Steelers owner Art Rooney II held a surprise press conference on Monday afternoon, offering a glimpse into his vision for the team's future and reflecting on the highs and lows of the past season.
However, instead of providing clarity, Rooney's remarks left many fans feeling more confused and frustrated, as the state of the Steelers appears to be at a challenging crossroads.
Just run it back? That’ll fix everything, right?
The Steelers organization seems content to run it back exactly as it was last year, despite clear signs that change is needed. Mike Tomlin’s job security appears as solid as ever, with no indication that his position as head coach is under scrutiny.
But didn’t Tomlin himself say changes would be made? After a five-game losing streak, yet another blowout loss in the Wild Card round, and an eight-year playoff win drought, you’d think meaningful adjustments were on the horizon right?
Nope, instead, the Steelers seem unwilling to make significant changes. They’re opting not to fire any coaches still under contract and show no intention of expanding what is already one of the smallest coaching staffs in the NFL. For some reason, the organization seems content sticking to the status quo, avoiding the opportunity to bring in fresh ideas or outside perspectives to address the glaring issues. It’s a baffling approach for a team that desperately needs to evolve.
Anyone who watches the Steelers consistently knows that their approach to doing business has become outdated, and significant change is long overdue. Over the past decade, the team’s performance has steadily declined, leaving fans frustrated with the lack of progress. Heading into this offseason, Steelers fans are growing restless as the issues plaguing the team are painfully obvious, yet ownership seems blind to the bigger picture or just downright stubborn.
The 2024 Steelers ended their season with five consecutive blowout losses. Neither quarterback showed enough to inspire confidence as a long-term starter, the offensive line remained stagnant, and the league’s highest-paid defense completely collapsed down the stretch. Despite all of this, instead of making bold moves to address these glaring problems—like the Philadelphia Eagles did last year—the organization seems content to stay the course.
No significant coaching changes are on the horizon. The team is set to bring back either Fields or Wilson as the starting quarterback, despite neither proving they can lead the offense effectively. The offensive philosophy appears stuck in the past, overly reliant on the run game, with no meaningful adjustments to keep up with the rest of the league.
Instead of using the weeks since their playoff elimination to reflect and plan for the future, Art Rooney II and the organization seem determined to do nothing and simply hope for a miracle.
The Steeler have a ownership problem
A lot of blame rightfully falls on Mike Tomlin, as he's one of the biggest issues with the Steelers and has clearly passed his expiration date as head coach. However, we need to address the elephant in the room: the Steelers have an ownership problem. This is the most frustrating issue of all because, short of selling the team or Art Rooney II stepping aside for his son, Daniel Rooney, nothing can be done to address it.
At this point, Art Rooney II is an even bigger problem than Mike Tomlin because he’s the one who allowed the team to get to this point. First and foremost, he has enabled Tomlin's flaws to persist without repercussions, giving him an untouchable status with zero threat to his job security. Rooney has granted Tomlin complete control—from having a heavy hand in drafts to hiring his staff and micromanaging every detail.
Since Dick LeBeau and Bruce Arians (both Bill Cowher hires) departed, nearly every coordinator brought in under Tomlin’s regime has been a disaster. Worse still, Tomlin’s influence on offensive and defensive game plans in recent years has led to no playoff wins in the last eight years. Yet, Rooney continues to let him operate unchecked.
This brings us to another glaring issue: Rooney's refusal to fire underperforming coaches who are still under contract. There are two possible reasons for this—either he's too cheap to cut ties or too stubborn to admit mistakes and make changes before things spiral out of control.
The Steelers need to evolve
The Pittsburgh Steelers need to evolve. The traditional ways of operating in Pittsburgh must be left behind. The old-school philosophy of running the football and playing great defense no longer aligns with the modern NFL, which thrives on innovation, new trends, and analytics.
Yet, the Steelers continue to operate like it’s the Stone Age, a stubborn approach that painfully shows in roster development and coaching decisions.
Even off the field, the organization feels stuck in the past. According to the NFLPA’s 2024 report card, voted on by players, the Steelers ranked 28th out of 32 teams, with their ownership receiving an embarrassing F, placing 31st overall. These glaring issues trace back to the top—owner Art Rooney II.
Until he takes a hard look in the mirror and acknowledges the current state of his team, it’s difficult to feel optimistic about the future of this franchise.