Mike Tomlin never had a losing season in 19 years with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the team hasn’t won a playoff game since 2016. With Mike McCarthy now in charge and Pittsburgh off to a strong start, a Steelers legend says he knows why the change was needed. That legend is Ryan Clark, who played safety under Tomlin, so when he says the team needed a fresh voice, it carries weight.

“Ryan Clark believes this Steelers team is more locked in with Mike McCarthy: “I can say this because I played for Mike Tomlin. As I felt like his voice was getting stale in the locker room, I kept saying maybe both people could use a change of scenery. Meaning the team and Mike Tomlin. This team under Mike McCarthy seems more locked in on the details. They seem to have a better vision and understanding of who they need to be,” Steelers Depot posted on X.

The early results back him up. Pittsburgh has played eight games and sits at six wins and two losses, and the defense deserves most of the credit.

When Patrick Graham arrived as coordinator, the excitement around the building was real, and he has delivered in two ways. He is creative, changing his looks before the snap, adjusting during games, and moving his players around the field.

He also brought a physical, throwback attitude. At training camp, he demonstrated proper technique himself and jumped into drills with his players.

The sack numbers show it. The Steelers lead the league with 26, and while T.J. Watt’s seven and a half are tied for the league lead, the rest come from at least eight different players. Graham’s scheme is letting everyone get a piece.

Pittsburgh’s offense works because it doesn’t lean on any one thing. Jaylen Warren is having the best season of his career, Germie Bernard keeps climbing the depth chart, and Darmell Washington has quickly become a matchup nightmare.

Then there’s Aaron Rodgers. He looks sharper than he has in years, and playing for a coach who knows him well seems to be part of the reason. He has completed 175 of 288 throws for 1,871 yards, 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions across 8 games.

The ground game still carries the load, with Warren and Rico Dowdle running behind a young line that ranks among the league’s best. The receiver group has been inconsistent, but a Roman Wilson return could lift it. With the November 10 trade deadline close, a few of potential wideouts are also being talked about in rumors.

Still, it hasn’t been spotless. The red zone play calling needs work. Pittsburgh had a chance to put one game away early, but they kept throwing near the goal line. On two straight drives, they called five pass plays out of six, even though the offensive line was pushing defenders around in the run game.

“I wish I could have that sequence back,” McCarthy said.

The good news is the team’s health heading into the bye. Mark Kaboly, speaking on Kaboly + Mack Live, laid it out.

“They are going into the bye week relatively healthy,” Kaboly said. “They will probably get Roman Wilson and Ben Skowronek back soon. Imagine this defense when Derrick Harmon comes back… I think McCarthy really needs a lot of credit, not just for his performance as the head coach, but with the entire coaching staff that he has put together.”

So was Clark right? The record, the defense, and the balanced offense suggest the new voice is landing. Fix the red zone habits, and this team looks like a serious contender.