Mike McCarthy Opens Up on Clock Management Issues

TAMPA, Fla.  — Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy revealed in his postgame press conference that he intended to call a timeout right away after the final Bucs play of regulation, but there was a miscommunication between him and the official that let time off the clock.

Jalon Daniels completed a 13-yard pass to Ted Hurst III to get the Buccaneers in field goal range, and the Steelers did not call a timeout until 13 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Chase McLaughlin nailed a 53-yard field goal to tie the game at 19-19.

Ultimately, the Steelers won in overtime, but that costly mistake could have lost the game for the Steelers.

“There’s some miscommunication there. We were thinking right away there at 34, 35 [seconds]. There’s just miscommunication between the ref and I. That’s why it went down as low as it did. But ultimately it worked out,” McCarthy said.

On the Steelers’ opening drive of overtime, Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers capped a 12-play, 70-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Germie Bernard.

On the Bucs’ ensuing possession, Daniels got Tampa Bay to the Steelers’ 48-yard line, but All-Pro defensive back Jalen Ramsey recorded a sack on fourth-and-8 to seal the win.

McCarthy was also asked about the play calls from the 2-yard line after the Jamel Dean interception late in the fourth quarter.

“Absolutely. You’re talking clock. The first down, it was a boot. Then the second down, the run, we caught them with 10 on the field, so you know, it was a substitution and all of those things, but definitely was aware of the clock there,” he said.

Alan Saunders provided reporting from Tampa Bay.

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