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Mike McCarthy hires Frank Cignetti Jr. to Pittsburgh Steelers offensive staff

IMG_6598by: Nick Kosko02/02/26nickkosko59

The Pittsburgh Steelers hired Frank Cignetti Jr. to the offensive staff under Mike McCarthy, according to Gerry Dulac. The son of legendary coach Frank Cignetti Sr. and brother to Indiana coach Curt Cignetti, Frank Jr. will reunite with McCarthy for the first time in eight years.

“Mike McCarthy is adding former Pitt and IUP coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. to his offensive staff, per sources,” Dulac wrote. “Cignetti was McCarthy’s QB coach in Green Bay in 2018.”

Cignetti Jr. spent the 2025 season as the OC of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, similar to his brother and father. He’s been a well traveled coach since being a GA at Pittsburgh in 1989. The Pittsburgh native is now coming home to coach under McCarthy.

In 2018, the Packers struggled to a 6-9-1 record, prior to a resurgence for Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay. It was McCarthy’s final season in Green Bay and the lone one for Cignetti Jr.

But after five seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and a year off, McCarthy is ready to get back to it with the Steelers. He’s 174-112-2 as a head coach, winning Super Bowl XLV with the Packers.

During a hit on Friday’s edition of ‘The Pat McAfee Show‘, McCarthy gave the latest on Rodgers’ potential return to the Steelers next season.

“Yes, I’ve spoken to Aaron a number of times,” McCarthy said. “I think just like anybody that’s played the game, particularly at this point in their career, it’s important to get away. That’s a normal process that all of these players do, to decompress and step away from the season. That’s the mindset he’s in, and that’s as far as our conversations have gone as far as if he’s coming back or not coming back. It’s important for him to do the things he normally does; stepping away and making those decisions.”

Rodgers just finished his 21st season in the NFL with his third different organization. 18 of those 21 years were spent with the Green Bay Packers, while the other two were spent with the New York Jets. Rodgers willed the Steelers to an AFC North title, passing for 3,322 yards and 24 touchdowns with seven interceptions. If he were to retire, Mason Rudolph and Will Howard would be the two remaining quarterbacks on Pittsburgh’s roster.