Since taking over as the Steelers' General manager, Omar Khan has gained a lot of credibility. He seems to be making plenty of quality moves in his tenure, but there have also been some issues throughout his reign. He will be heading into his third season with Pittsburgh in 2025, but the team has still struggled to win a division during that time, and their recent collapse is concerning.
With recent struggles heading into another playoff year with little expectations, the Steelers seem prepared for disaster. They have issues throughout their lineup, and Mike Tomlin is gaining more heat going in his direction. Yes, Pittsburgh's top football coach deserves plenty of heat for what continues to be a trend with the Steelers, but he is not the only person who should be facing blame.
Khan has made some terrific moves during his short tenure as the General manager of the club. He has also made some puzzling moves or other deals that did not happen which are currently holding the roster back.
For those fans who are looking for someone to blame for this late-season collapse, don't just look at Tomlin. Khan has his fingerprints all over this failure too.
Omar Khan deserves to get some heat from Steelers fans
You can blame Tomlin all you want, but his current roster has limitations. Many have speculated that Tomlin has plenty of power on the team, but Khan has been a key part of constructing this roster. He helped bring Russell Wilson and Justin Fields on board this past offseason. Both were gambles and it has provided a mixed bag of results regarding the Steelers quarterback play.
When it comes down to it, his draft classes are difficult to evaluate. He has a couple of rookies who provided big impacts immediately for Pittsburgh. Zach Frazier and Payton Wilson have been terrific for the team this year. It has been slighted by Troy Fautanu's injury and the slow progress of Broderick Jones in his second year. His draft classes have been solid but not terrific.
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Perhaps Khan's biggest downfall this past offseason was hunting for a big fish and not willing to get a solid veteran. He wanted Brandon Aiyuk in a trade leading up to the regular season, but that ended in disaster. His only backup plans were Van Jefferson, Scotty Miller, or Calvin Austin III. Not having Roman Wilson for his rookie campaign stings, but none of those other guys have helped.
Only having George Pickens as a quality option in the passing game has been the biggest hindrance to the Steelers' offense outside of their inconsistent quarterback play. He better hope that this club finds a way to win a playoff game, or that lack of stability at the top of the offense will rear its ugly head. Tomlin and Khan deserve to share the combination of blame if they fail in the playoffs.