Steelers GM Omar Khan: 'You're going to see a lot of Kevin [Colbert] in me'

When the Pittsburgh Steelers announced that Omar Khan was going to be promoted as the new general manager of one of the NFL's most prestigious franchises, many wondered if in-house hiring was the right choice and if Khan would closely resemble long-time GM Kevin Colbert in the way that he does business.

On February 28th, we may have gotten a glimpse into the future. Khan spent a good deal of time speaking to the media and answering questions ranging from his team's roster to his draft philosophy.

Khan was on hand in Indianapolis for the 2023 NFL Combine. When asked about what fans and the media will pick up about Khan over the years under his direction, the new GM noted that only time will tell, but hinted that you might see a lot of 'Kevin' in him. Here's what Khan had to say during the press conference according to Pittsburgh Sports Live.

""Kevin [Colbert] and I were together for twenty-plus years, so you're going to see a lot of Kevin in me. That's just natural, and I think time will tell." "

- Omar Khan

The 'Kevin' he was referring to is obviously Kevin Colbert -- the person Khan spent nearly two decades working for. This makes a lot of sense, as we often see members of the same staff become like-minded in terms of philosophies.

Steelers might not be getting a drastic change at GM

Just before this question was asked, Khan answered several questions similar to how Colbert has in the past. The new Steelers GM noted that he's still very open to backloading contracts if the team needs to create extra salary cap space, and noted that it's all about improving the roster when an opportunity presents itself.

When asked about the NFL Draft, Khan also hinted that, if there's a player the Pittsburgh Steelers really like, they are more than willing to move up to get him. Over the years, we have seen Colbert trade up in the first round numerous times, but rarely did he trade back.

Based on how he conducted himself during the presser, it's easy to note the similarities between Khan and Colbert. The biggest issue that many fans have is that Colbert has not seen a lot of success over his final five seasons as the team's general manager -- particularly when it comes to the draft.

The good news is that Khan may not have his eggs in too many baskets, as he confirmed that assistant GM Andy Weidl will be responsible for constructing the team's draft board (though Khan and head coach Mike Tomlin will have plenty of say in the players they ultimately decide on this April).

Obviously, we are all hoping for great results from the gate, starting with an excellent 2023 draft class. We will soon find out just how closely Khan's decision-making from one of the highest-ranking positions in football mirrors that of Kevin Colbert during his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers.