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The Steelers will be conducting their first coaching search since 2007, and only their fourth since Richard Nixon was in the White House.
As it begins, owner Art Rooney II will meet with reporters on Wednesday at noon ET.
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Former coach Mike Tomlin isn't listed as a participant. Which suggests that there may not be a Tomlin farewell press conference, like the one Bill Cowher did in an awesomely awful sweater 19 years ago.
The Steelers have plenty of questions to answer, privately and publicly, as they look for the right person to lead the team. Will they want an offensive coach? A defensive specialist? Someone with ties to Pittsburgh, or to the Steelers?
Although the NFL has a very real ageism issue, the Steelers will presumably want a coach who will be young enough to stick around for up to 20 years, or maybe longer. Chuck Noll, Cowher, and Tomlin were in their 30s when hired.
The Steelers will have plenty of options. Despite the current state of the roster, which hardly cries out "Super Bowl-contending team," it's a coveted job in a special city with a zealous and loyal national fan base.
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The problem with having plenty of options is that, eventually, the Steelers will have to pick one. Last time around, they reportedly picked Russ Grimm before pivoting to Tomlin.
This time, they'll want to nail it again, like they did with Noll, Cowher, and Tomlin. And, for the first time ever, it will be Art Rooney II making the decision on his own.
Will he get it right? Every Steelers fan will be hoping he does.
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