The winds of change are blowing hard through the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, and they have swept through the Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive coaching staff with near-total force. As the team prepares for the 2026 season under new head coach Mike McCarthy, General Manager Omar Khan has confirmed a staggering detail that underscores the scale of this new era: quarterbacks coach Tom Arth will be the only offensive assistant returning from the 2025 staff.
According to comments made by Khan and reported by Steelers Depot, this decision leaves Arth as the singular pillar of continuity on one side of the ball. For a franchise that has often valued stability, this level of turnover is both jarring and deliberate. It is the clearest signal yet that the organization, from ownership to the front office to the new head coach, is committed to a hard reset for an offense that has struggled to find a consistent identity in recent years.
The retention of Tom Arth is far from a trivial footnote. In the high-stakes world of NFL coaching, the quarterbacks coach is arguably the most critical position-specific role on the staff, serving as the primary day-to-day developer and strategist for the most important player on the field. Arth, who held the title of assistant quarterbacks coach in 2024 before being promoted to the lead role in 2025, has now been entrusted by both Khan and McCarthy to be a key conduit between the old and the new. His return suggests a strong vote of confidence in his work with the team's signal-callers and an understanding that, amidst wholesale change, some threads of institutional knowledge must be preserved.
"Tom Arth is here for a reason," Khan stated, a simple yet loaded affirmation that speaks volumes. That reason is multifaceted. First, it provides a crucial link for the Steelers' quarterbacks, who will now be learning their third offensive system in as many years if last year's coordinator is not retained. Having a familiar voice in the meeting room, one who understands their strengths, weaknesses, and learning processes, could be invaluable for smoothing this latest transition. Second, it gives McCarthy a trusted insider's perspective on the personnel he has inherited. Arth's evaluation of the offensive roster, particularly the quarterback room, will be an essential data point as McCarthy and his new coordinators build their scheme and make roster decisions this offseason.
This mass exodus of offensive coaches is the direct and expected consequence of hiring a new head coach with the pedigree of Mike McCarthy. It is standard NFL practice for an incoming head coach to assemble his own staff, bringing in assistants with whom he shares a philosophical vision and working history. McCarthy, a former Super Bowl-winning head coach and offensive play-caller, is undoubtedly looking to install his version of the West Coast offense, one that emphasizes timing, rhythm, and quarterback efficiency. To do that effectively, he needs lieutenants who are fully versed in his language and expectations.
The list of departed coaches is likely to include the offensive coordinator, run game coordinator, pass game coordinator, and all position coaches aside from Arth. Each vacancy represents an opportunity for McCarthy to imprint his culture and football ideology on the team. Will he look to the Green Bay Packers' coaching tree, where he spent over a decade? Will he bring in coaches from his recent stops or seek out fresh, innovative minds from the college ranks? The answers to these questions will begin to reveal the schematic identity of the 2026 Steelers.
For the players, this near-total staff overhaul presents both a challenge and an opportunity. Veterans will need to learn new techniques, new terminology, and new expectations from a largely new set of teachers. There will be no resting on past performance or established relationships; everyone, from established stars to practice squad players, will be starting from a clean slate in the eyes of the new regime. This can be a powerful motivator and a catalyst for growth, but it also requires a significant period of adjustment.
The spotlight, as always, will shine brightest on the quarterback position. Whether it's a veteran acquired this offseason, a high draft pick, or a holdover from the current roster, that player's success will be inextricably linked to the partnership between Mike McCarthy and Tom Arth. McCarthy will set the macro vision and play-calling structure, but Arth will be the hands-on technician tasked with translating that vision into executable fundamentals on the field. Their synergy will be one of the most critical dynamics to watch throughout OTAs, training camp, and into the season.
From a broader organizational perspective, this move by Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy is a bold declaration. It acknowledges that the offensive results of the recent past were unacceptable and that incremental changes were insufficient. By clearing the deck save for one key specialist, they are betting that a completely new direction, led by an experienced head coach and supported by a hand-picked staff, is the fastest route back to offensive competency and championship contention.
It is a high-risk, high-reward strategy. Continuity is often cited as a cornerstone of successful NFL franchises, and the Steelers are voluntarily discarding nearly all of it on one side of the ball. However, the alternative--retaining coaches from a failing system simply for the sake of familiarity--is arguably a greater risk. Khan and McCarthy are choosing the risk of the unknown over the certainty of mediocrity.
As the Steelers navigate free agency and the draft in the coming months, the construction of the 2026 offensive coaching staff will continue in parallel. The hiring of a new offensive coordinator will be the next major headline, defining the schematic path forward. But the first, and perhaps most telling, decision has already been made. In a sea of new faces, Tom Arth will remain, a solitary link to the past tasked with helping to build a brighter future. His unique position makes him one of the most important coaches in the building, charged with stabilizing the team's most important asset while helping to usher in a revolution. The success of the Mike McCarthy era in Pittsburgh may very well depend on it.