Mike McCarthy is back where it all began.
The new Pittsburgh Steelers head coach returned to the Greenfield neighborhood where he grew up, a community that welcomed him back with a sign reading "Welcome Home Mike McCarthy."
WATCH: Mike McCarthy returns to Pittsburgh roots as Steelers head coach
"Oh, it's special. I mean, think about it. Just the streets that you walked every day as a kid to go by the ball field. You know, I take the long way home to my parents. I actually drive through the cemetery to return phone calls. My brother's over there," McCarthy said.
From the bar his father owned, to the church he attended, to the playground where he played pickup games with childhood friends, McCarthy's roots in Pittsburgh run deep.
One of those childhood friends was my father.
"Always had great respect for your father. It was always cool to see him when we ran into each other down at the Marquette games a few times. But your father was a different-level player. I like to say I was a good player, but your dad played at a different level," McCarthy said.
When I told McCarthy my dad always talked about how competitive those games were, he laughed.
"Oh yeah. No, McGee was—yeah, I don't know why they had any referees," McCarthy said.
McCarthy also attended my father's funeral, something our family has never forgotten.
"When you showed up to his funeral, that meant more to us than you know. We talk about it all the time. So I hope you know how much that meant to us," I told him.
"Well, thank you. We all came from the same place, so that always means something. Pittsburgh is the starting point of a lot of great things," McCarthy said.
For McCarthy, landing the Steelers job carried a weight that went far beyond football.
"The whole week leading up to it. The interview was on the anniversary of my brother Joe's passing. So that was a special day, you know, being home after the interview and obviously reminiscing about Joe. And then getting the job probably four or five days later. So yeah, the whole lead-up to the job and how it happened was, you know, it's almost like a calling. What a blessing," McCarthy said.
While Pittsburgh will always be where his story started, McCarthy said his years in Green Bay also left a lasting mark.
"Pittsburgh is my hometown. Green Bay has been my home. You know, I think we just got fortunate. We got two great places that we could hang our hat," McCarthy said.
Part two of this conversation, including a discussion about coaching alongside Aaron Rodgers, airs Thursday at 5 p.m. before kickoff.
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