Steelers: Kevin Colbert extension

On Thursday the Steelers extended the contract for head coach Mike Tomlin. Just as the Steelers players are packing up their gear to head down Route 30 to check into training camp the team has announced they’ve also extended the contract of general manager Kevin Colbert.

Colbert is entering his 16^th season with the Steelers and his fifth year as the team’s general manager. His title was previously called director of football operations but the team gave him the general manager title in 2011.

Colbert was hired in 2000 and during his time with the Steelers they’ve had only one losing season, won two Super Bowls and appeared in a third.

You can only assume by these two signings that will keep the team of Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert in place through the 2018 season that the Steelers front office likes the direction the team is headed. After suffering through back to back 8-8 and playoff appearance-less seasons the team returned to the top of the AFC North last year with an 11-5 record.

Tomlin and Colbert have a lot of pressure on them in regards to watching how the last three years’ worth of first round draft picks will play out. Three straight first-round picks have gone to linebackers and we’re still waiting for their impact on the team.

We know now with these extensions that Tomlin and Colbert’s jobs aren’t on the line this season with how the young linebackers of Jarvis Jones, Ryan Shazier and Bud Dupree will play but it certainly will make them look awful smart if this is the season it all comes together in the linebacking corps.

The team spent early round draft picks starting in 2010 with the drafting of center Maurkice Pouncey investing in the offensive line and are now enjoying watching that pay off, thanks to also hiring Mike Munchak as offensive line coach last offseason.

The combination of Tomlin and Colbert are responsible for drafting Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell so they’re already winners there. If they can end up responsible for successfully rebuilding the Steelers defense through the draft they’ll have pretty sweet legacies to go along with these contract extensions.

What do you think Steeler Nation?

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