By admin 
When Mike Tomlin took over the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2007, one of the first ways he made his mark was in training camp. He made it clear the Steelers were his team by running one of the NFL’s most physical training camps. While times have changed, Tomlin’s camps largely remained brutally physical throughout his tenure.
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Now, Mike McCarthy is in charge, and he’s taking a different approach.
Multiple reports indicated that McCarthy has scaled back the physicality of training camp. He also told the media there will be no live tackling during practices.
“We won’t do live tackling,” McCarthy told reporters on Tuesday. “I’ve done live tackling in the past. . . . Every drill’s been evaluated. There’s a GPS component behind everything that we do. You know, there’s more stress that we need to apply to our training situations than just going the ground. The footwork’s the priority. It always will be about the feet and everything that we do whether tackling, blocking, you know, ball security, all those things. So the footwork component about it is important.”
McCarthy’s veteran experience benefits the Steelers
One consequence of Tomlin’s approach during his first season was that the team eventually ran out of gas. By the time the Steelers reached the Wild Card Round, they were worn down, as detailed in America’s Game. Tomlin adjusted his training camp approach the following year, and those changes helped the Steelers make a deeper postseason run.
McCarthy doesn’t need that same trial-and-error process because he’s already an experienced head coach.
That’s one of the biggest benefits of his hiring. While there are legitimate questions about this approach, McCarthy can lean on years of experience as he takes over his hometown team. Make no mistake: although his training camp won’t be as physical, it will still be demanding. The intensity will come through discipline, attention to detail, and execution throughout camp.
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Results must show in the regular season
One benefit of Tomlin’s philosophy was that his teams were prepared to win the physical battle on the field. Now, McCarthy’s team must prove his approach can deliver success beyond that aspect of the game.
McCarthy’s offenses have routinely been among the league’s most productive. Historically, however, it has been his defenses that have prevented his teams from reaching greater heights.
The Steelers’ defense is more than capable of performing at an above-average level. If there’s one thing defensive coordinator Patrick Graham brings, it’s attention to detail, something that was already evident on the first day of training camp.
In the long run, McCarthy’s approach could ultimately benefit the Steelers. If it does, he’ll avoid the fatal flaw that plagued Tomlin’s first season as head coach.
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This story was originally published July 30, 2026 at 5:00 AM.