think they are a product of some heavy recency bias. No one thought they were that great before the last couple years.

 

There's another guy, Marv something? He came up short 4 times in a row. Oddly enough, they still put him in the HOF. I really think Shanahan is on the same level of coaching genius that Marv Levy was. Call me crazy, but I'd even take Shanahan over Andy Reid.