The Steelers are one of the most respected franchises in American sports. They have been a hallmark of consistency since the 1970’s dynasty that won them four Super Bowls in six years.
Despite this, the culture around the team feels bland and outdated. The Pittsburgh teams that used to be feared are long gone. It is the NFL in 2024, and the Steelers are falling behind.
It’s no secret that the coaching staff around Mike Tomlin has never been successful in the eyes of other NFL teams. Other than Bruce Arians, who was the offensive coordinator for the team from 2007-2011 after he was the wide receivers coach under Bill Cowher, no coach under Tomlin has become a head coach themselves.
The Steelers also have one of the smallest coaching staffs in the NFL, and they are not paid very much. This is an era where many teams have larger staffs that include passing and run game coordinators or analytics coaches. With Tomlin’s supposed best trait being a master motivator and good speaker, having young football minds that understand the game from a different perspective could pay off.
Not only does the coaching staff need work, but the roster is not ready to compete for Super Bowls. Without a good quarterback and at least one or two better receivers than what they have, the offense will continue to rank in the bottom 10 in yards per game like it has for six years straight.
The defense is good enough to make a deep playoff run. But the problem is that they are expected to carry the team through forcing turnovers and getting stop after stop while the offense goes three-and-out. The Steelers are lucky to have won as many games as they have over the last six seasons, despite the subpar offensive play.
When free agency hits in March, the Steelers have seven starters that will be able to leave the team. Both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields are free to sign elsewhere. That could leave a big hole at quarterback.
The biggest possible addition in free agency that the Steelers should at least consider is quarterback Sam Darnold. Darnold led the Vikings to a 14-3 record and was top five in both passing yards and touchdowns. Of course, he finished the season poorly. But he is a big upgrade over what they have had. He will be 28 years old, which is still young by quarterback standards.
Pittsburgh’s priorities in the April draft will depend a lot on how free agency shakes out. Drafting a receiver in the first round is the most likely scenario though.
The team has had great receivers under Mike Tomin, and currently has a young talent in George Pickens. However, no other pass catcher is capable of being a downfield threat. Having another strong receiver to pair with Pickens will make things easier for whoever is at quarterback.
It’s a luxury for the team’s “down years” to be full of winning seasons and playoff appearances. Don’t be too unappreciative of going 10-7, because many teams around the league would love to hit that mark consistently.
It’s also fair to not like what is going on with the team either. But things can turn quick with the right quarterback. The Texans were 3-13-1 in 2022, and have won two playoff games in the last two years. The Commanders were 4-13 last season, but now are in the NFC Championship.
It is fixable, they just need to make smart choices. Much of their success will depend on how they handle the quarterback position over the next couple seasons.
