Tag Archives: Le’Veon Bell

The Mike McCarthy Era Begins as Steelers Beat Falcons 20-13 at Acrisure Stadium

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The Mike McCarthy era began as the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Atlanta Falcons 20-13 at Acrisure Stadium to open the 2026 season.

In securing victory, Mike McCarthy now joins his three immediate predecessors, Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin in winning his first game as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

But, in an ironic nod to continuity, we can explain McCarthy’s first win by leaning into a time-tested Tomlinism: “Players play, coaches coach.”

T.J. Watt intercepts Cooper Rush and Jawaan Taylor cannot stop him.

T.J. Watt intercepts Cooper Rush in the 4th quarter. Photo Credit: Taylor Ollason, Steelers.com

Meet the New Steelers Offense, Same as the Old Steelers Offense?

Pittsburgh has fielded “pedestrian” offenses, put generously, since Ben Roethlisberger threw out his arm against Seattle in 2019.

And the consensus remedy for all that ailed the Steelers offense according to fans, podcasters and professional commentators alike has been to replace Mike Tomlin with an offensive-minded head coach.

That’s what Art Rooney II did when he hired Mike McCarthy. And, with one game out of 17 in the books, we can say that the new Steelers offense looks an awful lot like the old.

  • Steelers running backs couldn’t crack 60 yards total rushing
  • Its leading wide receiver caught 3 balls for 58 yards
  • The unit went 3 of 13 on third downs
  • It scored one touchdown and put up the same number of points as Atlanta’s offense

There were positives. Aaron Rodgers was only sacked twice – although he was hit a total of 6 times. Pat Freiermuth had the type of afternoon that eluded him last season, scoring the team’s only touchdown.

Michael Pittman Jr. caught 3 of 3 balls thrown his way and looked better than any other Steelers WR No. 2 has had in years.

  • The same can’t really be said for WR No. 1, D.K. Metcalf.

Aaron Rodgers looked to him early and often, yet Metcalf only came down with 4 balls that came his way. To be fair to Metcalf, Rodgers hit him perfectly on a deep, sideline route that most certainly should have been called as pass interference.

But, in one of those coveted “passes over the middle” at the tail end of the third quarter, Rodgers delivered the ball perfectly, and Metcalf couldn’t hold on. Had he caught the ball, it is possible that none of the defense’s 4th quarter fireworks would have been necessary.

A.J. Terrell breaks up a long pass intended for D.K. Metcalf in the Steelers 2026 opening day win over the Falcons.

D.K. Metcalf can’t quite hold on as A.J. Terrell interferes. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Roman Wilson got his most extensive, non-garbage time play of his career thus far, and the results were mixed. He did come away with 3 catches for 26 yards, which is OK, but he dropped a touchdown in the end zone.

To be fair, a flag could have been thrown on that pass too, but like Metcalf, Wilson must start finding ways to win these combat catches.

The deep shots that Mike McCarthy and Brian Angelichio took down the middle indicate that the coaching duo was trying to do something different on offense. But the execution left a lot to be desired.

  • How did it go again? “Players play, coaches coach?”

There were a few other hopeful signs at the tail end of the game, as we shall see.

The “Other” 10 on the Steelers Defense

Given what we saw in the 4th quarter, one could be forgiven for forgetting that there were 10 other players at any given moment whose name did not start and end with a “T.”

  • But it was far from a one-man show for the Steelers defense.

Much has been made of the “most expensive defense in the NFL” for the last several seasons. Football historians can debate that at their convenience, against the Atlanta Falcons in the 2026 opener, the Pittsburgh Steelers defense earned their money:

  • Payton Wilson led in tackles, including 2 for losses and was all over the field
  • Jalen Ramsey stepped up and broke up a pass, negating a long gain early on
  • Alex Highsmith wrecked Atlanta’s opening and closing drives with sacks
  • Newcomer Jaquan Brisker set up the Steelers only touchdown with a late 2nd quarter interception

And Cam Heyward, the legendary defensive lineman who seems to be making a parallel late career case to do double duty as a defensive back, led the team with 3 passes defensed, and as usual was a force up front at all other times.

Jalen Ramsey breaks up what would have been a long one to Kyle Pitts in the Steelers 2026 win over the Atlanta Falcons.

Jalen Ramsey breaks up a pass to Kyle Pitts. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

It is true, the Steelers were facing second-string quarterback Cooper Rush, who himself had injury issues going into the game. But Atlanta has weapons on offense. Bijan Robinson is one of the NFL’s most dangerous rushers. Robinson had a respectable day, but never threatened to take over the game.

And while the Steelers offense only converted three third downs, that was 50% more than the Falcons, who converted two. Patrick Graham is already earning accolades from the social media chorus for calling a much better game than Mike Tomlin or Teryl Austin would have.

  • And Graham does deserve credit.

But, the entire Steelers defense was firing on all cylinders. And if they hadn’t been, it may not have mattered. Because the 11th player on the field was performing on a different level.

T.J. Watt Grounds the Falcons

Neither 2024 nor 2025 were kind to T.J. Watt. In 2024 Watt started off strong, but an undisclosed injury hampered him late in the season, just as the Steelers entered their critical late-season stretch.

Watt’s lightning quick tackles of Derrick Henry, when in fact Lamar Jackson had the ball, seemed emblematic of everything wrong with the Steelers defense during the 2024 season’s playoff ridiculing suffered at the hands of the Ravens.

Watt had his moments in 2025 and played better than his 7 sacks suggest, but he still appeared to be a player in decline.

His name wasn’t called much early in the game against the Falcons, aside from a sack late in the first half. And late in the 3rd quarter, Joe Davis and Greg Olsen got to talking about Watt’s decline in play.

T.J. Watt with one of two sacks of Cooper Rush in the Steelers 2026 opening day win over the Atlanta Falcons.

Watt breaks a hold to sack Cooper Rush. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

If you didn’t know better, you’d have thought Watt was listening.

Because on the next play he stopped Robinson for a loss. Then, despite being blatantly held, he sacked Cooper Rush, helping to force Atlanta to settle for a field goal.

  • Unfortunately for the Falcons, Watt was only getting warmed up.

The field goal gave Atlanta 10 points, putting them within three of Pittsburgh. The fourth quarter was just starting. The Steelers offense followed with one of those three-and-outs that looked way too familiar to the fare the Fitchner, Canada and Smith offenses treated fans to.

Atlanta ended the 3rd quarter with a 20-yard Bijan Robinson run: The Falcons appeared to be taking flight as the 4th quarter began.

T.J. Watt thought otherwise.

Watt opened the 4th quarter by stoning Robinson for no gain on first down. On second down, after Patrick Graham radioed in the play, Patrick Queen looked at Watt and told him, “Bro, go get me one.” This was Watt’s response:

There are 3 things to take away from this play:

  1. It took incredible concentration for Watt to intercept that ball
  2. Watt’s commitment to playing to the whistle drives him to get up and finish the play
  3. Notice how Benton, Ramsey and Wilson rally to ensure Watt makes it to the end zone

Yes it is a long season. Yes, Watt will have to sustain this level.

But I have pretty good feeling pushing the “Watt’s Washed Up” storyline in the Atlanta Falcons locker room this morning would be a pretty hard sell.

A Finish the Steelers Offense Can Build On?

The Steelers offensive performance did feature a different, hopeful wrinkle. After Highsmith ended the Falcons’ final drive, the Steelers got the ball back with 4:16 remaining.

In just about any similar situation during the post-Roethlisberger era, it would have been nail-biting time. Not against the Falcons. Rodgers opened with passes to Metcalf, Pittman and Darnell Washington.

From there Rico Dowdle and Jaylen Warren banged out 4 and 9 yard runs respectively, allowing Mike McCarthy to deploy the victory formation.

This wasn’t exactly the type of attrition football that we witnessed in the days when Jerome Bettis or Le’Veon Bell salted away games. But seeing the Steelers spend the final minute of the game taking a knee as opposed to watching their DBs scramble around playing prevent defense was a welcome change.

Perhaps that’s something that Mike McCarthy can build on.

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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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Will the Steelers Re-Sign MVP Kenneth Gainwell in Free Agency?

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In 2025 the Steelers “took a flyer” on free agent running back Kenneth Gainwell giving him a one-year, veteran minimum contract. Gainwell took that opportunity and ran with it well enough to win the Steelers 2025 MVP award.

So if a guy reaches free agency and has just won the MVP award, re-signing him is a no-brainer, Right?

That hasn’t always been so in Pittsburgh, so Steelers Kenneth Gainwell free agency decision promises to be an interesting one.

Kenneth Gainwell, Darnell Washington, Steelers vs Bears

Kenneth Gainwell runs for 55 yards. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Capsule Profile of Kenneth Gainwell’s Career with the Steelers

In December 2024 the Steelers traveled to Philadelphia and got their teeth kicked in by the eventual Super Bowl Champion. While all eyes were on the Eagles starting running back Saquon Barkley, Mike Tomlin’s were on Kenneth Gainwell.

Gainwell only managed about 20 yards on the ground and another 40 through the air, but that was enough for him to do his damage to the Steeelers defense.

Enough for Mike Tomlin to bring him to Pittsburgh to play alongside Jaylen Warren. The Steelers gave Warren a 2-year contract extension last summer, signaling he might finally become the “feature back” after watching three years of “Sludge Ball” behind Najee Harris.

  • What followed next presents an interesting study in the contrast between perception and reality.

As the Steelers offense struggled to find its footing, fans complained, with increasing intensity, about Kenneth Gainwell gaining snaps at Warren’s expense.

  • Alas the numbers tell a different story.
  • Gainwell averaged 6.7 carries per game to Warren’s 13.

Had the Steelers won consistently, no one would have complained, validating Chuck Noll’s, assertion that questions like “Why don’t you throw to the tight end?” translate to “Why don’t you win?”

Kenneth Gainwell acted as a jack of all trades in Arthur Smith’s 2025 Steelers offense, playing as sort of a modern-day Rodney Carter, a name Generation X Steelers fans might recall.

Need to fake the Tush Push on 4th and 1? Feign like you’re giving it to Connor Heyward and toss it to Gainwell instead who’ll run it for 55 yards.

 

Players generally win MVP wards because they dominate so thoroughly, their performance is indispensable to the team’s success. Think back to Franco Harris’, Jerome Bettis’ or Le’Veon Bell’s MVP seasons for clear examples.

  • Kenneth Gainwell authored a different kind of MVP campaign.

He made slow, steady contributions to the offense that grew as the season progressed.

His efforts, 537 yards rushing and 486 yards receiving with 8 total touchdowns, aren’t best measured in quantity, but rather quality.

Gainwell was the most consistent player on a struggling offense. He delivered when coaches called his number, and those little contributions more often than not had a big part defining the difference between wins and losses.

The Case for the Steelers Re-Signing Kenneth Gainwell

There are a lot of reasons why the Steelers Killer Bees era disappointed, but one that many miss is that piss-poor backfield depth sabotaged Mike Tomlin’s teams in the playoffs for 3 straight years.

Kenneth Gainwell brought the Steelers something they’ve struggled to find: A true number 2 running back who complements the starter, steps in when needed, and makes a difference when he has the ball in his hands.

Spencer Anderson, Kenneth Gainwell, Pat Freiermuth, Steelers vs Vikings, Steelers vs Vikings Dublin, Ireland

Spencer Anderson celebrates with Kenneth Gainwell. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

His best play of the season illustrates this. He ran 55 yards on the fake tush push in Chicago, but didn’t score. Jaylen Warren did one play later, highlighting the 1-2 punch the tandem brings Pittsburgh.

Mike McCarthy’s offense will differ in important ways, but the value a true RB No. 2 provides remains indespensable.

Other NFL teams certainly took note of Gainwell’s MVP season and he won’t be an under the radar signing. But he’s also not the type of back that anyone thinks will or should “reset the market.”

He’s someone the Steelers can and should resign.

The Case Against the Steelers Re-Signing Kenneth Gainwell

Yes, Kenneth Gainwell was the best and most consistent player on the Steelers offense. And that says a lot more about how bad that offense was than it does about how good Gainwell is.

Gainwell is a “nice to have” and was a great pickup on a veteran minimum contract, but are you really going to give a legit 2nd contract, one with real guaranteed money, to a backup running back who didn’t even crack 900 all-purpose yards?

Please.

Aaron Rodgers was right when he said that the Steelers offense sort of resembled the Island of Misfit toys. Gainwell was one of those. Yes, he’s a legit role player in a productive, varsity NFL offense – but the Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t fielded one of those since what? 2018?

Sure the Steelers have salary cap space to spare, but they doesn’t mean they should waste it on a guy like Gainwell when they’ve got Kaleb Johnson waiting in the wings.

Curtain’s Call on the Steelers and Kenneth Gainwell

Just because Kenneth Gainwell was the MVP last year doesn’t mean the Steelers will bend over backwards to bring him back.

  • There’s precedent in Pittsburgh for doing the exact opposite.

Quarterback Neil O’Donnell MVP honors during the Steelers 1995 season. When O’Donnell became a free agent after Super Bowl XXX, Pittsburgh made him an offer, but he declined to get into a bidding war with the New York Jets. Seven years later, Kordell Stewart won the team MVP award in 2001, yet found himself benched permanently in favor of Tommy Maddox in 2002.

At the NFL Scouting Combine Omar Khan confirmed that the Steelers have started negotiations with Gainwell, but if they haven’t signed him by this point, they won’t before free agency starts.

The Steelers will make him an offer they think is fair, allow him to gauge interest from the rest of the NFL, and won’t go beyond their original number. The Steelers value Gainwell’s services. We’ll soon find out if the rest of the NFL values them more.

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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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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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Steelers Key to Success vs Vikings in Dublin? Avoid Jet Lag

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The NFL released its 2025 schedule last week proving once again the league retains its power as a marketing juggernaut.

A generation ago baseball, the Stanley Cup and NBA Finals would have driven North America’s sports talk. By transforming the schedule release into a media event, the NFL has shifted the focus to football.

The Steelers  finally learned the date and opponent of their long-awaited game in Dublin.

This will be the first regular season NFL game played in Ireland, but it will be the Steelers second trip to the Emerald Isle and their second international game. Prior to the 1997 season, the Steelers played a preseason game in Ireland against the Bears, and in 2013 the Steelers played the Minnesota Vikings in London.

The Steelers’ London date with the Vikings came was on September 29th in the 4th game of the season. The Steelers will face the Vikings in Dublin on September 28th in week four of the season.

So things are lining up nicely for history symmetry buffs…. Perhaps a little too nicely.

Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers vs Vikings, Steelers vs Vikings London, Mike Adams

1 of 5 Minnesota Vikings sacks of Ben Roethlisberger in London. Photo Credit: Matt Dunham, AP via NY Daily News

When asked by Missi Matthews if the Steelers planned on doing anything differently for its second international trip, Art Rooney II told her he didn’t expect it and that the Steelers travel plans would probably remain the same.

That’s a problem.

Because the Steelers left Pittsburgh the Thursday before the game, arrived on Friday, practiced on Saturday, and then promptly lost the battle of 0-3 teams in a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the 34-27 final score suggested.

Before that game, Dejan Kovacevic, then with the Tribune Review sounded the alarm about jet lag. In his podcast this week, he confirmed that several players, including LaMarr Woodley, looked completely out of it in their Friday pre-game press conference.

For those of you who’ve never made a trans-Atlantic flight, I can assure you it typically takes 2 if not 3 days to acclimate. The Vikings, wise to this reality, came in early.

Was it just the jet lag?

It is hard to say. The 2013 Steelers were in salary cap purgatory. They arrived at St. Vincents that summer with precarious depth. Attrition forced four players on injured reserve before the Steelers even played their 4th preseason game.

They started their season opener with RB Number 1 (Le’Veon Bell) in street clothes. RB Number 2, Isaac Redman was starting with a career-ending injury. RB Number 3 Jonathan Dwyer, had been cut. TE’s Number 3 and 4, David Johnson and David Paulson, were TE number 1 and TE number 2 thanks to injuries to Heath Miller and Matt Spaeth.

That’s how the 2013 Steelers began game 1. They then promptly went about proving Murphy’s law:

Starting center lost. Backup tackle doing double duty as tight end shifts over to play center. For the first time in his life. All within 8 plays of the season. 3 players lost for the year on opening day. Some guy named Kion Wilson manning the inside linebacker position and, get this, calling the defensive plays.

Oh, yeah, and Cortez Allen also got injured in the 2013 season opener (although he was back for London) but by the time Kion Wilson had played his last NFL snaps on defense and was got cut season’s end.

By week 3 in a road game against Chicago the Steelers offensive line was so bad that it prompted Dale Lolley, then with the Observer-Reporter, to make the tweet of the year:

The offensive line managed to get worse on the other side of the Atlantic – that was perhaps the only game when I saw Ben Roethlisberger look lost in the face of a fierce pass rush.

  • So maybe it wasn’t just the jet lag.

But the bottom line is, the NFL is hyper competitive, and teams need every edge they can get. Or at least avoid yielding opponents an edge by giving yourself jet lag.

Moral of the story?

Mike Tomlin would do well to get the Steelers to Dublin early as he can.

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Steelers Draft Kaleb Johnson in 3rd Round of 2025 NFL Draft

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The wait on Day 2 was long, but the Steelers drafted Kaleb Johnson in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

We’ll have to wait to see if Kaleb Johnson can live up to the Steelers legacy of excellence at running back, but this pick galvanizes Omar Khan and Andy Weidl’s vision for building a roster. During their first two drafts they focused on building their offensive line, with Johnson in the fold they’ve now shifted to putting someone behind the line.

  • And just who are they putting behind the line?

Here’s where it gets interesting. The Steelers hosted 9 running backs at the South Side for pre-draft visits. And based on those visits, commentators concluded that the Steelers were focusing on speed over size.

Kaleb Johnson, Kaleb Johnson Steelers 2nd round pick 2025

Kaleb Johnson rushes for the Hawkeyes. Photo Credit: Ryan Sun AP, via YourEire.com

But, like with the feint towards Shedeur Sanders, the Steelers had something else in mind, as Kaleb Johnson stands 6-1, and weighs 224. As Jim Wexell points out, this makes him a veritable clone of Le’Veon Bell, who was 3/8s of an inch taller and 6 pounds heavier, although Johnson ran the 40 three hundredth’s of a second faster than Bell

When asked to explain the pick, Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s comments were very insightful, offering:

One of the more instinctive backs that I’ve watched in a couple of years coming out of the draft. Perfect fit regardless of whatever run scheme you’re running. He ran multiple (schemes) at Iowa. Really impressive as a volume runner as the game went on, and one of the more impressive stats you’ve seen in the fourth quarter — what he averaged in the fourth quarter. I believe it was over 5 yards per carry. Might have been closer to 6.

Playing his college ball at Iowa, Johnson faced a lot of stacked boxes and did exceptionally well at it. That’s a skill that could serve him well in Pittsburgh, especially if Aaron Rodgers decides to drive a truck and the Steelers go with Mason Rudolph for 2025.

  • But Smith’s comment about Johnson’s ability to wear down defenses is particularly enticing.

The ability to take over games is what distinguishes great running backs from merely good ones. Franco Harris had that ability, as did Jerome Bettis. So did Barry Foster and Le’Veon Bell. Najee Harris was a better back than a lot of scribes give him credit for.

But Harris never really took over a game. Yes, there were times when Harris wore teams down. But those were the exception, not the rule, and if you need further evidence of that, just look to how the Steelers deployed Justin Fields to close out the home win over the Ravens and the road win over the Bengals.

Kaleb Johnson Video Highlights

Here’s a quick clip of some of Johnson’s best work for the Hawkeyes.

https://youtu.be/XwadVKig-js?si=RobvtzmLD3Shm1RM

You can see why Steel City Insider’s Roy Countryman rated him as a 2nd round value pick, and while Dave Bugler rated him as the number 3 running back in the draft.

Johnson will have to win the starting job from Jaylen Warren training camp, and Smith has indicated that Warren could very well retain his third down back role. But this clearly looks like a kid who can play.

Kenneth Gainwell’s roster is certainly secure although he’ll have earn his snaps and, assuming Cordarrelle Patterson doesn’t get a visit from The Turk Monday morning, he’d be wise not to sign a long-term lease in Pittsburgh.

Welcome to Steelers Nation Kaleb Johnson.

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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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Steelers 2024 Thanksgiving Honors: Russell Wilson

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Thanksgiving is upon is which makes it time for Steel Curtain Rising to bestow our annual Steelers Thanksgiving Honors. And this year the honoree is none other that starting quarterback Russell Wilson.

Russell Wilson, Steelers vs Commanders.

Russell Wilson launches a pass in the 4th quarter. Photo Credit: AP, Chaz Palla, via Tribune-Review

Russell Wilson New, But Already a True Pittsburgh Steeler

This is Russell Wilson’s first and perhaps only year in Pittsburgh, but he has fit in to a T. The Pittsburgh Steelers actually have time-honored tradition of quarterback reclamation projects, but you have to go back to Bobby Layne to find a quarterback who has made such an instant impact.

Mike Tomlin said it best, when explaining his decision to bench Justin Fields who at the time was 4-2 as a starter:

Justin has been really good, and we’ve been really good at times — but not to be confused with great. This is a competitive league, man. We’re trying to position ourselves to be that team and we got a player with talent who hasn’t had an opportunity to play.

With Russell Wilson as quarterback, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a chance to be great.

There are a lot of ways to look at why. You can find any number of metrics that show how the Steelers offense is more dynamic with Wilson at the helm. Wilson’s “moonballs” to George Pickens, Calvin Austin, Van Jefferson and Mike Williams are works of art.

Calvin Austin, Greg Newsome, Pittsburgh Steelers

Calvin Austin hauls in a touchdown. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

While the offense remains a work in progress, Wilson has brought the deep ball back to Pittsburgh in a way we haven’t seen since Ben Roethlisberger began his Life’s Work. And when things are going as planned, that threat of a deep ball has reinvigorated the running game for Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren.

Those are all positives, but they’re not the real reason why Russell Wilson is winning Thanksgiving Honors.

Russell Wilson – Leading with Class

What really sets Wilson apart is that he’s become an automatic leader of the team, both on the field and off the field. He exudes class. He brings a “been there, done that” mentality yet he does it with grace and humility.

When the Steelers fell behind against the Commanders, there was never a hint of panic from Wilson.

  • The stage is never too big for him.

Since arriving in Pittsburgh, Wilson has done his best to integrate himself into the community of Pittsburgh – he is a regular at Children’s Hospital, he’s made a point of attending and supporting a multitude of community events.

He’s also been a consummate teammate, doing what he could to support Justin Fields when he started, taking the entire offense out to dinner each week and by all accounts has installed himself as a locker room leader.

To understand why, just look at Wilson’s comments after the Steelers Red Zone woes following the win against the Ravens:

You can’t let one game — I’ve told you guys this before — every game has a history of its own. I think that you focus on trying to be a little bit crisper, making a couple plays.

This perspective is so fundamentally healthy. It acknowledges the challenges that the team faces, but instead of focusing on past failures, it focuses on the future. There are a lot of reasons to find fault with the offense’s performance in the loss to the Browns, but the team did score twice in the Red Zone.

Wilson Fitting into the Steelers Thanksgiving Honors Tradition

In a word, Russell Wilson arrived in Pittsburgh under unique circumstances. You don’t often sign a Super Bowl winner for a veteran minimum contract. You would think that the Steelers would want him back, but one never knows.

  • Why bestow Thanksgiving honors on a potential short timer you ask?

It is simple. Thanksgiving Honors speak to why Steelers fans should be thankful now.

The tradition was born in the middle of 2009’s 5 game losing streak, when Rashard Mendenhall, having a breakout season, showed tremendous hustle in running down a defender who was making an interception return in the loss to Kansas City.

Larry Ogunjobi, Leonard Fournette, Steelers vs Bucaneers

Larry Ogunjobi stuffs Leonard Fournette. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Two years later, we honored Kennan Lewis, who was doing a tremendous job in his first and only season as a starting Steelers cornerback. The same sentiment guided 2022’s decision to honor Larry Ogunjobi – it was his first year in Pittsburgh and he was only playing on a one year deal, but it was a different offensive line with Larry Ogunjobi playing alongside Cam Heyward than it had been in 2021.

  • And of course Ogunjobi has been in Pittsburgh since.

Will the same thing happen with Wilson? Can Wilson bring back Lombardi Number 7 or even Art Rooney II’s coveted playoff win?

Time will tell, but today there’s every reason to be glad he’s a Pittsburgh Steeler.

Past Steelers Thanksgiving Honors Winners

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

Happy Thanksgiving to You and Yours

Today marks the 23rd Thanksgiving I’ve celebrated from Buenos Aires, Argentina. But it remains my favorite US holiday because, the specter of Black Friday not withstanding, it remain a tradition founded upon faith, family and friends.

While we’re happy to continue our football-centered Thanksgiving Honors tradition here, we do so with the understanding that football is just a diversion.

In that sense, we hope that all of you reading this have plenty of non-football reasons to be thankful, and we also hope that you can celebrate those with family and friends.

Happy Thanksgiving Steelers Nation!

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The Right Decision: Steelers Extend Mike Tomlin’s Contract Despite Playoff Drought

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The Steelers extended head coach Mike Tomlin’s contract for three years, keeping him in Pittsburgh through the 2027 season. The news was expected as both Tomlin and Art Rooney II confirmed shortly after the playoff loss to the Bills, that Tomlin would get an extension.

Art Rooney II, Mike Tomlin, Mike Tomlin contract

Art Rooney II and Mike Tomlin Photo Credit: Chuck Cook, USA Today via 93.7 the Fan

However, these clarifications only came after Tomlin’s contract was not extended last summer before training camp when he had two years left on his existing – and for decades franchise policy was to extend the head coach when he had 2 years remaining on his existing contract.

  • During the season there were murmurs the 2023 season would be Tomlin’s last.

Many, if not most of those were poorly sourced. However, on the Steel City Insider podcast legendary Steelers scribe Vic Ketcaum did everything but say a reporter he was close had sources indicating Tomlin would be gone. Ed Bouchette, who joined the podcast, wasn’t as insistent, but also indicated that “one way or another” he expected 2023 to be Tomlin’s last.

  • For the record, podcast host Jim Wexell told listeners to expect Tomlin back. And Wexell was right.

News of the extension was not taken well by many in Steelers Nation.

But now that Art Rooney II has “Gone and done it” let’s unwrap his decision.

The Elephant in the Room: Tomlin’s 7 Year Playoff Victory Drought

While Mike Tomlin has never had a losing season, the Pittsburgh Steelers are now 7 years and counting since Chris Boswell kicked them into the AFC Championship game with a win at Kansas City. To put that in perspective:

That last point strikes hard and seems particularly damning. But it is not. For two reasons.

First, simple math proves that Noll is a better coach than Tomlin. Second, the 80’s saw the AFC suffer an uncanny talent imbalance to the NFC (just look at the decade’s Super Bowl results). That gave an edge to teams with superior coaching.

Stephon Tuitt, Tom Brady, Steelers vs Patriots

Stephon Tuitt bears down on Tom Brady. Photo Credit: Geoff Burke, USA TODAY, via Steel City Insider

Also remember that the Steelers playoff losing streak started with Le’Veon Bell’s injury in the AFC Championship, when Bell was fresh off breaking the Steelers playoff rushing record in back-to-back games.

At that point Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert had overseen a complete rebuild of the roster since Super Bowl XLIII save for two players. For as bad as losing another AFC Championship to the Patriots stung, the franchise’s futures seemed bright.

Then of course the Steelers lost Ryan Shazier, who was budding into an all pro and perhaps a generational-talent. Not too long after that Ben Roethlisberger needed elbow reconstruction surgery.

  • The ripple effects of those two injuries can still be felt today. To quote Jim Wexell, “That’s not an excuse. Its reality.”

It is also reality to acknowledge that those ripples did not reverberate in a vacuum. Since their last playoff win the Steelers swung at air with several personnel moves in a vain effort to reload for a final run with Roethlisberger. Those misses snowballed following Shazier’s injury.

Mike Tomlin deserves his share of the blame for those errors.

But along the way Mike Tomlin has:

  • Gone 8-8 in 2019 while starting Devlin Hodges for almost half the season
  • Won the AFC North in 2020 with a 1 dimensional offense and an injury ravaged defense
  • Made the playoffs in ‘21 with offensive and defensive lines rebuilt with spit, duct tape and bubble gum

It takes quality coaching to coax winning records in situations like that. But you’ll notice the 2023 season isn’t listed above.

There a reason for that.

Tomlin Still Proving the Rooney Rule

When Mike Tomlin beat out insider favorites Ken Whisenhunt and Russ Grimm for the head coaching job, many attributed it to “The Rooney Rule.”

The Rooney Rule may have contributed to Tomlin’s getting hired, but he certainly met the requirements of a Rooney Rule, but not the one you’re thinking of. As retired radio journalist, Steelers blogger and Immaculate Reception witness Mike Silversteen has observed, the real Rooney rule is as follows: Hire the best man for the job and stick by him.

And one of the most important qualities of a coach, as Dan Rooney explained in his autobiography is an ability to lead men. Chuck Noll started his tenure going 1-13, 5-8 and 6-8. But Dan Rooney kept him because Noll always had the locker room.

Bill Cowher’s 1998 Steelers finished an ugly 7-9 and an even uglier 6-10 in 1999. Yet Dan Rooney stood by Cowher, because he felt Cowher had kept the locker room (I disagreed at the time, but yep, Dan knew a little more than me.)

The Steelers opened last December with one of the worst 3 game stretches of the modern era, punctuated by perhaps the Tomlin era’s most appalling 30 minutes of football in 2nd half against the Colts.

  • Everyone, yours truly included, left them for dead.

Yet Tomlin rallied the locker room, brought Mason Rudolph out from the bull pen and pulled guys from the couch to the practice squad and made them starters and brought the Steelers to the playoffs.

17 years later he still proving to be worthy of the Rooney Rule.

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