Patrick Queen has faced his fair share of criticism during his two seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and this offseason, the conversation around him has been more focused on his departure than his play in 2026. However, with a new coaching staff in place, Queen will be given a blank slate and it sounds like he has nothing but glowing reviews of new Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy.

“He’s fired up man. He’s a good dude. You can tell he loves football,” Queen said Tuesday on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football. “He’s very organized, detailed. It’s just, it’s just the way he approaches it and we’ll know more going into next few weeks how he wants everything done and what to expect and all that. But from what I can tell from the first time is he’s really energetic and really thinks Pittsburgh football can get back.”

.@Patrickqueen_ is ready to work with his new @steelers HC Mike McCarthy🤝 pic.twitter.com/ehCj3UmFIR

— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) April 14, 2026

Queen and the rest of his Steelers teammates had the first chance to meet the new coaching staff in a formal setting last week when players reported for voluntary workouts. Voluntary minicamp will begin on April 20 and will provide players their first in-depth work on the field under McCarthy.

On a defense full of veterans, including a handful of free agent signings, Queen’s performance in 2026 is one of the storylines to watch. After being named a second-team All Pro in 2023 with the Baltimore Ravens, the expectations were sky high when Queen joined the Steelers as a free agent in 2024. Through two seasons missed tackles and communication issues have plagued Queen who has yet to live up to expectations in Pittsburgh. At times, he has been critical of the defensive scheme. With Patrick Graham now installed as defensive coordinator, there’s a chance that the Xs and Os are cleaned up and Queen can have a career year in 2026.

“I think everybody’s bought into the new process,” Queen said. “And we just looking forward to go out there and playing.”

Queen’s comments about McCarthy echo what we’ve heard from other players who have had positive first impressions of their new head coach. While he might not bring the youthful energy that many fans were hoping for in a new head coach, his experience and passion for the game should allow the Steelers to hit the ground running this season.

His track record shows that he’s more than capable of winning and so far, the locker room seems to be buying into what McCarthy is selling.

For players like Queen, a new head coach represents a fresh start. But the expectations for the Steelers remain the same. That’s why McCarthy was brought in: to win games. Ultimately that will be what the players and coaches will be judged on this season.