Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was a guest on SNR's 'In the Locker Room' with Rob King and Max Starks on Wednesday, talking about new head coach Mike McCarthy.
"I think it's a great hire," said Roethlisberger. "I think it's smart for a few reasons. There's something to be said about a Pittsburgh guy. I know that that's not going to win games necessarily, but he understands what it is to bleed black and gold. I know he's coached elsewhere, but you're telling me that deep down inside him, he didn't always have black and gold run through his veins a little bit. There's something there.
"Is it going to win games? Probably not. But I used the analogy on my podcast that Miami of Ohio, right, my alma mater, I wanted them to hire a Miami guy, because you know he's not using the stepping stone, you know he loves it, he wants to be there forever.
"Mike McCarthy, you could tell in his introductory press conference, this is a big deal for him. I know people will say, well, it's a head coaching job, it's a big deal for anybody. There's just something there to it. You get a guy with a lot of heart, and I've used this analogy a million times. I'll pick a lineman with less talent and more heart than more talent and less heart. And people go, well, why? Because there's something that you can't quantify. You can't gauge heart.
"And Mike McCarthy has heart for this team, this city, this organization, Lombardi's, and there's something about that. I'm just telling you."
McCarthy brings an offensive minded approach to the Steelers, after several defensive oriented head coaches, and that is something that excites Roethlisberger as well.
"I understand this team, and this city will always bleed defense and running the ball," said Roethlisberger. "But at some point, you've got to keep up with the Joneses, and you got start scoring some points. And it doesn't mean that you're taking anything away from your defense. So that's another reason I like this hire.
"And I would use this analogy and ask people this question. If you were going into a game or a season, say it's a Super Bowl or it's a full season, you had a veteran quarterback that you were excited about and all of a sudden that quarterback retired, got hurt, couldn't play that year. Do you want to go get a quarterback that has maybe never played quarterback in the NFL? Young (guy), could have some great talent, but he's unproven. You just don't know. You might get a stud. But you just never know. Or would you rather have a quarterback who comes in that's a veteran guy, that's proven, that's won somewhere before. He's got experience. He knows what he's talking about. And that's who you want as your quarterback. That's my question I would pose."
One thing McCarthy has been lauded for throughout his coaching career is developing and working with quarterbacks. Roethlisberger understands how important the head coach-quarterback relationship is. And with McCarthy calling the offensive plays, he also knows it's important to have balance on both sides of the ball.
"It's huge," said Roethlisberger. "Looking at his track record, I believe that Mike McCarthy is going to bring in some great coaches to coach. I think he'll bring in a defensive coordinator that he can say, that's your defense. I'm not going to micromanage your defense, I'm going to focus on the offense. I think, and hope, that he'll bring in the young offensive coordinator to work together. Look what he did with Kellen Moore, who was his OC in Dallas. He's not opposed to bringing in young guys. I think we have a chance to get the best of both worlds. I think we get a veteran coach on Mike McCarthy who has a track record of working with quarterbacks. But I think he'll bring in some young guys so to also help with the coaching situation.
"Mike McCarthy seems like a coach that is not opposed to having smarter or good ideas in the room. I think that's very important. I don't know who McCarthy is going to bring in as his DC and OC and things like that. I think it'd be great if he brought in a veteran defensive coordinator that doesn't have head coaching aspirations and said this is your defense. You go ahead and do it. I'm going to focus mostly on the offense. Let me know when I need to challenge something or call time out."
