The Pittsburgh Steelers have officially jumped into uncharted waters. Mike Tomlin has resigned after 19 years at the helm in the Steel City. It’s time for a new chapter in Steelers history. The search for a new head coach has begun, and Art Rooney and Omar Khan are spearheading the task to bring the franchise back to glory. It all begins with the man wearing the headset. It would be a smart decision to make one of these five men the next head coach of one of football’s most storied franchises.
Klay Kubiak is currently the Offensive Coordinator for Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers. He has been in the Bay since 2021 in multiple roles. Gary Kubiak’s son has worked his way up the ranks under Shanahan, and that’s something that the Steelers will respect. Kubiak is 37 years old, and his offense averaged 25.7 points per game in 2025. Shanahan spoke highly of Kubiak in a press conference recently. That’s a ringing endorsement.
The Steelers love a College Football National Champion, and Jesse Minter fits that description. He has been the Los Angeles Chargers’ Defensive Coordinator under Jim Harbaugh for the last two years. Before that, he lifted the trophy with Harbaugh at Michigan, also in the DC role. Minter was a defensive assistant for the Baltimore Ravens from 2017 to 2019, so he has an idea of how things go in Pittsburgh. His defense allowed the fewest points in the NFL in 2025.
Nate Scheelhaase is the most interesting target on this list. He has never been a playcaller and is relatively unknown, but so was Tomlin when he came to town. Scheelhaase had multiple college jobs with Illinois and Iowa State after his playing days, and he is currently the Passing Game Coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams. Their offense ranks first in the NFL in points per game, passing yards, and passing touchdowns. The 35-year-old could be the next great coach due to his time spent under Sean McVay’s wing.
Klint Kubiak is Gary’s other son, who is a hot commodity in the NFL coaching cycle. He is currently the Offensive Coordinator for the juggernaut Seattle Seahawks, who average the third most points in the NFL. Kubiak turns 38 in February. He has had offensive jobs in the NFL since 2016 with the Broncos, Vikings, and 49ers before he became the New Orleans Saints Offensive Coordinator in 2024. Now, he is one of the hottest names in the cycle, but the Steelers have not requested an interview as of January 19th.
Chris Shula, the Rams’ Defensive Coordinator, appears to be the unanimous favorite to be the next Head Coach of the Steelers amongst the fans. Reports say that Rooney and Khan feel the same way. Shula has been with the Rams since 2017. He’s the grandson of legendary Dolphins coach Don Shula. His defense allowed only 20.4 points per game this season, and they are one win away from the Super Bowl. This feels like it would be a home run hire, especially if Shula can bring Scheelhaase to be the OC.
The worst move that it feels like the Steelers could make at this point would be hiring Brian Flores or Anthony Weaver. They could go on to be great coaches in the NFL, but the Steelers don’t need another Tomlin. A young guy with a fresh vision of how Steelers football should be played is needed in the Steel City. Locking up Shula appears to be the most attractive option to the fans, but it’s not up to them. It’s time to make football great again in the Steel City.
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