Tag Archives: Ken Whisenhunt

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

Posted on by Standard 1

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

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

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

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

Aaron Rodgers, Steelers vs Ravens

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

The Good: Rodgers Steelers Best QB Since Roethlisberger

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

But you know what?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Bad: Steelers STILL Lack Long Term QB

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

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

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

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

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

The smart money says no.

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

The Ugly: Click Baiters Content Stream Cut Off

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Straight Talk on Aaron Rodgers’ Return to the Steelers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Contend for a title they did in 2004.

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

Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers vs Ravens, Chad Williams

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

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

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

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

Aaron Rodgers, welcome back to Pittsburgh.

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.

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

Posted on by Standard 1

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

  • Those picks open many possibilities for Pittsburgh.

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

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

Omar Khan, Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan

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

1. Challenge Conventional Wisdom on Compensatory Picks

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

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

  • Other drafts teach a similar lesson.

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

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

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

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

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

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

2. Initial Story Lines Come with a Grain of Salt

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

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

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

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

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

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

3. Good Drafts Age Like Fine Wine

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4. Measure Drafts by Quality, Not Quantity

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

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

Ben Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu, AFC Championship

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

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

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

5. Steelers Should be Swindlers Not Suckers

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

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

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

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

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

  • The Steelers have been suckers in the past.

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

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

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

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.

Mike Tomlin Steelers Legacy: 19 Years of Winning in Pittsburgh

Posted on by Standard 1

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.”

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.

The Case for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024

Posted on by Standard 1

The Pittsburgh Steelers 2024 season is here. And again I’m honoring the memory and work of my friend, the late, great Ivan Cole, by penning “The Case for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024.”

Ivan wrote these columns annually while he was at BTSC and then Going Deep with the Steelers.

And I am happy to continue his tradition as I try to meld my own insights while striving to find Ivan’s tone and voice.

Mike Tomlin, Russell Wilson, George Pickens

Mike Tomlin, Russell Wilson and George Pickens. Photo Credit: Reddit

A Mature, Self-Confident Franchise

So what is the “The Case for the Steelers in 2024” let’s use the words of Ivan himself to establish the ground rules:

Let me start with the disclaimer up front. If you’re looking for yet another set of predictions in what is the season of predictions you will be sorely disappointed here. I don’t do predictions, don’t believe in them. I’m sure someone will hit the nail on the head as to how the [2024] season will unfold, and there will be a certain element of skill involved in their assessment, but there will probably be a lot of luck involved as well.

What I attempt to bring to the table are some observations as to how to think about what factors might be key to a positive outcome for the Steelers this season. Specifically, what has to happen (and what has to not happen) in order for the team to, hopefully, make it to the playoffs and have a shot at the world championship.

No, these columns are intended to be predictive.

Case in point, one year ago this column cited the Steelers quarterback room as an area of strength. Yet after starting 3 separate quarterbacks in 2023, Mike Tomlin decided to completely remake the room in 2024.

  • But that actually points to one of the biggest assets this team has going into the season.

How’s that you ask? Fair question.

Fair question. But if you look at the way the Steelers brain trust has handled the quarterback situation, it reveals the franchise’s maturity and self-confidence. Suffice to say, the Kenny Pickett of 2023 did not pick up right where the “Kenny F___ Picket” of 2022 left off.

Far from it. But Mike Tomlin stuck by his young signal caller. First, he tried forcing his offensive coordinator to change ways. When that failed, Tomlin shattered franchise precedent and fired Matt Canada midseason.

Kenny Pickett, Johnathan Ledbetter

Kenny Pickett final play in Pittsburgh. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Tomlin then adopted a “fail fast” philosophy. When Kenny Pickett got injured on third down at the goal line against the Cardinals, Tomlin didn’t hesitate to go for it on 4th and goal. He did the same thing a week later against the Patriots. And, after giving Mitch Trubisky a full week to prepare and seeing him come woefully up short, Tomlin brought Pittsburgh’s Mitch Tribusky era to a shift end.

To a man, Art Rooney II, Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan kicked off the off season by expressing their faith in Kenny Pickett. Yet, Tomlin promised competition and Khan pledged to explore all available means to improve the team.

So when Russell Wilson became available for a song, the Steelers snatched him up immediately. And when Pickett balked at competing with and being mentored by a perennial Pro Bowler and Super Bowl Champion, they again embraced the fail-fast concept and shipped to the other end of Turnpike for clipboard holding duty.

  • Franchise self-confidence was also evident in the hire of Arthur Smith.

One of the benefits of employing the same coach for 17 years is that it gives you a data set that is booth deep and wide to draw samples from. And one of the things that we can say about Mike Tomlin is that while he may excel at many things as a head coach, cultivating young coaching talent is not one of them.

  • For his part, Mike Tomlin seems to realize that even if he has not said it in so many words.

Late last season we saw that, with competent quarterback play, the Steelers offense was capable of playoff-caliber football. But merely reaching the playoffs is not something that Mike Tomlin can or should take comfort in.

  • Fortunately, he does not.

The quarterback who got him to the playoffs is gone, as just good enough isn’t sufficient. Tomlin applied the same mindset to his coaching staff. It would have been very easy to point to the late season improvement and promote either Eddie Faulkner or Mike Sullivan to as his next offensive coordinator.

Instead, Mike Tomlin acknowledged he needed to go outside the organization for the first time in 10 years to fill the offensive coordinator spot and hired Arthur Smith, who promises to bring brand of football Pittsburgh hasn’t seen since Ken Whisenhunt’s days.

And that’s a brand difference that could become relevant given the roster that’s been assembled.

The Unheralded Steelers 2024 Offense

The Steelers have a history of bringing quarterbacks to Pittsburgh, but none have ever boasted the track record of Russell Wilson. Wilson is of course a Super Bowl champion and 9 time Pro Bowler. And, while his skills may have diminished at age 35, he still possesses a beautiful deep ball.

But it is the intangibles that Wilson brings to the Steelers that should give us the greatest cause for excitement. Ever since the moment he touched down in Pittsburgh, Wilson has made every effort not only to connect with the team, but with the entire city. Watch an interview with him and, you’ll see the portrait of the man able to strike a healthy equilibrium between self confidence and humility.

In that respect, Wilson seems like the ideal mentor for his understudy, Justin Fields. During the preseason both saw why Chicago drafted him with the 11th overall pick and we saw why they decided to move on. But he’s certainly worth a 6th round pick and an excellent man to have as your number two. Furthermore, sub packages involving Fields could inject an X-Factor into this offense not seen since the heyday of Slash during the 1995 season.

Kyle Allen rounds out the group. Last year we saw why the Steelers believe in keeping 3 quarterbacks and once again everyone on their depth chart has starting NFL experience.

That brings us to running back. Let’s begin by asking that we please tune out the Najee Harris vs Jaylen Warren “controversy.” Attempts to present this as an either/or proposition represent a false dichotomy.

Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren

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

Instead, the Harris/Warren tandem gives Pittsburgh their most potent 1-2 combo since the brief stretch in the 2004 season with both Duce Staley and Jerome Bettis enjoyed full health. And Cordarrelle Patterson gives the Steelers a nice RB number 3 option who offers excellent position flexibility.

At tight end the Steelers will field their deepest group arguably since the early 1990s. Pat Freiermuth looks poised to have a breakout year. Darnell Washington should help re-establish the offense’s smash-mouth mentality. Connor Heyward and MyCole Pruitt should give multiple options in the passing game, with Heyward able to do duty as a fullback when needed.

I would be remiss to say that, days before the season’s start, injuries to the offensive line make this an area of legitimate concern. In the last two year, slow starts by the Steelers offensive lines have nearly sabotaged both seasons. Given the back-loaded nature of this season’s schedule another slow start is something this team can ill afford.

If there is a silver lining it’s that the coaches are aware and can prepare. Yes, depth will be tested early, but at least the depth is there and it won’t be like getting a pop quiz on the day after summer vacation ends.

And finally, we come to the wide receivers, the one area of the depth chart that has generated as much angst among the fan base as all others combined. Debate and analysis of the strengths, or lack thereof, of the depth behind George Pickens is available in abundance elsewhere and need not be repeated here.

  • Could the doomsday predictions of the naysayers come to pass?

Yes, they certainly could. But the reverse could be true. And if you’re scoffing, ask yourself, who was the only legitimate stand-out at wide receiver on the 2005 squad that won Super Bowl XL? Hines Ward. Antwaan Randle El was a good number 2, and there are several players on the 2024 squad who can plausibly reach his level albeit with different skill sets.

  • Who were the number 3 and number 4 wide outs on the 2005 team?

You forgot, didn’t you? (It was Cedrick Wilson and Quincy Morgan — although I had to look them up.) And that’s in large part because of type of offense that the Steelers fielded under Ken Whisenhunt. An offense that is very similar to Arthur Smith. And Smith’s offense has the potential to be deeper at both tight end and running back than W’s was in 2005.

Does Defense Still Win Championships? We May Be About to Find Out

The “experts” assure as, as they have since at least 2011 or so, that defense is irrelevant in today’s pass happy, fantasy football fueled NFL.

The new conventional wisdom is that defenses don’t win championships franchise quarterbacks do.

  • NFL fans are instructed to question this dictum only at your peril.

Never mind that a defensive score helped provide Kansas City with his margin of error in Super Bowl LVII with a defensive turnover, and that Chiefs sustained its rally by disrupting Jaylen Hurts by forcing him out of the pocket in a direction he did not want to go. Never mind that network commentators spent the Super Bowl LVIII gushing over Steve Spagnuolo’s defense.

As it relates to the Steelers, Steel City Insider’s Jim Wexell argues that this is the most talented defensive unit the franchise has fielded since 2010.

  • And that’s and argument that holds up well under objective observation.
Cam Heyward, Cam Heyward Franco Harris Number 32, Steelers vs Raiders

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

The defensive line is led by Cam Heyward who is as much a pillar of the franchise as Franco Harris and Jerome Bettis were before him. Keeanu Benton logged a sensational rookie year, and looks ready to make the proverbial sophomore leap. Larry Ogunjobi appears to be fully healthy and if he can remain that way he should continue to be a disruptive force.

Behind them we have DeMarvin Leal, Isaiahh Loudermilk, Montravius Adams and Logan Lee giving us one of the deepest units in decades.

Looking over at the linebackers, one of the most exciting questions we can ask going into the season is “How will Teryl Austin find ways to get Nick Herbig on to the field?” No one is going to suggest he should be pushing T.J. Watt for time, but he’s given coaches every justification for setting up some sort of rotation and/or establishing a scheme that gets him, Watt and Alex Highsmith on the field at the same time.

At inside linebacker the Steelers have quantity, and they also look to have quality, with Patrick Queen and Elandon Roberts leading the way, while Mark Robinson, Tyler Matakevich and Payton Wilson provide depth that features both youth and experience.

  • The secondary is another area of intrigue.

Last season Joey Porter Jr. showed everyone why he should have been a first round pick. Opposite him the Steelers will start Donte Jackson, with Beanie Bishop, Cory Trice, and Darius Rush rounding out the depth chart. A year ago the Steelers leaned into experience at cornerback, and ranked near the bottom of the league in yards per pass allowed.

  • This year they’re leaning into youth in hopes of reversing their fortunes.

At safety Minkah Fitzpatrick leads the way with DeShon Elliott and Damontae Kazee alongside him. Last year the Steelers really wanted to deploy their three safety package, but injuries seldom allowed them to. Look for the 3 safety package to return.

As the off season began, if you listened beyond the conversation about Kenny Pickett, you’d hear griping about how the Steelers defense failed to deliver given the franchise’s salary cap investment in that side of the ball.

Such analysis belies the fact that starting in late October, the defense began losing either a starting inside linebacker and/or a safety to injury (or suspension) each week. Yet the unit continued to make splay play after splash play that either sealed victory or kept the team in games as the offensive struggled.

If this defense can even maintain an average level of health it should be very, very dangerous.

A Final Word about the AFC North

Thus far I have made the case for the 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers solely by looking at the mirror.

But of course the team does not exist in a vacuum, and instead in the AFC North, the division that sent 3 teams to the playoffs last year. The division that features Joe Burrow AND Lamar Jackson. The division that saw one of its teams go through 3 quarterbacks and still make the playoffs.

Yes, the Steelers play in this NFL’s toughest division. Yes, the Steelers will play the blunk of their division games in late in the year, on a ridiculously compacted schedule (don’t get me $tarted on the NFL’s hypocri$y when it comes to player $afety.)

  • Does this make the prospect of bringing home Lombardi Number 7 all the more daunting?

You bet it does. But if Pittsburghers know anything, its that iron sharpens iron.

Let the games begin!

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.

Steelers Lose to Lions 24-17, Finish Preseason 0-3 But Starters Look Strong

Posted on by Standard Reply

The Pittsburgh Steelers dropped a 24 to 17 decision to the Detroit Lions at Ford Field thus ending their preseason effort with an 0-3 record.

But despite being winless in preseason, the Steelers effort in the Motor City should leave Steelers Nation with positive takeaways as well as some areas for legitimate concern heading into the regular season.

MyCole Pruitt, Steelers vs Lions preseason

MyCole Pruitt goes for 22 yards. Photo Credit: AP via Tribune-Review

Steelers Varsity Dominates Lions JV – With a Twist

Until last night the Steelers 2024 preseason effort has offered a mirror image of its 2023 predecessor. If you’ll remember, one summer ago, the Steelers first units would enter a game, dominate for a couple-of-three-series and then watch the rest of the game from the sidelines as second and third stringers continued dictating the rest of those games to their opponents.

  • Against the Lions, the Steelers starters reverted to 2023 form.

Just look at the first drive. Russell Wilson completed two passes. The first was a 6-yard loss to George Pickens, the second a 31-yard bomb on 3rd and 11. Cordarrelle Patterson ran twice. The first time he went off tackle to the strong side and lost two yards. On his next play, Patterson ran 31 yards up the middle behind textbook blocking from Zach Frazier and Isaac Seumalo.

On the ensuing drive, Nick Herbig registered two sacks on a six-play series to get the ball back for the Steelers offense. Justin Fields came in for the Steelers at quarterback and quickly hit MyCole Pruitt for a 22-yard gain to put the Steelers into the Red Zone. Once there Fields tag teamed with La’Mical Perine and after 3 tries, got the ball into the end zone.

  • In the blink of an eye, the Steelers were up 14 to 0 with as many sacks as it had touchdowns.

What is Steelers Nation to make of this? Can we chalk this up as another caffeine-laced sugar high similar to the ones that misled us just one year ago? That’s a tempting conclusion, especially given that Dan Campbell sat the lion’s share )no pun intended) of his starters.

But look closely and you’ll see that the tactics Arthur Smith used to guide the Steelers offense to such a quick lead reveal something fundamentally different from what we saw last summer.

As Matt C. Steel pointed out on Steel City Insider, Patterson’s touchdown run came out of an under-center formation, went straight up the middle on 2nd and 12. When was the last time you saw a Steelers offensive coordinator call a running play, let alone one under center or 2nd and 12?

  • You’d probably need to return to the days when Ken Whisenhunt wore the headset to find an example.

The same dynamic was evident on the Steelers next drive. The Fields-Pruitt hook-up came out of the shotgun, but was set up with play action and targeted the middle of the field. And the Steelers used play action effectively because they’d committed to and succeeded in establishing the run.

Even after factoring in, “its only preseason,” it is hard to argue with a team that only needs 11 minutes to go up 14 points.

I will however quibble with Mike Tomlin’s decision to limit Russell Wilson to a single series. Tomlin justified his decision explaining, “We just needed results that were indicative of how we worked. They were able to put together a scoring drive and really just provided opportunity to get Justin in there sooner.”

Fair enough. Tomlin knows more about using the preseason to prepare veterans for the regular season than I do. With that said, I’d prefer to see my starting quarterback throw more than 12 passes in preseason – even if he did complete 10 of those.

Good and Bad in a 3 Quarter Slog

Mike Tomlin began pulling starters aggressively after the Steelers took a quick lead.

And over the next three quarters he saw that lead slip away in an effort that shows why preseason football had gotten such a bad name.

There was a lot of sloppiness on both sides of the ball from both teams, and there were few, if any, stand-out moments from rookies taking advantage of their final chance to realize their NFL dream (think Stefan Logan and/or Isaac Redman in 2009.)

Dez Fitzpatrick impressed with two catches and made his case for a long look at a slot on the 53-man roster. Nick Herbig of course has a roster spot locked up, but he’s showing himself worthy of working himself into a rotation with Alex Highsmith and T.J. Watt. La’Mical Perine and Aaron Shampklin rushing averages are not that impressive, but both men made some strong runs.

On defense, Mark Robinson continued to stake his claim to that elusive inside linebacker slot. DeMarvin Leal again looked like the player we thought he was going to be at the tail end of 2022 and Keeanu Benton looked strong as well.

Sleepers like Jacoby Windmon might not have done enough to make the final 53, but flashed practice squad potential while German-born Julius Welschof showed enough to earn a practice squad slot on merit and not just because he has an exemption.

  • Finally, there’s John Rhys Plumlee.

Throughout training camp we’ve heard good things about the team’s 4th string quarterback, and the Steelers coaches also see something they like, as they’re giving the rookie a shot at earning a roster spot as a kick and punt returner.

  • John Rhys Plumlee looked good doing both and completed 3 of 4 passes.

While the Steelers are unlikely to keep four quarterbacks as they did in 1995 and 1999, Plumlee’s evening once again proved when Mike Tomlin says he gives every rookie a fair shot based on performance, he means it.

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.

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

Posted on by Standard Reply

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.

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.

Mr. Smith Goes to Pittsburgh: Steelers Hire Arthur Smith as Offensive Coordinator

Posted on by Standard Reply

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is set to hire Arthur Smith as his 5th offensive coordinator. In making the move, Tomlin may not have quite turned over all possible loose stones, but he did make good on his promise to look outside the organization.

Smith is most recently served as the Atlanta Falcons head coach, and prior to that he worked for two years as the Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator. He will be the first Steelers offensive coordinator in the 21st that neither has ties to the team nor the city of Pittsburgh.

Ironically however, a quick look at Smith’s track record suggests he could help the franchise remain true to its roots.

Mike Tomlin, Arthur Smith, Steelers vs Falcons

Mike Tomlin shakes hands with new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. Photo Credit: Post-Gazette.com

Of Running, Ryan and Combos

In his season-ending press conference, Mike Tomlin clarified that he wanted his next offensive coordinator to have experience and that he wanted someone who can foster Kenny Pickett’s development.

  • Arthur Smith checks both boxes.

The Miami Dolphins drafted Ryan Tannehill with the 8th overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft he started 88 games for them over 6 seasons. Tannehill’s numbers were OK, but never delivered what you’d need and expect an 8th overall pick to deliver. He never started a playoff game although the 2016 Dolphins did make it to the playoffs, Tannehill did not play as they got crushed by the Steelers.

The Dolphins moved on after 2018 and Tannehill headed to Tennessee where he joined Smith, who’d just been promoted to offensive coordinator. The difference was eye popping. Tannehill’s average passer rating at Tennessee was 91.2. In his two seasons with Smith that soared to 117.5 and 106.5

That pickup caught the attention of NFL owners, undoubtedly helping Smith land the head coaching job in Atlanta. And what’s telling here is that without Smith Tannehill’s passer rating dropped to Miami-like levels.

  • And there’s no real secret to Smith’s success with Tannehill – he leaned into the running game.

Under Smith’s guidance, the Titan’s rushing offense ranked 2nd and 3rd in rushing in the NFL. That’s welcome news for Steelers Smash Mouth Football purists who’ve longed for the team to get back to its roots.

  • It also may signal that Mike Tomlin’s willing to challenge the conventional wisdom.

The NFL is a quarterback-driven league. If anyone ever doubted that, look no further than Josh Allen’s role in defeating the Steelers during the playoffs. But you can build a Super Bowl team around a solid running game and a strong defense as the 2015 Denver Broncos demonstrated (please spare me the “but they had Peyton Manning” replies, Manning was a glorified game-manager at that point in his career.)

With the Smith hire, it seems that Tomlin is acknowledging that the Steelers don’t have a super star quarterback and is acting accordingly.

The other encouraging sign in Smith’s resume is his background as a tight ends coach. Working as with tight ends gives a coach a unique perspective on the dynamics that drive both the running and passing games. I can’t speak for the rest of the league, but both Bill Cowher promoted both Mike Mularkey and Ken Whisenhunt from tight ends coach to offensive coordinator, and the Steelers offense flourished under both.

With that said, if during the Steelers 2022 win over the Falcons, Atlanta didn’t lean into its running game when it should have and they lost because of it, so that’s something to keep in mind.

Of Precedents and Pedigrees

The Steelers tendency to keep things in the family when it comes to finding offensive coordinators is nothing new. Tom Moore, Chan Gailey, Mularkey, Whisenhunt, Bruce Arians, Randy Fitchner and Matt Canada were all in-house hires. Both Joe Walton and Todd Haley had ties to the city and/or the team.

So Smith is now just the 4th “virgin” Steelers offensive coordinator hire, with Ron Erhardt, Ray Sherman and Kevin Gilbride being the first three.

Looking at his track record, Arthur Smith looks a lot more like Ron Erhardt than a Sherman or a Gilbride. That’s a good thing.

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.

Steelers Report Card for Win over Raiders: Glimpsing of Ron Erhardt’s Ghost Edition

Posted on by Standard Reply

From the grade book of a teacher who is using “work to do and bills to pay” as an excuse for his late grade sheet and not the fact that he thinks he caught a glimpse of the late Ron Erhardt, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the road win vs the Raiders.

Cole Holcomb, Davante Adams, Steelers vs Raiders

Cole Holocomb throttles Davante Adams. Photo Credit: AP via Tribune-Review

Quarterback
Pundits are parsing this as Kenny Pickett’s best game. Was it? Pickett threw 16-28 for 235 yards, 2 touchdowns and no interceptions. This was his first multi-touchdown pass game and the Steelers did lead in time of possession. Nonetheless, their 6-15 third down conversion rate must improve. Grade: B-Steelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Najee Harris earned a gritty 65 yards on 19 carries, with a long run of 17 on the Steelers touchdown drive, showing that it was rough sledding up front for most of the night. Connor Heyward got his first carry of the season for zero yards. ON the night, Steelers running backs rushed for 94 yards, a season high which, while still too low represents and improvement. Grade: B

Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth caught 3 passes for 41 yards including a perfectly executed play action pass during the Steelers first trip into the Red Zone. That play was set up in no small part by a 14 yarder that he caught two plays before. Grade: B

Wide Receivers
This week it was Calvin Austin’s turn to get open deep in the middle of the field. And Austin delivered by burning the Raiders secondary for a quick six points. George Pickens only had 4 catches but they went for 75 yards and either converted third downs or otherwise set up scores. Allen Robinson had 4 catches, including a third down converter that iced the game. Grade: B+

Offensive Line
Kenny Pickett was only sacked once. But don’t let that stat deceive you, he took some vicious hits after the pass. And while the running game did enjoy more success this week, the Raiders still recorded 5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Not good enough. Grade: D

Defensive Line
Josh Jacobs looked normal, rushing for just 62 yards and a long of only 10 – much better than what we saw the last two weeks. Overall the line authored a strong game, Keeanu Benton breaking through to make a phenomenal sack which saved a touchdown. Grade: B

Linebackers
A glance at the stat sheet suggests “off night” for T.J. Watt, who only had 2 sacks and 3 other QB hits. But those sacks wrecked drives. Kwon Alexander led the unit with 7 tackles, while Cole Holcomb delivered a thunderous hit on Davante Adams that scuttled the Raider’s opening drive of the second half. Marcus Golden also got a sack. Grade: B+

Secondary
No the plus side, Levi Wallace and Patrick Peterson both came down with interceptions. On the flip side, the secondary got caught on a deep route on 3rd and 1 and was again fooled on a two- point conversion. Grade: B

Special Teams
Chris Boswell was 3-3 for field goals of 42, 43 and 57 yards. Pressley Harvin averaged 53.8 on 6 punts, pinning the Raiders inside their own 20 on 3 occasions, although his penultimate punt was a short 41 yarder that had terrible hang time. The Steelers return coverage was solid, although they did give up a penalty on a field goal. Grade: B

Coaching
We have a mixed bag on both sides of the ball.

The Steelers defense was sound. It took away the ball 3 times, sacked Jimmy Garoppolo 4 times, contained Josh Jacobs, limited the Raiders to 4 of 15 on third down and opened the 4th quarter by forcing a turnover on downs.

But the unit got caught with its pants down twice on running plays, and the Raiders moved the ball far too easily on their 2 fourth quarter scoring drives. Yes, you can say Minkah Fitzpatrick’s roughing the passer call was bogus. But the Steelers defense had 2 chances to make a stop and failed then allowed a 2 point conversion.

Matt Canada certainly succeeded at one thing in the season’s first two weeks: He got Steelers Nation to forget Randy Fitchner and Todd Haley.

And for much of the game against the Raiders, he did little to jog their memories. As the Steelers offense vacillated between three and outs and field goal drives with one quick strike sprinkled it to keep things interesting.

But at two points in the game, it was almost as if Ron Erhardt’s Force Ghost* appeared to Matt Canada and the entire Steelers offense instructing, “Use the Force.” Seriously. The Steelers third quarter touchdown drive couldn’t have been scripted with better precision. And if the unit followed that with 2 back-to-back three and outs, it responded at the very end to kill the clock.

Mike Tomlin saw to it that the horrific performance against the 49ers had no ripple effect. After the Cleveland win he kept the team focused on a short week, ensuring that it didn’t go to their heads. Grade: C

Jaylen Warren, Robert Spillane, Steelers vs Raiders

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

*Truthfully, on that series the Steelers looked more like a Ken Whisenhunt offense than an Erhardt one, but Whiz is still with us and God willing will be for a long time.

Unsung Hero Award
A week ago this player missed his block, causing a sack on third down. This week the same player met Maxx Crosby head on and bought his quarterback time setting up a deep strike. He also ripped of a number of long runs and pass receptions to set up scores and for that Jaylen Warren wins the Unsung Hero Award for the win over the Las Vegas Raiders.

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.

Busted! Steelers 37-30 Loss to Bengals Reveals a Rebuilding Team Struggling to Learn to Win

Posted on by Standard Reply

“Disappointing football game,” declared Mike Tomlin after the Steelers 37-30 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium.

Tomlin is right. Especially when you consider the Steelers week one upset of the Bengals in the Queen City. That game featured:

  • T.J. Watt sacks and interceptions.
  • A Cam Heyward a sack at a critical moment.
  • The Steelers defense securing and taking advantage of turnovers.

The Steelers defense did all of the above in the return bout in Pittsburgh, yet it wasn’t enough.

  • Why? The reason is actually very simple.

For part of the game, the Steelers flashed the very best they could hope be at this point. For the rest of it they that proved they still have a lot of rebuilding to do.

Samaje Perine, Levi Wallace, Steelers vs Bengals

Samaje Perine scores one of his 3 touchdowns. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Seeing a Mirage in First Half Flashes

The digest version of this game would explain how the Steelers looked sharp in the first half only to disintegrate in the second. That’s an efficient yet inaccurate way to tell the story.

The truth is that the Bengals closed the first quarter with a 10-3 lead over the Steelers. By itself, that’s hardly damning. What was distressing was that Cincinnati made it look so easy.

But after a Steven Simms kick return set the Steelers up with a short field, Kenny Pickett converted 2 third downs to set up Najee Harris’ 19 yard touchdown scamper. Unfortunately, the Bengals answered with a touchdown of their own, it the Steelers were again down by 7.

  • Just a few games ago, this might have doomed the Steelers.
George Pickens, Eli Apple, Steelers vs Bengals

George Pickens scores a 24 yard 2nd quarter touchdown. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla

Matt Canada’s offense has struggled to find the end zone more than once a game, so no one would expect them to match Cincinnati touchdown for touchdown. Yet, that’s just what they did, as Najee Harris, Kenny Pickett and Diontae Johnson nickled and dimed the Bengals for several short gains until Pickett hit George Pickens from 24 yards out to score a touchdown.

No, the Steelers offense wasn’t executing with the lethal efficiency of one of Ken Whisenhunt units, let alone did it look like look like “The Greatest Show on Turf.” But it was answering a touchdown from a high powered offense with one of its own, and that been an uncommon sight in Pittsburgh for a long time.

The defense took it cue from the offense, as Levi Wallace short-circuited the Joe Burrow’s 2 minute drill with an interception at midfield. Mike Tomlin declined to take a tie into the locker room at half time, and with four play including a 27 yard strike to Pat Freiermuth, set the Steelers up for a Matthew Wright field goal that gave them the lead at half time.

Unfortunately, that was the high water mark for the offense during the game.

Too Few Defensive Fireworks in Second Half

Cincinnati’s 20 second half points make it easy to assume that Pittsburgh’s defense mailed it in during the second half. But that’s actually not quite the case.

It was the second half that brought those dramatic sacks from Cam Heyward, Alex Highsmith and T.J. Watt, the later of whom also had an amazing interception that looked like an exact replay of his week one pick of Joe Burrow.

  • Unfortunately, the Steelers offense could do nothing when it counted in the second half.

They managed six yards after Watt’s interception and settled for another field goal. Two series later, the Steelers defense stoned Cincinnati’s offense for negative yards, bottling them up at Pittsburgh’s 7 and forcing a punt.

Najee Harris ripped off a 13 yard run to get the Steelers to Cincinnati’s 34. And then penalties pushed Pittsburgh back to the Bengals 49 yard line as the Steelers found themselves a 3rd and 25. Needless to say they failed to convert.

The Bengals marched 90 yards for a touchdown. Mike Tomlin described the two series as “a significant sequence in the game.” He was right. What followed was mere window dressing as the Bengals tacked on an insurance field goal while the Steelers scored a garbage time touchdown.

The Reality of the 2022 Pittsburgh Steelers

This is who the 2022 Pittsburgh Steelers are. The offense took a few steps forward, but it feels like it took a few steps back in the 2nd half. Najee Harris ran reasonably well, but Kenny Pickett struggled on third down. At other times the offense self-destructed with penalizes or poor play calls and/or poor execution, particularly on first down.

  • The Steelers defense is a bit more disturbing.

This was the first time Teryl Austin’s unit was at full strength since the season opener, with Minkah Fitzpatrick playing after suffering an appendectomy just six days earlier. And while the defense did do some nice things, Joe Burrow hooked up with Tee Higgins, at will; the Bengals had 6 players make catches of over 20 yards, and in the Red Zone Samaje Perine was “Mr. Automatic for Cincinnati.”

  • Does this mean that all hope is lost on both sides of the ball?

No, it doesn’t. But when all was said and done, the Cincinnati Bengals looked like a team shaking off his Super Bowl hangover and angling to make another run, while exposing the Pittsburgh Steelers as a team struggling to learn how to win games.

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.

Look Far, Stay Close: Steelers Hire Omar Kahn to Replace Kevin Colbert

Posted on by Standard Reply

After interviewing 16 candidates from around the NFL to find Kevin Colbert’s replacement, Steelers President Art Rooney II settled on one who has been in his own back yard since 2001, naming Omar Khan as the next General Manager.

Omar Khan, Steelers General Manager, Kevin Colbert

Omar Khan and Kevin Colbert at St. Vincents. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Omar Khan joined the Steelers in 2001, one year after Kevin Colbert arrived, serving as football operations coordinator and was named as Vice President of Football and Business Administration in 2011, one year after Kevin Colbert officially got the title of general manager.

In a statement released by the team, Khan commented:

I am extremely excited for this opportunity to be the General Manager of the Pittsburgh Steelers. I would like to thank Art Rooney II, Mike Tomlin, and Kevin Colbert for their support throughout this process. I am ready for this challenge and grateful to continue the success we have had on the field during my first 21 years. I look forward to completing our football operations staff and working tirelessly to build another championship football team for Steelers Nation and our community.

The choice of Khan does represent a bit of a departure for the Steelers in that his background is on the business side of the operations, as opposed to scouting. (Although Khan did gain scouting experience while working with the New Orleans Saints.

Andy Weidl of the Philadelphia Eagles, who was also a finalist to replace Colbert, will reportedly join the team as Assistant General Manager, although the hire has not yet been announced.

There’s been no word on what role if any Brandon Hunt, the Steelers current Pro Scouting Coordinator will play with the organization. Hunt interviewed and was a finalist for the job.

Steelers MO: Look Far for Coaches, Stay Close for Front Office

In another sense the Steelers decision to promote Khan from within is in keeping with their MO for hiring a front office head. For all intents and purposes, Art Rooney Jr. was the first head of the Steelers scouting department.

And when Chuck Noll retired and Haley left the Steelers, Dan Rooney promoted Tom Donahoe as Director of Football Operations. When the breach between Bill Cowher and Tom Donahoe became unbridgeable, Dan Rooney again interviewed candidates from across the league, only to settle on Kevin Colbert, who was not only a Pittsburgh native, but an alumni of North Catholic, the same high school that Rooney and Donahoe had attended.

  • That stands in contrast to their MO for hiring coaches.

Dan Rooney hired Chuck Noll from outside the organization (OK, it’s not like Bill Austin’s staff was stocked with up and comers). When Noll stepped down, the smart money was on Joe Greene as his replacement.

But an exhaustive search lead them to Bill Cowher. When Bill Cowher hung it up, the front runners to replace him were Russ Grimm and Ken Whisenhunt. Both men were serious contenders and Grimm was one of the finalists, but the job ultimately went to Mike Tomlin, who was with the Minnesota Vikings.

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.