The Pittsburgh Steelers are undoubtedly one of the franchises facing the biggest changes ahead of the 2026 NFL season. After nearly two decades at the helm, Mike Tomlin stepped down as head coach, with Mike McCarthy taking over the role. For many, a new era is beginning in Steel City.
J.J. Galbreath joined the Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2025 out of South Dakota, and he felt that something hadn’t been quite right during Tomlin’s final stretch with the team. “Last year coming in, I just felt like there was like a tension in the air,” he said during an appearance on The Banner Show.
After completing his first year in the NFL, Galbreath appears to be entering this new chapter with a greater sense of confidence and experience. “It seems more easygoing,” he added.
It appears that Mike McCarthy is already looking to distinguish himself from Mike Tomlin, not only in terms of team culture but also through his tactical approach. Can the veteran head coach lead the Steelers back to the NFL‘s elite?
Mike McCarthy of the Pittsburgh Steelers talks with quarterbacks.
Mike Tomlin’s legacy
Since taking the reins of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2007, Mike Tomlin has built one of the most impressively consistent resumes in modern NFL history. Most famously, he’s never posted a single losing season in nearly two decades on the sideline.
Along the way, he became the youngest head coach at the time to win a Super Bowl when he led Pittsburgh to victory in Super Bowl XLIII, added seven AFC North division titles, and earned over 170 regular-season wins.
Rodgers’ tight end options
J.J. Galbreath currently sits lower on the Steelers’ tight end depth chart, especially after the team signed former Kansas City Chiefs tight end Robert Tonyan to provide another reliable target for Aaron Rodgers. These are the tight ends the veteran quarterback will have at his disposal this season:
- Darnell Washington
- Pat Freiermuth
- Robert Tonyan
- JJ Galbreath
- Lake McRee
- Jaheim Bell
Aaron Rodgers #8 of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Steelers kick off preparations for the 2026 season
The Steelers’ 2026 NFL training camp is just around the corner, and unlike many other teams, Pittsburgh’s veterans and rookies will report on the same day to begin preparations in full.
The scheduled date for players to report for the toughest stage of preparation is Tuesday, July 28, with Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, serving as the team’s training camp location.
