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The Case for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2026

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The Pittsburgh Steelers are embarking on a new era. However, here we’re leaning into our annual tradition of “The case for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2026.”

This is a continuation of the series started by the late, great Ivan Cole, a Steelers scribe who was taken from us far too soon. This series gives us a chance to celebrate his memory. As a writer it presents me the challenge of not only following his form but to also try to find the voice of my departed friend.

With that in mind, let’s lean into Ivan’s own words to explain exactly what “The Case for the Pittsburgh Steelers” series is about:

If you’re looking for yet another set of predictions in what is the season of predictions you will be sorely disappointed here. I don’t do predictions, don’t believe in them.

What I attempt to bring to the table are some observations as to how to think about what factors might be key to a positive outcome for the Steelers this season…  make it to the playoffs and have a shot at the world championship.

Let’s dive in

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers at St. Vincents

Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers at St. Vincents. Photo Credit: Matt Freed, Post Gazette

New Coach + New Era = New Hope

For the first time in 19 years someone other than Mike Tomlin wears the title of “Head Coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.” That alone provides reason for hope.

  • Sound strange from someone who remained an unapologetic Tomlin supporter till the end?

It should not.

I have zero interest in re-litigating the Tomlin Wars. Those wanting a no punches-pulled, end-to-end look at Mike Tomlin’s legacy and/or a deep dive on what went wrong in the second half of the Tomlin era can click on the links just highlighted.

Instead I’ll simply submit that Mike Tomlin, like all great leaders, knew when it was time to step away. And, more importantly, he handed Mike McCarthy a team that is turning the corner on talent.

  • As Dan Rooney reminded us, “You have to have the players.”

And since Omar Khan and Andy Weidl took over the scouting department, the Steelers drafts have improved. Even if you control for Broderick Jones’ disappointment, the Steelers 2023 Draft is easily better than any of the five preceding drafts.

Nick Herbig, Steelers vs Bengals

Nick Herbig strip sacks Joe Burrow. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

The choice of Pittsburgh native Mike McCarthy may not have inspired us when it was announced. I admit, you can count me among the skeptics.

But let’s be objective: McCarthy boasts 174 regular season wins, and an 11-11 playoff record with his most recent win coming in 2022, and of course he owns a Super Bowl ring.

  • Those numbers mean little to us without the present-day context.

McCarthy’s track record suggests that he can help heal what has ailed the Pittsburgh Steelers of late. It is no secret that Mike Tomlin’s Achilles Heel was his inability to hire quality assistant coaches.

McCarthy has employed multiple assistant coaches who have gone on to be head coaches. Some have had more success than others, some are still writing their stories, but McCarthy clearly has a better eye for coaching talent than his predecessor.

Along the same lines, McCarthy is an offensive-minded head coach and a quarterback whisperer. Truth be told, if Linda Carter had wrapped her magic lasso around me, I’d have admitted that my preference would have been for Art Rooney II to hire a defensive coach such as Brian Flores or Chris Shula.

But that same magic lasso would have also forced me to admit that the Steelers offenses of late can be described with two caustic words: Junior Varsity.

Jalen Tolbert, DeShon Elliott, Steelers vs Cowboys,

Jalen Tolbert scores the game winner. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

In that light, McCarthy’s last visit to Acrisure Stadium in the fall of 2024 proves to be instructive: McCarthy’s Cowboys carried the day because their offense did what the Steelers offense could not: Set up manageable third downs and convert them with regularity.

Even if we keep in mind that preseason can deceive us, if the efficiency we saw on display in the exhibition win over the Packers is any indication of what McCarthy’s system is capable of producing, we can expect to see a Steelers offense which is both different and better this fall.

Quarterback: Can Aaron Rodgers End His Final Ride with a Bang?

To understand why bringing back Aaron Rodgers was a wise decision, let me propose a little thought exercise.

  • The 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers lost their final 4 games, plus the playoffs.
  • The 2025 Pittsburgh Steelers won 4 of 5 final games, then lost in the playoffs.

What differentiated those two Decembers? I submit to you it was the play of Aaron Rodgers.

Aaron Rodgers, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Steelers vs Dolphins, Steelers vs Dolphins MNF

Aaron Rodgers flicks it as Minkah Fitzpatrick can only watch. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Rodgers raised his level of play in a way that Russell Wilson tried and failed to do. Anyone looking strictly at his stats should instead re-watch his play in the 4th quarter of the Ravens game at Acrisure:

  • Rodgers did what all great ones do, he made it look easy.

Those fretting about keeping 4 quarterbacks should stop. There’s ample franchise precedent for doing so, and we know that Aaron Rodgers is actively mentoring Will Howard and Drew Allar, something which can only help their long-term development.

  • But wait a minute? Didn’t Aaron Rodgers reveal flaws in his game last season?

Yes, he certainly did. But we also have reason to hope that Rodgers will have a stronger supporting cast this fall.

Investment in Offensive Line Must Pay Dividends

Let’s begin the discussion of the rest of the offense by acknowledging the elephant in the room: The entire theory of the case of bringing Aaron Rodgers back was predicated on the offensive line improving.

Clearly, the playoff loss to the Texans proved that this unit still needed to mature. To that end, the front office continued to add talent while the coaching staff aggressively shuffled existing players into new positions.

  • Clearly, what we saw from the Steelers offensive line in the preseason left a lot to be desired.

Clearly, this post-preseason quote from the head coach: “I like this group of guys, but we’re nowhere near where we need to be,” lands right smack in the middle of the bulls eye.

  • Always trust a Pittsburgh native to tell it like it is.

What? You don’t remember seeing the clip of Mike McCarthy saying that recycled over-and-over again on social media?

Good for you, because you should not. Because Bill Cowher made that comment about his passing game at the conclusion of preseason in August 2005. He was right. The passing attack really had been substandard all summer.

And then Ben Roethlisberger then went out and began the season posting passer ratings of 158.3 and 139.8 in his first two games. And you probably remember how 2005 ended.

Does that mean we’re about to see a repeat of the same type of turnaround on offensive line 20 years later? Of course not. But it does remind us that such turnarounds are possible.

And we do have reason to hope that this season the Steelers offensive line will make that next step forward. Although 4 of the 5 guys are playing in different places, they’re all familiar faces.

James Campen is well-regarded throughout the league, and we should be optimistic that under his tutelage the line should make that next step forward.

Stop Suffering Over the Skill Positions

With the two-week gap between the end of preseason and the beginning of the regular season, it’s become somewhat vogue for prevailing narratives to shift in response to the void.

  • Such is the case with the Steelers.

Word is that, with the roster set, the Steelers are set to struggle at the skill position.

Al Saunders has brought up a lot of good points along those lines, but allow me to be contrarian here: Objectively speaking, the Steelers are stronger today at the skill positions than they were a year ago.

The addition of Michael Pittman Jr. alone gives the Steelers two legit NFL starting wide receivers – something we haven’t enjoyed on opening day in 2 years – if not longer.

The talk from St. Vincents is that we’ve seen a new Roman Wilson. That Wilson was largely absent in preseason but, unlike last year, we don’t need to count on Wilson developing WR No. 2 because we already have one. And should Wilson falter, we also have Germie Bernard.

Darnell Washington, Barrett Carter, Steelers vs Bengals

Darnell Washington dumps Barrett Carter. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

At tight end we have Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington, the latter of which continues to have “upside” and has shown he is one of the few offensive players who can intimidate opposing defenders.

We have also added Robert Tonyan to the room who figures to simultaneously play less and provide an upgrade from Jonnu Smith.

Losing Kenneth Gainwell at running back certainly hurt, but Jaylen Warren has proven he is a gamer. As for Rico Dowdle? If you want to know why McCarthy’s offense so efficiently moved the ball the Sunday Night loss to Dallas, it’s because Dowdle consistently “won” on 1st and 2nd down carries.

Finally, the Steelers also have Eli Heidenreich who is listed as “Slash” wide receiver and running back and showed in preseason that he can be more than just a hometown feel good story.

Finally, the fact that Riley Nowakowski has arrived, giving the Steelers offense its first true fullback is a sign that Mike McCarthy is willing to go old school when it is warranted.

And if you don’t take heart at that, then perhaps your blood doesn’t run Black and Gold after all.

In Defense of the Defense

Another narrative that has gained steam over the last several years is that the Steelers highest-paid defense has under-performed.

Let’s concede that there has been some truth to that at times.

Anyone who saw the Ridiculing the Ravens administered in playoffs just two Januarys ago knows that.

But I am here today to suggest that maybe the Steelers defense has turned a corner. First, think back to some of last year’s losses. Certainly the defense earned their share of the responsibility in several of those.

But in several others, most notably the loss to Chargers and then to the Bears, the defense acquitted itself well and to be frank, a tremendous effort of theirs was wasted in Chicago.

  • Much the same can be said for the loss to the Texans in the playoffs.

The Steelers offense did precisely nothing following D.K. Metcalf’s drop early in the game, yet here the Steelers were within one point early in the 4th quarter until two Texan defensive scores broke open the game.

Asaunte Samuel Jr., Joey Porter Jr. and Jalen Ramsey celebrate after the Steelers December 2025 win over the Detroit Lions.

Asante Samuel Jr., Joey Porter Jr. and Jalen Ramsey celebrate after beating the Lions. Photo Credit: Ryan Sun, AP via the Times-Observer

What should give us excitement are the steps the Steelers have taken to address weakness that were exposed in their defense last season. Run defense was suspect several times last year, including the playoff loss, and the Steelers responded by signing Sebastian Joseph-Day and drafting Gabriel Rubio.

Add to that another year of maturation of Yahya Black, and I think we have reason to expect an improved run defense.

Secondary was also a weakness last year, to say the least. Again, the Steelers acted swiftly in free agency, bringing in veterans Jamel Dean, Jaquan Brisker and Rayshawn Jenkins while adding rookies Robert Spears-Jennings and Daylen Everette.

It may take time for this unit to gel, but I don’t think there’s any reasonable scenario that sees the Steelers performing the type of in-season reconstruction of their secondary that they had to execute last year.

  • And mind you, they still did that and managed to win the AFC North.

So yes, I see the arrow pointing on defense as well.

The Intangibles Test

This is the final element in play, and one that hasn’t got a lot of discussion. However, over on Steel City Insider, my friend Stratton Nash dove into the issue head-on.

  • I strongly encourage those who have access to the piece to make time to read it.

For those who don’t I’ll summarize here succinctly: With Mike McCarthy and his staff the Steelers organization is likely to see an improvement in coaching tangibles – better assistant coaches, better strategy and all that comes with it.

  • But what the organization loses is Mike Tomlin’s mastery of the intangibles.

Just think back to the brutal months of October and November. The Steelers suffered three head shots in rapid succession with the worst one coming last, at Acrisure Stadium no less at the hands of the Bills.

Many, if not most, other NFL coaches would have lost their locker rooms, and then some. Mike Tomlin? Not even close. He rallied the team like no other could. And we saw him do it time and time again in his 19 years in Pittsburgh.

  • How will Mike McCarthy fare when he faces similar tests, which are certain to come in any NFL season?

We don’t know. While the end of his time in Green Bay opens the door for worry, I remain optimistic, if for no other reason because of the organization he’s coming into.

The Pittsburgh Steelers unrelentingly support its head coach and give him every chance to win. That should bring out the best in Mike McCarthy and, more importantly, position McCarthy to get the best out of the men he leads.

So let’s bring on the 2026 season and let the Mike McCarthy era begin!

Editors Note: Ivan Cole was a writer for Behind the Steel Curtain from 2010 to 2015 and then on Going Deep with the Steelers from 2015 until his untimely death in 2020. 

 

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What Went Wrong During the Second Half of the Mike Tomlin Era?

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Editors Note: Why did the Steelers’ championship window close after the 2016 AFC Championship Game? Here we provide a 360 view of the franchise during the latter half of Mike Tomlin’s tenure. For an end-to-end analysis of Tomlin’s entire career click here.

When the Pittsburgh Steelers team charter went wheels up at Logan International Airport on January 22nd, 2017, everyone onboard knew they’d passed a milestone.

  • But no one, however, knew what that milestone marked.

Getting pulverized by the Patriots in another AFC Championship game stung, for sure. But Ben Roethlisberger, James Harrison and Greg Warren offered 3 reasons for hope: They were the only Super Bowl XLIII veterans on the plane.

Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin stood on the precipice of a near impossible feat: Executing an end-to-end rebuild around a franchise quarterback.

Ah, but every conference championship loss comes with a rub: Either they signal that you’re about to open heaven’s door, or, that you’re never getting in.

The Steelers never re-opened heaven’s door in the latter half of the Tomlin Era. They didn’t even come close.

Today we look at what went wrong and why championship window closed.

Chris Hogan's touchdown, as Robert Golden "watched" and Sammie Coates dropped pass were critical moments in the Pittsburgh Steelers January 2017 AFC Championship loss to the New England Patriots.

Chris Hogan catches a TD and Sammie Coates drops a pass in Steelers loss to the Patriots in the 2016 AFC Championship. Photo credits: Matt Slocum, AP; Patrick Smith II, AP

1. Ringing the Bell 1 Too Many Times – Franchising Le’Veon Bell a 2nd Time

The first critical football decision after the AFC Championship loss to the Patriots was to put the franchise tag on Le’Veon Bell.

It was the right move — Bell had just broken records that Hall of Famers John Henry Johnson, Franco Harris or Jerome Bettis never touched.

  • Bell played 2017 on the franchise tag and piled up nearly 2000 all-purpose yards.

In the spring of 2018, Art Rooney II, Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin ignored Bell’s warning that he wouldn’t play on a second franchise tender and franchised him again.

I was wrong. The decision was a disaster for everyone. Really, this decision had a ripple effect that gave the Steelers post-2016 decline momentum.

Le'Veon Bell, Le'Veon Bell free agent,

Le’Veon Bell departing the gridiron at Heinz Field. Photo Credit: EPA, via the New York Post

Franchising Bell locked up 14.5 million dollars in salary cap space, preventing Pittsburgh from addressing other priorities. Bargain hunting in the inside linebacker market brought them Jon Bostic who was strong against the run, but struggled vs the pass.

And, because they were counting on Bell, they failed to add an experienced running back during the 2018 off-season.

Which leads us to….

2. Failing to Staff Adequate Running Back Depth

Failure to staff sufficient running back depth started several seasons earlier, but it hurt them, again, in the AFC Championship. When Bell got injured, DeAngelo Williams entered.

Williams had done an exceptional job in 2015 in Bell’s absence, so bringing him back was a wise move, despite his age. But Williams had needed knee surgery during the season, and against the Patriots he averaged 2.4 yards a carry – and that’s with a long run of 15 yards.

Mewelde Moore, David Jones, Steelers vs Bengals 2008

Mewelde Moore, the unsung hero of the Steelers 2008 season. Photo Credit: Gregory Shamus, Getty Images via Zimbo.com

It’s easy to say, “So what? Any team that loses its top two running backs, is screwed no matter what.” But the 2008 Steelers had lost their top two running backs and still won the Super Bowl thanks to Mewelde Moore.

  • But too many Steelers teams in this era lacked a Gary Russell caliber back, let alone a Mewelde Moore or even a Jonathan Dwyer.

Think back to the December 2018 loss to the Saints. We all remember JuJu Smith-Schuster’s fumble and the questionable PI calls.

But everyone forgets Stevan Ridley’s fumble. On third down. When the Steelers were leading. And in position for Chris Boswell to put them up by 7. In a game they lost at the buzzer by 3…..

Once again, Pittsburgh stung itself with poor backfield depth, only this time it kept them out of the playoffs just when the entire team was gelling and the championship window was still cracked open. (Rolling your eyes? Go back to the win against the Patriots the week before.)

Drafting Benny Snell signaled Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert had learned.

Had they learned sooner, some things might have been different.

3. Injuries, Suspensions, Drama and Divas

The Steelers beat the Bengals in 2015 Wild Card in no small part due to the efforts of Ryan Shazier and Martavis Bryant. Their performances signaled that two additional two championship-caliber defensive and offensive weapons had arrived in Pittsburgh.

Alas, Bryant’s off the field problems and discipline issues combined with Shazier’s tragic injury scuttled that promise.

Ryan Shazier, Ryan Shazier injury, Ryan Shazier contract, Ryan Shazier 5th year tender, Ryan Shazier contract

Ryan Shazier. Photo Credit: Aaron Doster, USA TODAY via BTSC

Neither Art Rooney II, nor Kevin Colbert nor Mike Tomlin can be faulted here.

  • The trio does deserve fault for how they reacted to those twin misfortunes.

At inside linebacker the Steelers tried low and high-priced free agents, draft picks, multiple trades and trading up and drafting and perhaps still hasn’t secured a certain long-term starter there.

To their credit, Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin recognized the red flags in their wide receiver room and aggressively addressed the position through the draft.

If their strategy was sound then their execution leads us to another problem….

4. Whiffing on Drafts

The Steelers used a succession of 2nd round draft picks in response to Bryant’s antics, Sammie Coates’ erratic behavior and Antonio Brown becoming unglued in plain sight.

They picked a good player in JuJu Smith Schuster, and a solid character yet underachiever in James Washington. Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool and George Pickens all flashed at times, yet all three had to be traded away due to discipline issues.

Four years have passed since JuJu played his last down in Pittsburgh and the Steelers still haven’t drafted a long-term starter at wide receiver.

  • Worse yet, wide receiver is hardly the only position the Steelers have whiffed on in the draft.

Take a look at the Steelers 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 drafts and you’ll find that the Steelers have drafted precisely two long-term starters, one for each side of the ball: Alex Highsmith and Pat Freiermuth. (For comparison’s sake, the Steelers 2011 and 2012 draft classes netted 3 long-term starters.)

Kenny Pickett, George Pickens, Steelers vs Raiders, Immaculate Reception 50th anniversary

Kenny Pickett and George Pickens after the Go Ahead Touchdown in the Immaculate Reception Game. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review.

Some of these drafts were better than others. In some cases, the Steelers found players who were started or played as key backups throughout their rookie contracts. That’s a “win” from a Money Ball perspective.

But collectively they formed a group of players who played well enough to win more than they lost in the regular season but got immediately outclassed in the playoffs.

Of course the biggest draft mistake the Steelers made was in the players they passed on…

5. Being Unprepared When Big Ben Struck Midnight

Art Rooney II began the 2026 season by reaffirming the franchise’s goal is to win instead of “wasting a year not trying to compete.”

  • This is the exact message everyone must hear from the head of the franchise.

Art Rooney II had 3 chances to embrace a “clean reset” and opted to field the best team possible instead. Rooney made the right move.

Ben Roethlisberger and Art Rooney II embrace after Big Ben's final game at Heinz Field in January 2022.

Ben Roethlisberger, Art Rooney II and One last dance @ Heinz Field. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

Nor does the tandem of Colbert and Tomlin deserve undue criticism for missing on Kenny Pickett – After all, Chuck Noll and Art Rooney, Jr. went Terry Bradshaw and Mark Malone with their two first round quarterbacks.

Yet, the franchise still missed on chances to take swings at Roethlisberger’s replacement prior to Big Ben striking midnight. Circumstantial evidence suggests (see Jim Wexell’s reporting) that Mike Tomlin wanted to take Lamar Jackson in 2018.

But if that was his plan, he gambled by drafting Terrell Edmunds first, expecting Jackson would be there later. He wasn’t. The Steelers also had a shot at taking Jalen Hurts in the 2020 draft. They chose Chase Claypool instead.

Pulling off a Joe Montana–Steve Young or Brett Favre–Aaron Rodgers handoff is only slightly less rare than seeing Haley’s Comet.

But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try, as the Steelers are still finding out.

6. Tomlin’s Struggles with Hiring Solid Assistant Coaches

Here’s a classic case of “both things can be true.”

  1. Mike Tomlin’s record with assistant coach hires is more mixed than people credit him for.
  2. Identifying, recruiting and developing rising coaching talent was his greatest weakness.

Click here for a deeper discussion Mike Tomlin’s struggles with hiring assistant coaches.

The only additional observation to add here is this: This was a Tomlin weakness from the beginning, and not one he ever addressed — he had a better staff on the sidelines for the AFC Championship loss than he did for his final loss to the Texans.

7. Missing Dan Rooney?

Dan Rooney died shortly after the AFC Championship loss to the Patriots and the Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since….

Dan Rooney, Dan Rooney legacy, Dan Rooney Lombardi Trophies, Dan Rooney obituary

Dan Rooney sitting in front of the Steelers 5 Lombardi Trophies. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

…If the conclusion seems obvious, it shouldn’t be. Correlation does not equal causality. Had social media existed in the 80’s, you could have easily found fans complaining “Dan Rooney is lost now that ‘The Chief’ is only a figurehead.”

  • And they would have been wrong.

Still, looking back, it doesn’t take too great of a stretch of the imagination to envision Dan Rooney’s wisdom guiding the franchise to better outcomes.

  • It is an unanswerable question, but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong to ask.

Because the Steelers entered the second half of the Mike Tomlin era with every reason to believe another Super Bowl run was coming. Instead, their championship window quietly closed.

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Nick Herbig Extension Shows Steelers Drafting Has Turned a Corner

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Omar Khan kicked off minicamp by opening his checkbook as the Steelers re-signed Nick Herbig to a 4-year contract extension worth a reported 100 million dollars including over 40 million in guaranteed money.

The immediate focus of Steelers Nation is if and how Herbig’s new deal impacts the futures of T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, but the bigger picture behind Herbig’s extension is what it signals about the team’s direction.

Nick Herbig, Steelers vs Bengals

Nick Herbig strip sacks Joe Burrow. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Early Herbig Extension Signals End of Steelers Draft Drought

The Steelers drafted Nick Herbig in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He’s now entering the final year of his rookie contract, and Omar Khan opened the off season by listing Herbig as a player he wanted to re-sign before he reached free agency.

  • This is not something Steelers Nation is accustomed to — at least not in recent memory.

But once upon a time, things were different in Pittsburgh. In the spring of 1993, the NFL’s first year free agency, owners were tripping over themselves throwing money at players, trying to buy a Lombardi.

In Pittsburgh Dan Rooney and Tom Donahoe took a different approach, quietly extending players like Dermontti Dawson and Greg Lloyd who were entering the final years of their contracts.

  • That practice became standard Steelers operating procedure for the next two and a half decades.
  • But the maturation of the Steelers 2018 draft class marked a turning point.

Terrell Edmunds, Mason Rudolph, Chukwuma Okorafor, Diontae Johnson, Alex Highsmith and Pat Freiermuth were only the players from the Steelers 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 draft to get second contracts.

Alex Highsmith, Tom Brady, Steelers vs Buccaneers

Alex Highsmith strip sacks Tom Brady. Photo Credit: Barry Reeger, HJ News.com

Highsmith, Freiermuth, Johnson and Rudolph were the only ones to the Steelers re-signed while they were still playing on rookie contracts, and out of that group only Highsmith and Freiermuth got long-term starter deals.

In contrast, the Steelers have already re-signed Herbig, and want to ink new deals with Joey Porter Jr., Keeanu Benton and perhaps Darnell Washington this summer.

  • Word is they would have given Broderick Jones his 5th year rookie tender had he not been hurt.

Barring injury or an unanticipated regression, Omar Khan will likely take a similar approach with several members of the Steelers 2024 Draft class next spring.

The Steelers playoff drought started with the loss to the Patriots in the 2017 AFC Championship game. Their quality of their drafts dipped precipitously starting in 2018 and continued through the rest of Kevin Colbert’s tenure.

  • But Herbig’s early extension shows that the Steelers draft drought is over.

The Steelers not only have a draft pick going into his 4th year who is worthy of a long-term extension, hopefully Herbig is the first of many.

Let’s hope that Herbig and the rest of his draft class make some playoff rain with Mike McCarthy.

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Aaron Rodgers Returns: Straight Talk on The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

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The “wait” is over. Aaron Rodgers will return to the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 2026 season. The 21-year NFL veteran and 4-time league MVP is in Pittsburgh and is expected to sign a one-year deal with a base salary in the neighborhood of 22 million dollars.

  • Steelers OTAs begin this week and he is expected to participate.

The move has been expected since shortly after Mike McCarthy was hired to replace Mike Tomlin, although the sound and fury generated on social media could have led you to conclude otherwise.

Now that Rodgers is under contract, its time for some straight talk on the situation, taking a look at the good, bad and the ugly behind his return.

Aaron Rodgers, Steelers vs Ravens

Aaron Rodgers Runs it In. Photo Credit: Jared Wickerham, Steelers.com

The Good: Rodgers Steelers Best QB Since Roethlisberger

The Aaron Rodgers we saw suit up for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025 certainly wasn’t the same man that beat them in Super Bowl XLV.

But you know what?

That 41-year old Aaron Rodgers provided the best quarterbacking the Pittsburgh Steelers have seen since Ben Roethlisberger during the 2018 season.

Doubt that? Then take yourselves through “The Tale of Two Decembers in Pittsburgh.”

The Steelers had created a strong tailwind for themselves entering December 2024. They ended up losing 4 straight games to the Eagles, Ravens, Chiefs and Bengals before getting Ridiculed by the Ravens in the playoffs.

In contrast, the Steelers entered December 2025 fighting a terrible a headwind they created for themselves in October and November.

They won 4 games out of 5, beating the Baltimore Ravens twice, snuffing out the the Miami Dolphins’ mini late-season surge, and beating the Detroit Lions on the road.

Calvin Austin catches to go ahead touchdown pass during the 2025 Steelers regular season finale win over the Ravens.

Calvin Austin catches the go ahead touchdown. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.come

The difference? Aaron Rodgers succeeded in 2025 in doing what Russell Wilson tried and failed to do in 2024 – he elevated his play and lifted the entire team.

The Bad: Steelers STILL Lack Long Term QB

Of course there’s also the reality that Aaron Rodgers was just as unsuccessful, and arguably worse, than Russell Wilson was in the playoffs for the Steelers. And there’s no sugar coating one simple  reality: Aaron Rodgers struggled against elite defenses in 2025.

Worse yet, one of the main sources of his struggles was his lack of mobility, and anyone over 40 can assure you that this kind of thing does not get better with age.

Aaron Rodgers safety, Khalil Mack, Aaron Rodgers, Steelers vs Chargers, Steelers vs Chargers SNF,

Khalil Mack sacks Aaron Rodgers for a safety. Photo Credit: IMAGN Images, via Tribune-Review

By bringing Aaron Rodgers back, the Steelers have secured a signal caller who, if he remains healthy can keep them competitive and win them games. But can he really take them on a serious playoff run, let alone a Super Bowl run?

The smart money says no.

And that means the Steelers will likely start off the 2027 off season the way they have for the last decade – lacking both a long-term answer at quarterback and the means to secure one.

The Ugly: Click Baiters Content Stream Cut Off

The “ugly” of Aaron Rodgers signing now at the beginning of OTAs as opposed to say, before minicamp in June is that it deprives a legion of commentators, bloggers and social media “experts” of what has been a primary source of content and clicks this off season.

Since February at least, hardly a day has passed without some “Insider” assuring us that the Steelers “Are Losing Patience,” or a headline screaming “Rodgers Seen Wearing Jets Gear,” or “Steelers Legend Declares ‘Enough is Enough,’ Calls on Franchise to Issue Rodgers an Ultimatum” or “Washington Federals Emerge as Yet Another Potential Rodgers suitor….”

  • That doesn’t mean that their arguments are wrong or that their critiques lack merit.

But most if not all of these these “insiders” or “experts” and/or “Steelers legends” based their claims on speculation, rather than sources.

Yet, each claim got magnified and amplified on social media ad nauseam. With each sunrise, the cycle renewed itself.

  • Alas, now they’ll be forced to find something else to fret about.

For them, that’s ugly. For those who aren’t fans of clickbait, its kinda pretty.

Straight Talk on Aaron Rodgers’ Return to the Steelers

Fact: The Steelers lack a long-term answer at quarterback, and Aaron Rodgers return does nothing to change that.
Fact: Aaron Rodgers was the best option the Steelers had to start at quarterback in 2026.
Opinion: Trying to win with Rodgers is better than playing for draft position

It is possible, as The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo suggests, that instead of serving as a “bridge quarterback”  Aaron Rodgers could end up being a road block to finding the next long term signal caller.

Fair enough. But Art Rooney II is right on the money when he commits to trying to compete each year. The idea of “ripping off the Band Aid” facilitating a “bottoming out” looks good on paper. And is probably a viable strategy Fantasy Football owers use reguarly.

  • But how effectively have Cleveland Browns used that strategy since 1999?

It is true that the Steelers 6-10 2003 season opened the door to Pittsburgh’s second Super Bowl era by allowing them to draft Ben Roethlisberger.

But the franchise didn’t go into 2003 planning to tank. The 2002 Steelers were a bogus roughing the kicker penalty away from playing in the AFC Championship.

Dan Rooney was on record saying he expected the 2003 team to contend for a title.

  • Contend for a title they did in 2004.

There are a lot of reasons for that: Roethlisberger’s arrival, Dick LeBeau’s return, better injury luck, Ken Whisenhunt re-establishing the run, etc….

Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers vs Ravens, Chad Williams

Chad Williams sacks Ben Roethlisberger in his first NFL game. Photo Credit: Nick Wass, Getty Images, via SteelersWire.

But what allowed Bill Cowher and the 2004 Steelers to bring those elements together was the commitment to winning forged as the ’03 Steelers fought for every blade of grass, right through to final gun in overtime in their season-ending loss to the Ravens.

  • Playing to win pays long-term dividends. Period.

And that’s why Rooney, Khan and McCarthy are right to bring back Rodgers in 2026.

Aaron Rodgers, welcome back to Pittsburgh.

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5 Steelers Draft Lessons Omar Khan Must Apply in the 2026 NFL Draft

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The 2026 NFL Draft is days away, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are sitting on a mother lode of draft picks. Thanks to trades, compensatory picks and hoarding his own, Omar Khan has 12 choices at his disposal in the upcoming draft.

  • Those picks open many possibilities for Pittsburgh.

But to be successful, the Steelers brain trust must make wise decisions. With that in mind, let’s take a look at lessons Steelers draft history teaches us.

This is the latest article in our Steelers 2026 Draft coverage.

Omar Khan, Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan

Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan, Photo Credit: Nola.com

1. Challenge Conventional Wisdom on Compensatory Picks

Omar Khan is already learning this lesson in real time. Last spring Khan’s focus in free agency was to stockpile compensatory picks so he could trade up in what was supposed to be a QB-rich draft.

“Stockpile compensatory picks Khan has, but QB poor has this draft turned out to be,” in Yoda speak.

  • Other drafts teach a similar lesson.

The Steelers went into the 1998 draft with 14 picks. Tom Donahoe made no bones about trading some of those, boasting, “There’s no way 14 rookies can make our team.”

Donahoe was right. It’s near-impossible to imagine 14 rookies making any non-expansion NFL roster. Yet, Donahoe’s claim was laced with a touch of latent arrogance.

Stub from April 1st 1998 edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette detailing the Steelers compensatory draft picks.

Stub from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 1, 1998. Thanks to Gordon Gordon Dedman, @SteelUK for supplying this.

Free agent exoduses had been the norm in Pittsburgh throughout the 1990s. The 1997 Steelers AFC Championship loss seemed to have proven franchise could defy gravity. Instead, 1998 was the year the Steelers came crashing back down to earth.

Now, several things led to Bill Cowher’s first losing season in 1998, but a wiser use of draft choices could have helped avert that (see below.)

2. Initial Story Lines Come with a Grain of Salt

The NFL Draft is such a successful media event because its core product is hope. And best way to sell hope is with a good story. And that’s perfectly fine, as long as you remember that many of the initial stories spawned on draft day won’t come to fruition, or at least not the way you expect them to.

When the Steelers drafted him, Chris Berman and company mused about whether Ward’s arrival heralded the advent of Slash II. (“Slash” is of course Kordell Stewart, whose play as a QB/WR/RB helped propel the 1995 Steelers all the way to Super Bowl XXX.)

Ward after all had played quarterback and running back in addition to wide receiver at Georgia. Both the Post-Gazette and Tribune Review ran articles exploring the “Slash” angle.

Hines Ward, Super Bowl XL, Steelers Super Bowl XL, Antwaan Randle El Hines Ward Super Bowl XL

Hines Ward seals the win in Super Bowl XL. Photo Credit: Bill Frakes, Sports Illustrated

They were great draft-day stories, and Ward authored a Hall of Fame-worthy resume which included his MVP performance in Super Bowl XL. But he only threw two passes in his NFL career.

3. Good Drafts Age Like Fine Wine

To borrow from Eddie Van Halen, a “Right Here, Right Now” mentality dominates the NFL draft.

People go to the inane extent of grading mock drafts. Before the ink on draft cards even dries, we’re bombarded by “draft grades.”

That’s fun. It generates clicks. But no amount of page views can alter the simple reality that judging a draft takes several years. Tom Donahoe’s final drafts in Pittsburgh prove that point.

Dan Rooney, Dan Rooney decisions, Tom Donahoe, Bill Cowher, Tom Modark, Steelers 1992 Draft

Tom Donahoe, Tom Modark, Dan Rooney and Bill Cowher in the Steelers 1992 draft room. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

Dan Rooney fired Tom Donahoe after the 1999 Steelers finished 6-10. Rooney’s main reason was that Donahoe and Cowher were barely on speaking terms. But at the time, many also questioned Donahoe’s personnel decisions, particularly his recent drafts.

The 1998 and 1999 drafts brought Alan Faneca, Hines Ward, Deshea Townsend, Joey Porter, Sr. and Aaron Smith to Pittsburgh. Today, we see them as foundational players of the Steelers second Super Bowl Era.

  • But that would have been a hard sell when Kevin Colbert was hired in 2000.

Aaron Smith was an unknown. Joey Porter Sr. was the pre-season sensation that Carlos Emmons had kept on the bench. Deshea Townsend had started 4 games and wouldn’t start full-time until Dick LeBeau returned in 2004.

Kevin Colbert actively tried to replace Hines Ward in his first draft and, in the pages of the Steelers Digest, Bob Labriola was raising questions, albeit in measured tones, about Alan Faneca.

Yes. Like Riglos Gran Crote, good drafts age well with time.

4. Measure Drafts by Quality, Not Quantity

True to his word, Tom Donahoe didn’t draft 14 players, trading a 2nd, a 3rd and a 5th to move up to get Jeremy Staat in the 2nd round. So Donahoe gave up 3 picks to get one player who made 2 career starts. Anyone of those picks could have been to add a much-needed offensive tackle or wide receiver.

On the flip side, the Steelers picked 13 players in the 2003 and 2004 drafts. And collectively, those drafts only yielded 4 starters. Sounds pretty damning doesn’t it? Well, it does, until you consider that those starters were Troy Polamalu, Ike Taylor, Max Starks and Ben Roethlisberger.

Ben Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu, AFC Championship

Ben Roethlisberger hugs Troy Polmalu after the AFC Championship. Photo Credit: Pin Interest

The Steelers don’t win either Super Bowl XL or Super Bowl XLIII if they’re missing any one of those players. Joe Flacco, Matt Hasselbeck or Ken Whisenhunt would all agree.

The lesson for Omar Khan? When in doubt, draft the next Hall of Famer.

5. Steelers Should be Swindlers Not Suckers

Like their predecessors, there’s little chance Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy will draft 12 players later this week. Khan, as we know, likes to wheel-and-deal.

And while most of the focus is on who Khan should trade up for, where he should do it and how much he should give up, the Steelers would be wise try to trade 2026 picks for picks in the 2027 NFL Draft.

How might this dynamic play out? Khan’s own words from the George Pickens trade press conference guide us. This is how Khan explained the value of draft picks:

But, yeah, when you’re, the day of the draft or going through the draft, every one of those picks feels like they’re the greatest pick. You don’t want to get rid of them. They’re valuable. They’re all important.

Here’s the simple English take away: Suckers are born every minute in the NFL draft.

  • The Steelers have been suckers in the past.

During the 2013 NFL Draft, Steelers traded their 2014 third round pick for a 2013 4th rounder get Shamarko Thomas (Ouch!). In the 2021 NFL Draft they traded their 2022 fourth rounder to get a 2021 5th rounder to draft Isaiahh Loudermilk (ouch!)

It takes two to tango — Khan can’t simply snap his fingers and turn one (or two) of the Steelers 2026 thirds in to 2027 seconds. Moreover, the Bengals-Giants Dexter Lawrence trade suggests there’ll be a buyer’s market in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Sounds like its time for someone to go out and remind us why we call him the Khan artist…..

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Mike Tomlin Steelers Legacy: 19 Years of Winning in Pittsburgh

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Mike Tomlin left the Pittsburgh Steelers the same way he arrived – unheralded and unanticipated.

When Bill Cowher called it a day after the Steelers 2006 season, everyone knew either Russ Grimm or Ken Whisenhunt would get the job. Art Rooney II admitted that he didn’t expect to hire yet Mike Tomlin when he walked in the door, but Tomlin knocked his and Dan Rooney’s socks off.

By the same token, Art Rooney wasn’t expecting Mike Tomlin to step away following the loss to the Texans. But step away he has. Here we review Mike Tomlin’s full legacy as Pittsburgh Steelers head coach, balancing his accomplishments and shortcomings, all framed within their historical context.

Mike Tomlin, Mike Tomlin Franco Harris Jersey, Steelers vs Raiders

Mike Tomlin wearing a Franco Harris jersey. Photo Credit: Fred Vuich, AP via St. Albert Gazette

2007 – 2010: Cementing the Franchise Legacy

Few NFL coaches get handed the keys to a Super Bowl team.

If you think that winning is “simple” for them then please Google Phil Bengtson, Ray Handley and Richie Petitbon. A coach who takes the reins of a Super Bowl-caliber team must do much more than “not mess up.”

As Willie Colon explains, “It’s hard to grab the keys to the Porsche and not crash it.”

In his first season, Mike Tomlin took an underperforming team that had gone 8-8 in 2006 and led them to a 10-6 record and an AFC North Championship.

With just over 10 minutes remaining, Ben Roethlisberger connected with Heath Miller to bring the Steelers within 5 points. Mike Tomlin went for two. Roethlisberger hit Hines Ward bringing narrowing the difference to three.

Except Sean Mahan got flagged for holding. Tomlin didn’t bat an eye and went for two again. But this time, Roethlisberger couldn’t connect.

  • The Steelers did score again. But so did the Jaguars who won the game 31 to 29.

The move was controversial at the time, but with social media in its infancy the fan rage muted by 2026 standards.

But by doubling down in going for 2, Mike Tomlin established his legacy as a head coach who would put games in the hands of his players and trust them to deliver with the game on the line.

With the Arizona Cardinals threatening to take the lead as the first half closed, James Harrison, granted the freedom to freelance by Tomlin and Dick LeBeau, audibled out of his pass rush assignment and dropped into coverage. 100 yards later Harrison authored the longest run in Super Bowl history, putting the Steelers up 17 to 7.

james harrison, super bowl xliii, interception, record, pick six

James Harrison’s dramatic interception in Super Bowl XLIII

By the time more points were needed to put Pittsburgh back in the lead, the culture of trust and confidence in one another Tomlin had built proved to be the difference maker, as observed at the time:

the Steelers poise and camaraderie were consistent for four quarters. The men in Black and Gold never lost their belief in themselves nor their faith in one another. When faced with adversity, they persevered, they remained determined. And they did it together. That’s been the case all season.

And that’s what made them Super Bowl champions.

The Steelers 2009 season will and should be remembered for the Super Bowl hangover Tomlin tried and failed to avoid.

  • But 2009 revealed something important about Tomlin: His ability to rally a down team.

Memories have faded, but Tomlin’s Steelers never looked worse than they did during 2009’s 5-game losing streak. Yet, Tomlin rallied them for 3 straight wins.

In 2010, the Steelers suffered one of their worst off seasons ever as the word “Midgeville” entered the vernacular. Willie Colon was lost for the season in June. With Ben Roethlisberger suspended for 4 games, Tomlin brought Byron Leftwich back to Pittsburgh. Leftwich broke his leg in preseason.

By week, 2 Mike Tomlin was playing Charlie Batch, effectively his 4th string quarterback, and traveling to Tennessee, starting UDFA Steve McLeodon over Casey Hampton and authoring arguably the greatest defensive performance in franchise history.

  • By the time 2010 ended, the Steelers were in their 3 Super Bowl in 6 years.

Super Bowl XLV ended with a loss , but that didn’t change the fact that as new decade began, it was no longer a question of 4 Super Bowls for Chuck Noll and 1 for Bill Cowher, it was 6 Super Bowls for the Pittsburgh Steelers, as Kevin Colbert observed.

2011 – 2017: The Under Appreciated Rebuild

Mike Tomlin isn’t the only coach to take over a Super Bowl team and win another Lombardi. But continuing to win for more a couple-of-three seasons is much more challenging.

  • Just ask Barry Switzer or Mike Martz.

Yet, despite the 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement leaving the Steelers in Salary Cap purgatory, Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert managed .500 seasons in 2012 and again in 2013 – after a 2-4 start no less. The 2012 season stands out for one simple reason – it contains the only Mike Tomlin-coached game where the Steelers were eliminated from playoff contention.

  • By 2014 the Steelers returned to the playoffs, as they did in 2015 and 2016.

As observed elsewhere on this site, the Steelers Killer Bees were too true to their name. Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown only played 3 of a possible 7 playoff games together.

Steelers Killer Bees, Steelers Killer Bs, Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, Le'Veon Bell

The Steelers Killer Bees were too true to their name. Photo Credit: pegitboard.com

(Rhetorical question “How might Chuck Noll have fared had Bradshaw, Franco, Swann and Stallworth been similarly unavailable for his playoff runs?”)

Injuries aside, by the time the Steelers reached the 2016 AFC Championship game, the only three players who remained from the 2008 Super Bowl squad were James Harrison, Ben Roethlisberger and long snapper Greg Warren.

Yes, Tom Brady seared the Steelers that night in New England, but the fact that Mike Tomlin got his team there with three rookies defensive starters, without Cam Heyward in the lineup and with Robert Golden logging 36% of the defensive snaps speaks volumes about his coaching acumen.

Steelers vs Patriots, Steelers vs Patriots 2016 AFC Championship, Javon Hargrave, Tom Brady

Javon Hargrave sacks Tom Brady early in the ’16 AFC Championship. Photo Credit: Charles Krupa, AP via Mercury News.

As badly as another AFC Championship loss to the Patriots stung, the Steelers seemed to be back.

Alas, tragedy would close the Super Bowl window that Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert had re-opened 12 games later, when Ryan Shazier fell to the turf paralyzed from the waist down at Paul Brown Stadium.

From there on out, Mike Tomlin would be forced to do more with less.

Interlude: Tomlin’s Warts — Assistant Coaches and Talent Evaluation

And there’s a reason why Tomlin had to do more with less. As Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher did before him, Mike Tomlin had his flaws.

The infamous post-penalty 2-point conversion foreshadowed one of them. Sean Mahan was called for holding, and he’d been hand-picked by Mike Tomlin from Tampa Bay. Mahan traded away at a fire-sale price next September.

  • That raised the question on why Tomlin chose to bring Mahan to Pittsburgh in the first place.

Yes, Mike Tomlin managed to pluck Cam Heyward and T.J. Watt at the bottom of the first round. He and his scouts found gems like Antonio Brown and Kelvin Beachum in the 6th and 7th rounds.

But as the Steelers struggled to Re-Load for Ben Roethlisberger, they swung and missed badly as any sober evaluation of their 2018, 2019, and 2020 draft classes reveals. 2021 wasn’t much better, but Salary Cap Armageddon, combined with injuries and surprise retirements, forced them  to reach to fill needs.

D.K. Metcalf, Terrell Edmunds, Steelers vs Seahawks

D.K. Metcalf burns Terrell Edmunds for a touchdown. Photo Credit: Yahoo.com

This isn’t the sole responsibility of Mike Tomlin, but his voice was at the ver least, the first among equals in the draft war room.

  • In contrast, Mike Tomlin did have a free hand in picking assistant coaches.

Let’s be objective and acknowledge Mike Munchak, Danny Smith, Karl Dunbar, Richard Mann, Al Everest and, arguably, Todd Haley as good hires.

But those were balanced out by the Bob Ligasheskys, Amos Joness, Carnell Lakes and Joey Porter Sr’s (anyone notice how Bud Dupree blossomed when Keith Butler returned to the linebackers room?) Tomlin changed offensive line coaches not named Munchak the way everyone else changes underwear.

His signature attempt to cultivate an innovative coaching talent was Matt Canada. Canada holds the infamous distinction of being the only Steelers coordinator to be fired mid-season in the modern era.

Selecting assistant coaches wasn’t Tomin’s strength, and this weakness weighed him down.

2018 – 2025 – Doing More with Less

The post-Shazier/playoff drought phase of Tomlin tenure will remain a lightning rod for generations. So be it.

  • Here the focus is on what Mike Tomlin achieved as instead of what he failed to achieve.

Three examples highlight Tomlin’s skill as both a leader and as a football tactician: Quarterbacks, the 2021 season and the 2025 season.

Quarterbacks

The Steelers franchise deserves all the criticism it gets for bungling the post-Roethlisberger transition. I can’t prove it, but I suspect Mike Tomlin wanted to draft Lamar Jackson but got beaten to the punch.

Be that as it may, following Roethlisberger’s injury in 2019, Mason Rudolph, Devlin Hodges, Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, Justin Fields, Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers all started for the Steelers.

Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph, Kenny Pickett, Steelers 2022 quarterback competition

Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph. Photo Credit: Brandon Sloter / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images and The Athletic.)

Do Coach-quarterback records say more about the coach or the QB? Who knows? Either way they yield valuable insights such as:

  • Don Shula reached a Super Bowl with David Woodley – Score one for Shula.
  • Bill Belichick’s record without Tom Brady is piss poor – draw your own conclusions.
  • Joe Gibbs won three Super Bowls with three different QBs – Yeah Joe is underrated.
  • Noll & Malone beat Walsh & Montana. Twice – Score one for The Emperor.

Rudolph, Hodges, Tribusiky, Pickett, Fields along with an aging Wilson and an even older Rodgers offer a wide spectrum in terms of talent and pedigree.

  • The only one with a losing record in Pittsburgh was Trubisky.

The rest have losing records in their post-Steelers lives, and Hodges, who was .500 as a Steelers starter, couldn’t even secure a spot on another team’s practice squad.

Enough said.

The 2021 Season

We remember Ben Roethlisberger going out with a bang in 2021 after seven 4th quarter comebacks. He gets  he lion’s share of the credit for the 9-7-1 finish.

But what we forget ’21 Steelers had an offensive line held together with spit, duct tape and bubble gum and a defensive line that had Cameron Heyward playing alongside career backups and practice squanders.

Few credit Mike Tomlin for keeping that team together. But they should.

The 2025 Season

Mike Tomlin’s Yin and Yang was on full display 2025.

During the off season, Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan took several calculated personnel risks.

One was that the trio of Jalen Ramsey, Darius Slay and Joey Porter Jr. backed by safety Juan Tornhill could deliver the shutdown secondary necessary to combat Joe Burrow’s video game-like passing attack. On offense, they gambled that Roman Wilson would grow into a legit WR No 2.

  • Burrow didn’t get a chance to test them, but Joe Flacco did and exposed them.
  • Roman Wilson flashed (well, flickered) early on but finished the year inactive.

By season’s end, Mike Tomlin had brought in 3 new defensive backs and moved the pieces around so that only secondary starter was playing in his opening day position. He did something similar at wide receiver adding not one but two cast offs.

Jalen Ramsey, Tua Tagovailoa, Steelers vs Dolphins, Steelers vs Dolphins MNF

Jalen Ramsey sacks Tua Tagovailoa. Photo Credit: Alysia Rubin, Steelers.com

The changes resulted in a team that lost 5 of 7 games to close November at 6-6, to one went 4-1 down the stretch and won the AFC Championship.

Sweet Steelers Symmetry

Early in his tenure, a reader asked Ed Bouchette in a Post-Gazette chat to compare Tomlin to his predecessors. Bouchette opined that Tomlin struck him as a cross between Noll and Cowher.

So there’s something poetic about Mike Tomlin finishing with 193 regular season wins, just as Chuck Noll did. And its fitting that Tomin’s Super Bowl record of 1-1 match’s Bill Cowher’s.

Bill Cowher, Mike Tomlin, Chuck Noll, Steelers Six Lombardi Trophies, Mike Tomlin Bill Cowher photo

Bill Cowher interviews Mike Tomlin. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

Noll and Cowher boast better post-season percentages, yet Tomlin’s regular season squads never swooned to the depths his predecessors touched.

Thank you Mike Tomlin for 1 Super Bowl, 2 AFC Championships, 8 AFC North Titles, 14 playoff experiences and 193 wins.

Thank you for giving us 19 years of a “winning era.”

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Mike Tomlin Resigns as Steelers Head Coach. Earth Shaking Yes? Surprising? Not Really

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Less than 24 hours after seeing his team lose 30-6 to the Houston Texas in the 2025 AFC Wild Card Round, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has announced that he is resigning his position with the franchise. In a statement released by the team Tomlin explained his decision:

After much thought and reflection, I have decided to step down as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
This organization has been a huge part of my life for many years, and it has been an absolute honor to lead this team. I am deeply grateful to Art Rooney II and the late Ambassador Rooney for their trust and support. I am also thankful to the players who gave everything they had every day, and to the coaches and staff whose commitment and dedication made this journey so meaningful.
I want to also thank Steelers Nation. Your passion, loyalty, and high expectations represent what makes this franchise truly special. Coaching in Pittsburgh is unlike anywhere else, and I will always take great pride in having been a steward of this team.
While this chapter comes to a close, my respect and love for the Pittsburgh Steelers will never change. I am excited for what the future holds for this organization, and I will forever be grateful for my time coaching in Pittsburgh.

The move, while welcomed by a large segment of the fan base, is nonetheless sending shockwaves through Steelers Nation.

Cam Heyward, Mike Tomlin, Aaron Rodgers, Steelers vs Ravens

Cam Heyward, Mike Tomlin & Aaron Rodgers walk off in triumph. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Whether this move portends to bigger and better things for the franchise remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Mike Tomlin has earned the right to leave on his own terms and all should respect his decision to do so.

  • The move itself, while ground shaking, cannot be considered a complete surprise for several reasons.

First, this is the second time in two years that there’s been informed speculation that Tomlin may decide to set aside. Two years ago, prior to the 3-game season-ending winning streak and surprise playoff berth, two sourced commentators speculated that 2023 would be Tomlin’s last in Pittsburgh.

On the Steel City Insider podcast, veteran NFL journalist Vic Ketchman did everything but say that Gerry Dulac would break the story of Tomlin’s departure. Ed Bouchette didn’t go that far, but did say the he expected “one way or another I expect this season to be Tomlin’s last” (that’s quote from memory so don’t shoot me if its not 100% correct.)

Then, after the Steelers playoff loss to the Bills, Tomlin walked out of his press conference when asked about his future with the team, and his normal season-ending Tuesday press conference wasn’t immediately scheduled.

It doesn’t take someone with a Ph.D. in press relations or sports-management to know that at least the potential for change was afoot.

In contrast, Tomlin took a question about his future following the Texans game in stride, and was decidedly non-committal.

  • Finally, Tomlin’s demeanor has changed.

To be clear, unlike veteran press reporters, I’ve never met nor ever observe in person. I do know enough to understand that the Mike Tomlin everyone saw in front of the cameras was very different than the one on display when the cameras weren’t rolling.

However, there was something different about Mike Tomlin in his post-game press conferences. After the both wins against the Ravens, the energy he displayed was quite different than what you would normally expect to see.

Perhaps it is because he rediscovered what it was like to have a quarterback capable of hauling a team on his back to victory  and realize that, should Aaron Rodgers retire as he likely will, he’d have to once again start again from zero on that front.

But that’s just speculation.

Maybe, like Chuck Noll before him, Mike Tomlin decided that it was “time to smell the roses.”

More on Tomlin and the Tomlin Era to Come

As regular readers have realized, Steel Curtain Rising has been quiet since the Miami game.

That’s because I’ve been following my own version of “The Rooney Rule”* which is to focus on my family instead of writing about football while I’m traveling in the United States.*

That trip will extend for 7 days more.

But after that I’ll have more to day about the 2025 Steelers season, the Mike Tomlin era, and the search to find his successor.

In the meantime, thanks for reading!

*Dan Rooney’s dedication to the Steelers was tireless — but he always put his family first.

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Steelers Beat Vikings 24-21 in NFL’s 1st Game in Ireland

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The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Minnesota Vikings 24-21, winning the NFL’s first regular-season game in Dublin, Ireland and improving their record to 3-1 heading into the bye week.

  • The game went down to the wire.
  • The score was certainly closer than it should have been. But…
  • Don’t let the final score fool you.

And while many will find reasons to fret about Minnesota’s late rally, the overarching takeaway for Pittsburgh remains positive: The Steelers won because they flipped the script that they’d been writing for themselves during the season’s first three weeks.

Steelers vs Vikings, Steelers Dublin, Jordan Mason, Nick Herbig, Cam Heyward

Jordan Mason going no where as Steelers gang-tackle. Photo Credit: Imgn Images, via Tribune-Review

Turning the Narrative on Its Head

As my wife and I were in Europe working and then celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary, I missed the Steelers win against the Jets and loss to the Seahawks. And what I was able to gleam during week three through the obstructed view at Rome’s La Botticella confirmed what I’d been reading about the team thus far:

  • The run defense in general and Keeanu Benton specifically was soft.
  • The offensive line could neither protect Aaron Rodgers nor open running lanes.
  • Arthur Smith stubbornly tried to force the ball to a too small and ill-suited Kenneth Gainwell.
  • The defense’s failure on fundamentals and reliance on turnovers was unsustainable.
  • Payton Wilson was in over his head and failing to make the year-two leap.
  • D.K. Metcalf was little more than a “Nice to have” on offense.

Well, well. Things look a little different this morning, don’t they?

OK. It is only one game, against a re-tread quarterback no less, but does anyone think that scribes like Jim Wexell who’ve defied the naysayers by insisting “…things are slowly coming together for this team” look a little smarter? See for yourself:

  • The Vikings totaled 70 yards rushing and Keeanu Benton had a sack and a half.
  • Aaron Rodgers was sacked only twice and touched 3 other times.
  • Kenneth Gainwell rushed for 99 yards and 2 touchdowns
  • The defense held the Vikings to 4-14 on third down
  • Payton Wilson made several exception stops even before running downfield to save a touchdown

As for DK Metcalf? Well, take a look for yourselves:

…I’d say D.K. Metcalf was worth a 2nd round pick.

Getting the Job Done in The Trenches

Let’s make one thing clear: Both Steelers lines remain works in progress.

  • The offensive line played effectively.
  • But effectiveness should not be confused with dominance.

Had the Steelers risen to the latter level, then Gainwell’s attempt on 4th and goal would have been successful and/or the Steelers would have been able to run out the clock on their last possession. They didn’t do either, so things got more interesting than they should have.

But both Gainwell and Kaleb Johnson had room to run, and the Steelers did convert a 4th down with their own variant of the Tush Push.

Rodgers got sacked twice, but generally didn’t not play under duress, although Arthur Smith’s play calling was again designed to get rid of the ball quickly.

  • The wise observer should never let perfection obscure progress, at least not in week 4 in the NFL.

The defensive line played at a higher level than its offensive counterpart. The knock on Keeanu Benton has been the he lacks the size to be a true nose tackle. And his signature plays were sacks in a season where his run stuffing ability was under question.

Fair enough. But Benton played a good game, and wasn’t a liability against the run as he’d been in week’s past.

Yes, the Minnesota Vikings’ offensive line entered the game ailing from injuries and lost players during the game. The Steelers defense won the battle of scrimmage against inferior talent – as they should.

Splash Players Make Splashes, But Defense Does Not Live by the Sword

The Steelers defense has been making splash plays this season, and they continued to do so against the Vikings.

But unlike one week ago against the Patriots, the Steelers defense used sacks and takeaways to complement sound defensive play as opposed to substituting for it. Indeed, the Steelers defense forced Vikings to go one-dimensional, as Carson Wentz threw 46 passes.

Begging Wentz, a career choke artist, to beat you is a sound strategy. For most of the afternoon, he seemed incapable of doing so. Until he almost did.

(1 Error – 2 Kicks)+ 2 Great Linebacking Plays = Photo Finish

The NFL is a multi-billion dollar industry. Scouts comb the country evaluating talent 365 days a year. Assistant coaches work 70-80 hour weeks. Teams will do the smallest things (i.e. Renegade) to get a competitive edge.

  • Yet, in the National Football League, a couple-of-three plays can swing — or almost swing — a game

Against the Vikings in two of those plays involved Chris Boswell. The first was a blocked kick at the end of the first half that took 3 points off the board. The second was the field goal Mike Tomlin opted not to try late in the 4th quarter only to see Gainwell get 2 when he needed 3 on 4th down.

  • It says here Tomlin should have taken the points.

But its in Tomlin’s character to be bold on this situations. Besides, he trusted his defense to bail him out of needed be. They did, although looking only at the box score would lead you to think otherwise.

  • The defense, of course gave up an 81 yard pass.
  • Someone made a horrendous coverage error.
  • But Payton Wilson responded with the play of the game in running Jordan Addison down.

Wilson not only saved a touchdown, but forced Minnesota to burn 1 minute off of the clock to close the deal. The Steelers of course were unable to kill the clock after recovering the onsides kick, and it says here that Tomlin did the right thing in punting, and that decision may have looked quite different had Corliss Waitman pinned Minnesota down at the five.

But he didn’t. He gave them a touchback and that gave Minnesota 6 more plays. They only made 12 yards and frankly, were never a real threat to get into field goal range thanks to Nick Herbig forcing an intentional grounding call.

Mike Tomlin certainly has no shortage of critics, but the network executives gotta love him because his teams keep things close. But that’s not the salient fact here this morning. His teams do keep games closer than they need to be, but more often than not, they find ways to win them.

And a Steelers win is how the NFL’s first regular season game in Dublin will do down in the history books. Yes, Dan Rooney is smiling from above.

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Cam Heyward-Steelers Contract Dispute in 1 Word: Unfortunate

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“He said ‘c’mon don’t tell me that the rich don’t know
Sooner or later it all comes down to money…’”
– Bruce Springsteen, “A Big Muddy,” Luckytown

Cam Heyward’s contract situation with the Steelers is complicated. But it is hardly unique.

But as both a fan of Cam Heyward and the franchise that is the Pittsburgh Steelers, the word I’d use to describe it is simply: Unfortunate.

Cam Heyward, Cam Heyward Franco Harris Number 32, Steelers vs Raiders

Paying homage to Franco, Cam Heyward leads Steelers out of tunnel. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

As fans, and perhaps particularly fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers, we sometimes tempt ourselves into feeling that it really is only about playing, winning, losing and competing for championships. And so when a player who serves as the “Face of the Franchise” goes public with a contract complaint things get awkward in a hurry.

Franco Harris, Franco Harris Seattle Seahawks

A sight Steelers Nation should have never seen. Photo Credit: X

Franco Harris held out and got cut. The left the tune of Chuck Noll’s “Franco who?” ringing in our ears and this awful after image burned in our retinas.

Slightly over a decade later, someone from the Steelers brain trust, presumptively Tom Donahoe – although that’s never been confirmed – tried to strong arm Rod Woodson into signing a low-ball offer.

Woodson declined.

Instead, he played 7 more years for the 49ers, Ravens and Raiders, and made 4 Pro Bowls, 2 All Pros and earned a Super Bowl ring for his trouble.

To keep this in context, no one is talking about Cam Heyward leaving the Steelers. But yes, this situation unfortunate.

But what to make of it and how can we get out of it?

Yes, Two Things Can Be True

Decrying “Both sidesism” is in vogue these days and often times with merit. But this is one case where two things can be true:

  • Cam Heyward agreed to a contract with the Steelers one year ago.
  • A year later, that contract leaves Cam Heyward underpaid.

As fans, working for far less, it is easy to look at the $131,555,028 Heyward has made in his career, point to the $13,450,000 check the Steelers have already cut him for 2025 before he’s played a game this year, and say, “Come Cam, suck it up, strap on your helmet and get out there!”

Cameron Heyward, Cam Heyward, Cam Heyward sack Joe Burrow, Steelers vs Bengals

Cam Heyward sacks Joe Burrow. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

I don’t pretend to know what it’s like to play in the NFL, take the pounding a player takes with risk of a life-changing injury at any moment. But we shouldn’t dismiss Cam’s comments about wanting to feel valued.

For most of my professional life, I’ve worked Nearshore, and several times I’ve seen the value of my salary eroded by the twin specters of inflation and devaluation.

Cam Heyward is a straight up, honest man. And if he says he told Art Rooney II and Omar Khan that he’d be coming back asking for more if he had a good year – and Cam had a great year in 2024 – they everyone should believe him.

But it isn’t as simple as that.

No Matter The Angle, Optics Are Bad

The problem here is the optics. A year ago when Heyward reupped, he explained “There are certain guys who are one-helmet guys. I want to be one of those one-helmet guys.”

The feeling was mutual – the Steelers included 29 million in new money, although the deal did not include any new guaranteed money. The Steelers have already paid them the bulk of his 2025 money, and are not on the hook for anything in 2026, although they are due a roster bonus in 2026.

But even if he did say he’d want more if he had a strong year, why then, as Dejan Kovacevic has asked, didn’t his agent work that into his contract?

Why go public with this pay dispute?

Heyward says he made his request in February and again, we should believe him. He’s been holding in through training camp, yet no one knew about it until he, or more likely his agent, leaked it to the national press?

  • And his he really serious about missing games?

If he really is then I think he is guilty of wanting to have it both ways. If he’s not then he’s unnecessarily exacerbating things. Either way, he looks almost petty.

AB Offers a Way Out?

The Steelers have a different approach to contracts. They don’t negotiate during the season, a tradition that began in 1993 and has served them well since then. They also don’t renegotiate deals for players who have more than one year left on their current contract.

That would seem to leave them between a rock and a hard place.

However, they were in a similar situation with Antonio Brown several years back, and Kevin Colbert worked out of it be with a restructure that converted future salary into current year bonuses.

The smart money says something similar will happen with Heyward. IF it does, this will fade into hindsight. But until the situation remains unfortunate.

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Steelers Re-Sign T.J. Watt – Why Watt Was Worth It

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The Pittsburgh Steelers have resigned T.J. Watt to a 3-year contract extension worth $144.05, including $108 million in guarantees. The deal makes T.J. Watt the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history and will keep him in Pittsburgh through the 2028 season.

  • Smart Steelers observers expected this deal to get done.
  • Speculators mused about chances of a long-term hold out or even a trade.

Score one for the Smart Steelers observers.

The Steelers locker room has voted T.J. Watt the team MVP a record five times. They did it after the 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024 seasons. Minkah Fitzpatrick won the award in 2022 – when Watt missed close to half of the season with injuries.

T.J. Watt also won NFL defensive player of the year award in 2021. Clearly, this is someone Art Rooney II, Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan are wise to keep in the Steel City.

T.J. Watt, T.J. Watt sack record. Tyler Huntley, Steelers vs Ravens

T.J. Watt ties the NFL sack record. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Why Watt is Worth It

T.J. Watt could retire today and remain a surefire Hall of Famer. With 121 games under his belt he has 108 sacks. For comparisons sake, James Harrison who is third on the list, had 80.5 in 177 career games.

  • Yet, despite his resume, some have suggested that resigning T.J. Watt was unwise.

They point to the overall decline in sack production in edge rushers who are over 30, Watt will turn 31 this year. Others point to the steep drop that his brother J.J. Watt experienced after age 29 and 8 years in the league – T.J. has just played his final year.

  • And they’ll also point to Watt’s own injury history.

He missed much of the first half of 2022 with injuries and took several games to find his rhythm when he returned. Watt remained healthy through the 2023 season, only to get injured in the regular season finale against Baltimore – he missed the playoffs and the Steelers missed him in that loss to the Bills. And in 2024 Watt never missed again, but did play much of the later season with an undisclosed injury that limited his effectiveness.

  • Injury is a risk with all NFL contracts and that risk increases with age.
  • And Father Time remains undefeated in the race between athletic ability and age

If the Steelers had any doubts about resigning T.J. Watt (they didn’t), perhaps the story of another 31 year old linebacker is most instructive. During the 1993 off season Dan Rooney and Tom Donahoe made an under the radar signing of a 31 year old from the Los Angeles Rams.

Kevin Greene, Stan Humpheries, 1993 Steelers free agents, 1993 Steelers free agency

Kevin Greene sacks Stan Humphries in 1993. Photo Credit: AP, via al.com

For a short time he held the distinction of having signed the largest contract in Steelers history (Greg Lloyd one-upped him a few weeks later.) His name was Kevin Greene, and Greene along with Greg Lloyd transformed Pittsburgh into Blitzburgh.

Greene played 3 years, and during the 1995 season, went as far as predicting his own departure in the Steelers Digest, explaining that Jason Gildon was ready. Indeed, Super Bowl XXX was Greene’s final game in Black and Gold.

The Steelers let Greene walk because they’d groomed Gildon as a replacement – in the pre-Heinz Field days the Steelers had to be very targeted with their salary cap dollars. But that wasn’t the only reason.

The other was that, giving a large contract to a then 34 year old outside linebacker seemed insane.

Yet Kevin Greene had the last laugh, adding another 52 sacks (or one less than Lloyd’s career total) in four seasons with the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers.

  • This scribe won’t be surprised if T.J. Watt follows in Kevin Greene’s footsteps.

But the difference will be that Watt will do so in Pittsburgh.

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