Tag Archives: DeAngelo Williams

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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Steelers 2025 Thanksgiving Honors: Pat Freiermuth

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Say it now Steelers Nation and say it in unison, “Muuth!!”

Yes, you hear the battle cry on the road almost as often and  almost as automatic on the road as you do at Acruisure. When you hear it, you know that things are going well. And things are going well because the new number 88 for the Pittsburgh Steelers has just authored the play.

And that’s why we’re happy to give 2025 Steelers Thanksgiving Honors to Pat Freiermuth

Pat Freiermuth, Jordan Battle, Steelers vs Bengals, Steelers vs Bengals TNF

Pat Freiermuth stiff arms Jordan Battle en route to the end zone. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

The Steelers Twists and Turns @ Tight End

Tight end is one of those tricky positions for the Steelers.

Under Chuck Noll it went from a position of strength featuring players like Larry Brown, Randy Grossman and Bennie Cunningham, to almost total obscurity (you don’t see many Preston Gothard throwback jerseys, do you?) without rhyme or reason.

Larry Brown, Super Bowl IX

Larry Brown catches a touchdown in Super Bowl XI. Photo Credit, Twitter, Vintage Steelers

But there’s no mystery behind the fact that the Steelers second Super Bowl era was quietly anchored by tight end Heath Miller, hands down the franchise’s best at the position.

Following Miller’s retirement, the franchise rode the tight end carousel trying out home grown options like Jesse James, free agents like Ladarius Green and Eric Ebron and trades for guys like Vance McDonald.

Some of those worked better than others, but Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert took the team off the carousel when they took Penn State’s Pat Freiermuth in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Steelers 2025 Thanksgiving Honors: Pat Freiermuth

Pat Freiermuth arrived in Pittsburgh and not only became an immediate starter, but Ben Roethlisberger’s go-to guy in a season the Steelers signal caller exited the NFL by authoring 7 more 4th quarter comebacks.

IT is easy to see why.

As a rookie, Pat Freiermuth caught 60 passes 7 touchdowns and boasted a 75% catch rate, which for comparison purposes, is 3 points better than Heath Miller’s career average. During that first year it was fair to wonder whether Freiermuth would mirror Miller’s stature at the position.

To be honest, his development hasn’t quite followed that path.

  • But, to be fair to Freiermuth, that’s an extremely high bar to clear.

So what has Pat Freiermuth done since his sensational rookie year? He’s caught 123 passes and counting, 15 touchdowns while compiling a 73.7% catch rate. Those numbers are impressive, but what’s more impressive is the way he does it.

Pat Freiermuth, Steelers vs. Browns,

Focused Pat Freiermuth scores the go ahead touchdown. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

When times get tough, the wise move for the quarterback is to look to Pat Freiermuth.

As a rookie, Ben Roethlisberger looked to Freiermuth in the 4th quarter on the road against the Browns to put the Steelers ahead for good, giving Big Ben one final win in Cleveland. Last year, Russell Wilson targeted Freiermuth against Washington to give the Steelers a lead in a 1 point game. Aaron Rodgers did the same thing against Indianapolis just a few weeks ago.

Six of Pat Freiermuth’s 15 touchdowns have been lead changers there’s a reason why clutch players are clutch players. And even when he doesn’t give Pittsburgh a lead during a win, Pat Freiermuth makes it look pretty:


And that clips offers an additional reason of why Pat Freiermuth is winning Steelers Thanksgiving Honors in 2025. With that catch from last week’s loss in Chicago, Freiermuth has now caught touchdowns from Ben Roethlisberger, Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, Justin Fields, Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph.

  • That’s 7 separate quarterbacks, if you haven’t been counting.

Catching touchdowns from 7 different quarterbacks over 5 seasons is an interesting and somewhat impressive stat. But underlines something far more important about Pat Freiermuth: As the Steelers offense has struggled for the last 5 years, Freiermuth has been a source of stability and has easily been the unit’s most consistent player.

And that fact, more than any statistics we can cite, is the reason why Pat Freiermuth wins Steelers 2025 Thanksgiving Honors

A Word about Steelers Thanksgiving Honors

In 2009, as the Steelers were ramping up for what would be the infamous 5 game losing streak the punctuated their Super Bowl hangover, I was looking for a sign of hope, something to be thankful for.

Rashard Mendenhall jumped out to me.

Not only had he authored several impressive games after taking over the starting role for Willie Parker, but in the loss to Kansas City after Andy Studebaker had intercepted a Ben Roethlisberger pass Mendenhall not only picked himself up off the turf, he crossed width of the field, and ran down at the 8 yard line to save a touchdown.

  • Thus, the tradition of Steelers Thanksgiving Honors was born.

Every Thanksgiving since then, Steel Curtain Rising has taken out time to shine the spotlight on someone who makes us thankful that they’re with the Steelers:

2009 – Rashard Mendenhall
2010 – Marukice Pouncey, Emmanuel Sanders, Al Everest
2011 – Antonio Brown
2012 – Keenan Lewis
2013 – Cam Heyward
2014 – Le’Veon Bell
2015 – “The Understudies” – Alejandro Villanueva, DeAngelo Williams, Will Allen, Cody Wallace
2016 – Ryan Shazier
2017 – Ben Roethlisberger
2018 – JuJu Smith-Schuster
2019 – Kevin Colbert
2020 – T.J. Watt
2021 – Cam Heyward (second time)
2022 – Larry Ogunjobi
2023 – Chris Boswell
2024 — Russell Wilson

As you can see, many Steelers Thanksgiving Honorees are franchise pillars. Time has certainly shown others to be short timers.

But that’s the point: They all underlie the wisdom of giving thanks for something in the moment that you have it.

Happy Thanksgiving Steelers Nation

Thanksgiving is my favorite US holiday, as it is something embraced by everyone. And today marks my 24th Thanksgiving celebrated outside of the United States.

Hopefully, everyone reading this, be you here in Argentina, up in Mexico or somewhere in the good ole USA has reasons drawn from family and friends – and not football — to give thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving Steelers Nation.

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The Steelers Will Tender Jaylen Warren. Should They Go Further?

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During the Mike Tomlin Era, RB No. 2 has been anything but a prestige position for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Isaac Redman had a respectable run from 2010 to 2012. DeAngelo Williams did a fantastic job in 2015 and early 2016 until injuries took their toll. But beyond those two, this era’s backup running backs provide perfect fodder for Final Jeopardy answers (think Najeh Davenport and Benny Snell.)

  • For the last three years, Jaylen Warren has re-written this script.

And unlike his predecessors, he’s not only excelled as RB No. 2, he’s played so well his performance has prompted many to suggest he should be the Steelers starting running back.With Najee Harris headed for free agency, and Jaylen Warren reaching restricted free agency, we’re about to find out if Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin share those feelings.

Jaylen Warren, Marion Humphrey, Steelers vs Ravens

Jaylen Warren drags Marion Humphrey. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Capsule Profile of Jaylen Warren’s Career with the Steelers

When Eddie Faulkner promised in June 2022 to reduce Najee Harris’ carry-count in the coming season, even the most innocent homer had to be skeptical. Mike Tomlin notoriously runs his starting starting running backs “until the wheels came off, as Willie Parker, Rashard Mendenhall, and Le’Veon Bell can attest.

But a few weeks later an undrafted rookie free agent started showing signs he was going to help his coach remain truthful. Jaylen Warren turned heads at St. Vincents and during the preseason doing well enough to earn a helmet as the Steelers 3rd down back.

Warren made strong enough impression as a rookie, that fans entered the 2023 season calling for him to start over Harris, even though Warren only had 74 carries to his name. Harris continued to start, but Warren saw his role grow, as he rushed 149 times for 784 yards and caught 61 passes, nearly doubling his 2022 totals.

In 2024 injuries limited Warren to 15 games, but that was enough for him to rush for 511 yards and catch 38 passes.

The Case for the Steelers Resigning Jaylen Warren

There really isn’t any question that the Steelers are going to give Warren a restricted free-agent tender the only question is whether they’ll make it high enough to ensure they get draft compensation should someone sign him.

The larger question is do they only want a one-year rental with Warren, or do they want to lock him down for 2 or 3 years more?

In Jaylen Warren the Steelers have a dynamic running back who has repeatedly proven that he hits holes decisively and moves the chains when it counts. Like number 33 Merril Hoge before him, Jaylen Warren gives his all every time he touches the ball — the man doesn’t even take his helmet off during games.

Jaylen Warren, Robert Spillane, Steelers vs Raiders

Former Friends: Robert Spillane tries to tackle Jaylen Warren. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

He’s also a pass-catching threat out of the backfield, and his pass blocking might not impress any Fantasy Football owner who starts him, but Kenny Pickett, Justin Fields and Russell Wilson would certainly attest to how much of an asset that makes him to the Steelers offense.

Warren has shined during his 3 year apprenticeship, now its time for him to take over as the master.

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning Jaylen Warren

Jaylen Warren has a great story. He’s kind of like Isaac Redman but without the “Red Zone” factor. And Redman’s experience should be instructive to the Steelers.

Redman came out of nowhere and proved he was a viable backup running back. But thanks to injuries, Redman wasn’t even a long term answer at backup.

  • Injuries plagued Warren early in 2024.
  • His rushing average dropped by a full yard.

That, plus the fact that Warren has a 1.2% fumble rate, are warning signs that the Steelers braintrust must heed. Bringing Warren back 2025 is the right move, but the Steelers must hedge their bets.

Curtain’s Call on the Steelers and Jaylen Warren

Sometimes there’s nothing more tempting than a third down back who seems to out-perform the starter. During the dark days of the Steelers 1999 season, pundits argued it was imperative for the Steelers to leave Jerome Bettis behind because of Richard Huntley’s third down play.

OK. That analogy only goes so far. Najee Harris is no Bettis, and Warren far better than Huntley. But the example underlines the fact that, while Jaylen Warren is a player you need on your team, he’s never been tested as a starter. If nothing else, his fumble rate signals the risk in making a long-term commitment to him.

Expect the Steelers to offers Jaylen Warren a restricted free agent tender high enough that the draft pick a signing team would have to give up is too high, but don’t expect them to go beyond that.

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Should We Believe? Steelers Talk of Pairing Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren in Split Backfield

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The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly came out with something interesting at the end of the first week of Steelers 2023 OTAs: Namely that Steelers coaches are exploring ways to get Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren.

Credit Kaboly for delivering one of juiciest nuggets of come out of what are normally nearly newsless Organized Team Work Outs.

  • Or did he deliver a nugget?

Maybe he did, maybe he didn’t. You are wise don your Doubting Thomas cap on this one. But before we delve into the nuances of the question, let’s look at the facts.

Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren

Could we see Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren paired in the same backfield? Photo Credit: Jordan Schofield via SteelerNation.com

First, Kaboly doesn’t simply acknowledge that fans have a right to be skeptical, he gives them reasons to reinforce their skepticism. He points out that the combos of Le’Veon Bell and DeAngelo Williams, James Conner and Jaylen Samuels, and Harris and Warren have been on the field a total of 24 times.

However, he gets Jaylen Warren on the record explaining, “They have said they are planning to find ways to get us both on the field at the same time and just do different things with me.”

Kaboly goes further to point out that Matt Canada has been tinkering with a two-back offense and cites the success the Steelers had last year when they had two backs on the field. (Fun Fact: While its clear the Steelers won’t bring Derek Watt back, they were 7-1 in games where Watt got a carry. Just say’in…)

All of this is encouraging news to us Generation X Steelers fans who still pine nostalgically for  a return tothe old Pro Set offensive backfield (cue the “If it was good enough for Franco and Rocky why isn’t it good enough for The Bus and FWP?” quotes), but encouraging only to a point.

  • We have heard stories like this come out of OTAs before.

In fact in 2019 Jim Wexell got confirmation from Jaylen Samuels that the Steelers were experimenting with putting him in the same backfield as James Conner. By Kaboly’s count, that happened 11 times in 2019.

And of course they’ve been other rumblings at other points in the 21st century about the two back offense returning to Pittsburgh, just as stories about “this year the Steelers will give the fullback a few carries each game” and “we’re gonna throw to the tight end more” were training camp staples during the 1990’s. That never happened.

  • But why then, might this time be different?

Well, let’s just say that Kaboly has established some credibility here.

Last year, on June 7th to be precise, Kaboly got Steelers running backs coach Eddie Faulkner on the record discussing his plans to reduce Najee Harris’ snap count. At the time, I read the story with great interest but finished with a big mental “Yeah, right.”

But in 2022, Najee Harris had 313 touches of the ball as opposed to 381 in 2021. Moreover, his snap count dropped further, from 980 offensive snaps to 763 offensive snaps.

One of the reasons why the Steelers were able to but reduce Harris’ workload and get him off the field more often is that Jaylen Warren essentially forced coaches to find ways to get him on the field.

Maybe, just maybe Harris and Warren will find ways to force coaches to put them out together….

 

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Serious This Time? Might Mike Tomlin Actually Give Jaylen Warren More Carries?

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What if I told you that a particular Pittsburgh running back rushed for 136 yards on 29 carries (4.68 yards per rush) and added another 40 yards on three receptions in the Steelers’ most recent game?

You’d take it, right? Heck, you might even think this running back deserved low-key consideration for NFL Offensive Player of the Week.

Jaylen Warren, Derek Watt, Tyrann Mathieu, Steelers vs Saints

Derek Watt blocks for Jaylen Warren. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

If you were a Steelers fan, you’d also likely assume that the running back was Najee Harris, a second-year player who couldn’t have been more of a workhorse in 2021 when he accumulated 381 total touches.

You’d be right to assume that, too, considering Najee Harris’s head coach is named Mike Tomlin, a man who’s never met a starting back he had no problem running until his wheels fell off.

Your assumption would be off, however, at least if you made it about Pittsburgh’s 20-10 victory over the Saints at Acrisure Stadium last Sunday.

  • No single Steelers running back accumulated the aforementioned stat line.

Instead, the division of labor was divided up, if you will, with Harris toting the rock 20 times for 99 yards, while rookie Jaylen Warren, a UDFA from Oklahoma State, tallied 37 rushing yards on nine carries and added another 40 receiving yards on three catches.

In the days leading up to the game against New Orleans, there was talk — right from the horse’s mouth, in fact (Tomlin’s) — that Warren could and should get a bigger role in the Steelers’ offense.

  • But that had to be just talk from Tomlin. Right?

It was just a way to motivate his bell cow running back, Najee Harris, who had struggled mightily over the first eight weeks of the 2022 campaign. Tomlin has always seemed allergic to the running-back-by-committee approach. If you don’t believe me, ask LeGarrette Blount. If you don’t want to believe Blount (and I can certainly understand why you’d be afraid to even ask him a question), you can ask DeAngelo Williams, a much better teammate than Blount. Unlike Blount, who was cut shortly after leaving the field before the end of a Monday Night Football game against the Titans back in 2014, Williams was happy with his role as the backup to star running back, Le’Veon Bell.

DeAngelos Williams proved to be valuable in 2015, his first season in Pittsburgh, when he filled in for a suspended Bell to start the year and, again, for an injured Bell over the final two months of the regular season.

Williams was again valuable and extremely productive over the first three games of the 2016 regular season when Bell was suspended a second time for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.

  • But in spite of Williams’s success (and pleas from this site), when Bell was in the Steelers’ lineup, the former’s role was drastically reduced.

To reiterate, Mike Tomlin has never evolved beyond his bell cow running back philosophy.

Or maybe he has.

Harris and Warren worked beautifully together. You have to credit Tomlin for allowing it to happen, but you also have to credit offensive coordinator Matt Canada for finding a way to utilize both running backs effectively.

Is this the start of a new philosophy for Tomlin? Is he going to finally ease up on his starting running back?

I suppose we’re about to find out over the next few weeks.

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Running Back Depth is a Need, but Steelers Can (and Will) Do Better than Kalen Ballage

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Running back depth, or lack thereof has been the Achilles Heel for the Steelers during the latter part of the Ben Roethlisberger era. Just how bad has the problem been?

Well, consider that after their 2014 Divisional Playoff loss to the Ravens at Heinz Field, none of their top 3 running backs, neither Ben Tate, Josh Harris nor Dri Archer ever saw another NFL carry.

A year later, the Steelers went into the playoffs starting their 5th and 6th string running backs, Fitzgerald Toussaint and Jordan Todman. Thin running back depth hobbled the Steelers a year later in the AFC Championship loss to the Patriots, with Le’Veon Bell leaving early and DeAngelo Williams ineffective.

In 2021 the staffed quantity on the depth chart behind starter Najee Harris and that included Kalen Ballage. Did he show enough quality during that time to earn a second contract?

Kalen Ballage, Pittsburgh Steelers free agent

Kalen Ballage during the Steelers 2021 preseason. Photo Credit: USA Today Steelers Wire.

Capsule Profile of Kalen Ballage Career with the Steelers

Kalen Ballage came to the Steelers as a former Miami Dolphins 4th round pick who’d bounced around to four teams in his first 3 years in the NFL. Ballage earned a spot in training camp at least in part due to an injury to Benny Snell.

  • Here’s where memory plays tricks.

Kalen Ballage seemed like the “next man” up after Harris, but the record shows he only had 12 carries and only saw 65 offensive snaps. That was good for 36 yards in 12 carries along with 2 catches on 7 targets. If the offensive line didn’t give him a of help, Ballage did little to help himself in spot duty.

The Case for the Steelers Resigning Kalen Ballage

Yeah. This is a tough one. The Steelers need depth behind Najee Harris and Ballage gives them a veteran presence. And he’s only fumbled twice in four years in the NFL. And you can get him dirt cheap. Plus he played 20% of special teams snaps.

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning Kalen Ballage

If you’re not convinced by the above you shouldn’t be. Kalen Ballage was a bargin-basement free agency signing for a reason. His limited sample size has been large enough and representative enough for the Steelers to see what they have in Ballage and that is: Not much.

Curtain’s Call on the Steelers and Kalen Ballage

A key priority for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2022 off season is finding not only a number 2 but a number 3 running back to work behind Najee Harris.

It says here that, unless the Steelers stumble on the next Tom Brady with of their 6th round pick (ooh, wouldn’t that make the Melvin Ingram experience worth it), Pittsburgh will not field a Super Bowl team in 2022. But its still instructive to remember that the last time the Steelers won a Super Bowl, its running backs depth chart was four players deep.

The point isn’t that Kalen Ballage isn’t even 2022’s version of Mewelde Moore, it’s that he’s not even Gary Russell.

Expect the Steelers to move on.

Follow Steelers free agency. Visit our Steelers 2022 Free Agent tracker or click here for all Steelers 2022 free agent focus articles.

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Maurkice Pouncey Retires Signaling the Beginning of the End of an Era for Steelers Offensive Line

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Pittsburgh Steelers center and perennial Pro Bowler Maurkice Pouncey has announced his retirement, marking the official beginning of the end of an era in Steelers offensive line history.

Fans can be forgiven their frustration over the last two seasons as the Steelers offensive line has slipped for one simple reason:

  • For almost half a decade, it was almost a given the Steelers had the best offensive line in NFL.

The Tomlin era certainly didn’t start that way. Mike Tomlin inherited a strong, albeit aging offensive line that promptly fell apart in after the 2007 season and then had to be rebuilt during the 2008 season. What followed was a “Plug and Patch” approach to offensive line building that saw the Steelers sign an entire starting offensive line to 2nd contracts only to cut all of them before they completed their deals.

Indeed, Pouncey arrived at St. Vincents, in Latrobe, with Super Bowl veteran Justin Hartwig as the incumbent and forced him off the team less than a year after he’d signed a 4 year contract with the Steelers. From there Pouncey was a fixture at center, continuing the legacy of excellence at the position that began with Ray Mansfield, continued through Mike Webster, Dermontti Dawson and Jeff Hartings.

But it was anything but easy.

Maurkice Pouncey, Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers vs Bengals

Maurkice Pouncey and Ben Roethlisberger. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Overcoming Injury a Constant for Pouncey

During the 2010 AFC Championship win over the New York Jets Maurkice Pouncey suffered a dreaded “high ankle” sprain. The team “kept the light on for him” but he was unable to play in what would be his only Super Bowl.

  • This was the first of many times injuries would challenge Pouency.

A high ankle sprain would hobble him again against the Browns in 2011 keeping him from the 2011 playoff loss to the Tim Tebow Broncos. In 2013 David DeCastro would fall on Maurkice Pouncey’s leg, breaking it and finishing his season after just 8 snaps. In 2015, Pouncey season end after an injury suffered against the Packers in the preseason.

  • Behind these injuries were numerous surgeries, and numerous complications.

But Maurkice Pouncey never let it slow him down on the field, and he always remained a presence in the locker room.

Best Offensive Line in Football

Building a dominant offensive line takes time. Maurkice Pouncey gave the Steelers a piece. Ramon Foster, a product of “Plug and Patch” proved himself worthy of being another. In 2011 the Steelers drafted Marcus Gilbert, who remained a force until injuries derailed his career. In 2012, David DeCastro arrived, as did Kelvin Beachum. In 2014, the Steelers took a flyer on Alejandro Villanueva, and by the end of 2015 he was a starter.

David DeCastro, Maurkice Pouncey, Chukwuma Okorafor, Steelers vs Rams

Steelers offensive line. Photo Credit: Barry Reeger, PennLive

Whether they were protecting Ben Roethlisberger or opening holes for Le’Veon Bell, DeAngelo Williams or James Conner, from 2014 to 2018 the Pittsburgh Steelers had one of the most, if not the most dominate offensive line in the NFL.

  • At the center of it, literally and figuratively, was Maurkice Pouncey.

Maurkice Pouncey led the line with his superior play. When discipline needed to be enforce, such as when Myles Garrett assaulted Mason Rudolph with a deadly weapon, it was Maurkice Pouncey who retaliated.

That example stands out, but there were numerous smaller ones which either escaped the camera and/or memory. But those plays cemented Pouncey’s role as locker room leader.

  • When Pouncey spoke, people listened.

When Le’Veon Bell held out in 2018 and Pouncey ripped him, Steel City Insider’s Jim Wexell warned the wayward rusher, “Losing Pouncey? That’s analogous to Lyndon Johnson losing Cronkite. Google it.”

Life’s Work Looms

Shortly after Ben Roethlisberger declared prior to the playoff loss to the Jaguars that would not retire, Maurkice Pouncey let it be known that he too would return. This was the first indication that Pouency was considering starting his “Life’s Work.”

Indeed, as they sat together following the Hindenburg Rescues the Titanic playoff loss to the Browns, Roethlisberger apologized to Pouncey, “I’m sorry brother, you’re the only reason I wanted to do this.”

Shortly thereafter, word leaked that Pouency was considering retirement. On Friday February 12th, he made it official. By retiring, Maurkice Pouency simplified the Steelers salary cap situation by giving them back over 8 million dollars.

But make no mistake about it, those 8 million dollars will never replace the leadership and character that Maurkice Pouency contributed to the Steelers Way.

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Ramon Foster’s Steelers Career Helped Shape Offensive Line Transformation in Pittsburgh

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All good things come to an end. And so it is with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Ramon Foster.

While most expected this parting of the ways, Ramon Foster threw everyone a bit of a curve last week by announcing his retirement. Today we take time to step back, look at Ramon Foster’s Steelers career and the role he played during his time in Pittsburgh.

Ramon Foster, Steelers vs Jaguars

Ramon Foster lines up against Jaguars in 2017. Photo Credit: PennLive.com

Ramon Foster, ever the class act and always willing to talk to the media, released this statement:

When the time comes, you just know, and now is the time for me to take a bow. I’ve made some friends for a lifetime, had some moments that I’ll never forget and seen some things I never thought I would because of this game. I’m glad to say I was a Steeler for life, and there is no other organization I would have rather played for in my career.

Ramon Foster’s retirement sets in motion a shakeup on the Steelers offensive line that has been remarkably stable for that last several seasons. With B.J. Finney having signed with the Seattle Seahawks in free agency, Foster’s slot will almost certainly be taken by moving Matt Feiler from tackle to guard, opening the way for either Zach Banner or Chukwuma Okorafor to start at right tackle.

In a way, it is fitting that Ramon Foster’s departure will spark changes on the Steelers offensive line because Foster’s arrival, unhearded that it was, started the stabilization process.

Ramon Foster’s Steelers Career – From Transition to Transformation

When the book The History of the Pittsburgh Steelers Offensive Line is written, Ramon Foster’s name won’t earn mention alongside guards from the Super Steelers like Sam Davis and Gerry Mullins. He won’t be seen in the same light as colorful figures like Craig Wolfley, nor will he be considered a peer of should be Hall of Famer Alan Faneca. Objectively speaking, Ramon Foster probably wasn’t as good as the talented, but deeply troubled Carlton Haselrig.

  • But those omissions mask the role that Ramon Foster played authoring a critical transformation of the Steelers offensive line.

One fact that the “Mike Tomlin only won with Bill Cowher’s players” crowd conveniently ignores is that Tomlin didn’t enjoy continuity of Cowher’s offensive line. Jeff Hartings retired in 2006, and Tomlin enjoyed a one year rental from Alan Faneca. Marvel Smith and Kendall Simmons performed well in 2007, but both men’s bodies fell apart in 2008.

  • You can best describe the Steelers strategy on offensive line at that point as “Plug and Patch.”

Opportunity would grant 15 minutes of fame to obscure players like Darnell Stapelton and Doug Legursky, who started in Super Bowl XLIII and Super Bowl XLV respectively.

Out of both necessity and choice, the Steelers would sign players, guys like Justin Hartwig, Chris Kemoeatu, Trai Essex and Max Starks to multi-year deals, only to cut them midway through the contract. Indeed, when the Steelers signed Willie Colon in 2011, La Toalla Terrible joked that the Steelers planned to cut him in two years.

Ramon Foster, who arrived in Pittsburgh as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2009, and was very much a piece in that plug and patch offensive line strategy. Foster started four games as a rookie, then started another 8 in his second year including Super Bowl XLV.

  • By the 2011 season, Ramon Foster was starting 14 of 15 games.

Yet, the Steelers still saw Foster as a transitional figure, as evidenced by their simultaneous decisions to draft David DeCastro in 2012 and move Willie Colon to guard.

But injuries to both men allowed Foster to stake his claim as permanent starter, and since 2012 Ramon Foster has started 119 regular season and 7 playoff games for the Steelers. And during that time, the offensive line has transformed itself from being a perennial liability, to an area of undisputed strength. And make no mistake about it:

  • Ramon Foster wasn’t simply present for that transition, he actively participated in authoring the the transformation.

And through it all, Ramon Foster has served as a source of stability, helping protect Ben Roethlisberger while opening holes for Rashard Mendenhall, Le’Veon Bell, DeAngelo Williams and James Conner. Through it all, Ramon Foster was a locker room leader, whose work ethic on the field and commitment to physical football set an example for all.

  • That’s not a bad resume for an undrafted rookie free agent out of Tennessee.

Suffice to say, Ramon Foster will be missed as he beings his “Life’s Work.” Steel Curtain Rising thanks Ramon Foster for his service and wishes him the best.

Has Steelers free agency left you scrambling? Click here for our Steelers 2020 Free Agent tracker or click here for all Steelers 2020 free agency focus articles.

 

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James Washington’s Weight Loss Shows He’s Committed to Improving

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If you’re anything like me, you probably never looked at James Washington at any point during his rookie season and said, “That guy really needs to lose some weight.”

It’s rare to think that about any wide receiver, let alone one who came into the league as a second-round draft pick out of Oklahoma State with a reputation of being an accomplished deep threat. Yet, the Steelers apparently thought so, as they reportedly wanted him to be at 210 pounds by the start of the 2019 regular season.

Why would Pittsburgh want an already lean looking rookie to lose even more weight? Who knows, but it’s likely not an indictment of the youngster, considering the team has asked that of a lot of its newcomers in recent years–Le’Veon Bell, Bud Dupree and even veteran running back DeAngelo Williams were just a few players who were challenged to slim down shortly after arriving in Pittsburgh.

James Washington, Steelers vs Bengals 2018 Heinz Field,

James Washington vs the Bengals. Photo Credit: Tribune Review.

The good news is, James Washington came to the NFL with a reputation for having an incredible work-ethic, one that was developed while working on his father’s farm growing up. And that’s why, according to Washington, per an article published on Steelers.com, he managed to drop 15 pounds and get down to his team mandated weight this spring.

“I went home for the first two weeks, was putting in some hard work with my dad on the farm,” said Washington, courtesy of Steelers.com. “I was trying to cut down on weight. Eat less. I went to Miami and worked in the sun. Worked on strength, strong hands, all the things receivers work on.”

When you read that paragraph, it makes you realize just how hard the second-year receiver worked this spring, and how well-rounded his commitment was to honing his craft (if you simply believed what some reporters were saying on Twitter last week, you would have assumed Washington told them he lost the 15 pounds on Daddy’s Texas farm).

At any rate, if there’s ever a second-year receiver who has nowhere to go but up, it’s James Washington. Coming off a 2018 campaign in-which he caught just 16 passes for 217 yards and one lone touchdown, James Washington certainly has a ton to prove in his sophomore season.

Will he? That’s impossible to know right now. But he certainly seems willing to give it his best shot possible. And with the current look of Pittsburgh’s receiving corps, he has a great opportunity to establish himself–and do so rather quickly.

Yeah, sure, the Steelers signed veteran Donte Moncrief to a multi-year deal, and they drafted Diontae Johnson in the third round, but that doesn’t mean they no longer have high hopes for a man they recently invested a second-round draft choice in.

During the now infamous edition to his weekly radio show on 93.7 The Fan that followed a fairly ridiculous and laughable loss to the Broncos on November 25, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger called out two of his receivers. One of those receivers was obviously Antonio Brown, who reacted to his quarterback’s criticisms in the worst possible way, as he burned every visible bridge (and maybe even his legacy as the greatest receiver in team history) on his way to Oakland.

  • The other receiver was James Washington, who dove to catch a pass during the game that, had he simply stayed on his feet and caught it in stride, would have gone for a touchdown.

Who do you think would have handled the criticism of his quarterback better, a veteran who was in the midst of the greatest six-year run for any receiver in NFL history; or a rookie that had accomplished nothing up to that point in his career?

Obviously, the betting money would be on the veteran. But as I already alluded to, the veteran is now wearing the silver and black as a member of the Raiders. As for the rookie, he took the constructive criticism as just that, and he’s now using it to try and make himself a better football player.

It remains to be seen if James Washington will make that all-important first to second year leap in 2019. But if his commitment to getting better is any indication, he’s certainly willing to do whatever it takes to find out.

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Is the Steeler 2019 Draft Need @ Running Back Stronger than Conventional Wisdom Indicates?

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Ask a fan, a journalist or even a team employee what the Steelers top needs are entering the 2019 NFL Draft and they’ll tell you inside linebacker, cornerback and wide receiver – probably in that order.

  • Few would, or should argue.

But after those positions, there’s little agreement over what comes next. Some would argue for edge rusher, others tight end while still others will insist that the Steelers add another safety. Those arguments all have their merits.

Few, however, think of, let alone mention running back – is this a mistake? Let’s find out.

James Conner, Steelers vs Browns, James Conner Fumble

James Conner fumbles late in the 4th quarter of the Steelers-Browns tie. Photo Credit: Photo credit: Sporting News Canada

Steelers Running Back Depth Chart Going into the 2019 NFL Draft: The Starters

Home town hero and cancer survivor James Conner became an immediate fan favorite when the Steelers picked the former Pitt Panther in the 3rd round of the 2017 NFL Draft. James Conner saw little action in his rookie season which unfortunately ended in the December showdown against the New England Patriots.

  • James Conner’s body of work was so scant that the Steelers did not seriously consider him as an alternative to Le’Veon Bell.

Nonetheless, with Le’Veon Bell made good on threats to hold out/backed away of his stated intention to report and play in the franchise tag (Bell made both), James Conner became the Steelers starting running back.

James Conner proved to be up to the task as a quick look at his performance reveals.

James Conner, James Conner 2018 statistics

James Conner’s 2018 statistics

James Conner not only proved to be a capable replacement to Le’Veon Bell, by some measures, he was an improvement to Le’ Veon Bell. (One of those, unfortunately, was not ball security.) James Conner of course got hurt in the Steelers loss to the Chargers, but his return in week 17 should do nothing to dissuade fans that Conner is a championship caliber NFL running back.

  • The other Steelers starter at running back would be Roosevelt Nix, their fullback.

While Roosevelt Nix continued to play well when called upon by the Steelers, but in Randy Fichtner’s offense, Roosevelt Nix’s role decrease, as his 2018 snap count dropped to 9.86%, down from 16.37% in 2017.

Steelers Running Back Depth Chart Going into the 2019 NFL Draft: The Backups

Behind James Conner the Steelers have Jaylen Samuels who was thrust into the starting role after Conner’s injury despite never having worked as a starting running back in his NFL life.

Given his lack of experience, the rookie Jaylen Samuels did incredibly well, rushing for 256 yards on 56 carries and catching another 26 passes for 29 yards which included 3 through the air.

Behind Samuels, the Steelers also have Trey Edmunds, brother of Terrell Edmunds, who got activated from the practice squad when Conner got injured, and remains an unknown commodity.

For those of you taking notes at home, the Steelers also have running backs Malik Williams and Ralph Webb on their roster.

Steelers Need @ Running Back Going into the 2019 NFL Draft

Although he only has a year of starting experience under his belt, James Conner already shares something in common with Willie Parker, Rashard Mendenhall, Le’Veon Bell, Isaac Redman and DeAngelo Williams.steelers, draft, needs, priority, 2018 NFL Draft

  • What might that be?

James Conner, like his Tomlin-era predecessors, suffered a late season injury that complicated “December football” for the Steelers because there was little proven depth behind him.

To be fair to the coaching staff, as soon as it became clear that Le’Veon Bell’s holdout would become permanent, the Steelers dramatically cut down on his workload as the table above indicates.

Perhaps that’s a sign that Mike Tomlin is learning that he shouldn’t take his credo of rushing a running back until his wheels start to fall off too literally.

  • However, the Steelers made no apparent attempt to target a running back during free agency.

And that leaves a bare cupboard behind James Conner and Jaylen Samuels. Steel Curtain Rising is already on record saying that beefing up running back depth is one of the under appreciated Steelers 2019 off season priorities. And with that in mind, the Steelers need at running back going into the 2019 NFL Draft must be considered Moderate High.

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