PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – The brand name is still top five. Ownership is still local and there may not be a boss that has your back more in this profession. But what are you getting beyond just the opportunity to be one of 32 to hold this job?
It is a team, that famously/infamously, hasn’t seen a losing record in two decades. Over that time, the Steelers won a then-record sixth Super Bowl. It’s more recently tied a record for most playoff losses in a row.
Let’s try to objectively look at the Steelers situation. It’s a team that won the division in 2026, but is this team a championship contender?
No doubt the Steelers have impact players on defense. Cam Heyward, even at 36, might be the best defensive tackle in the game. TJ Watt is signed through 2028, but also at $41 million. Alex Highsmith is coming off his best season even after fighting through three injuries. Nick Herbig makes plays and Jack Sawyer had a solid first year. Jalen Ramsey, back in a rover position with DeShon Elliott back, likely will have a bigger impact. Patrick Queen was much improved in his second year and third-year pros Joey Porter, Junior and Keeanu Benton had their best seasons.
Offensively you would feel great about the right side of the offensive line. Zach Frazier, Mason McCormick and Troy Fautanu are a major building block for an offense in transition. DK Metcalf is still a productive receiver and signed for three more years. There would seem to be more you could add to Pat Freiermuth’s plate than he was given last year and heading into his last season Darnell Washington is coming off a potentially transitional performance for his career.
The concerns list is long starting with the most important position.
There isn’t a franchise quarterback in place. Even Art Rooney admitted Mike Tomlin stepping down likely means Aaron Rodgers isn’t coming back, although would a likely first-time coach going want to start with a 42-year-old to build his program?
In what was talked about as one of the best quarterback classes before the college football season, now might be one of the worst quarterback prospect groups in decades. Mason Rudolph is under contract for one more year and sixth-round pick Will Howard never got a chance to even play in a preseason game due to injury.
It was an incredible year for running back Kenneth Gainwell betting on himself and then becoming the Steelers team MVP, but he is a free agent and while you still have Jaylen Warren, Kaleb Johnson struggled mightily his rookie season.
Receiver Calvin Austin is a free agent as are a few of the ‘mercenaries’ who came in during the year (MVS, Adam Thielen). Maybe a new coaching staff finds something in third-round pick Roman Wilson that Tomlin and Arthur Smith did not.
There are questions on the left side of the line with an option coming for Broderick Jones.
You are not drafting high, another mid-to-late round year for the Steelers with the 21st overall pick. There are multiple picks in the third, fourth, sixth and seventh rounds. Those could be used in a package to move up in one of the early rounds, but you aren’t coming to a place where you are picking top five.
The free agent list is pretty friendly in terms of Gainwell, Austin, Isaac Seumalo and James Pierre as the starters without a contract in 2026. Several key players are up after your first season-Cam Heyward, Queen, Porter, Benton, Chris Boswell, Washington, Herbig.
You are working with a general manager in Omar Khan who is willing to break traditional molds in terms of trades and is a master at dealing with the salary cap. It’s his first opportunity to expand his wings after working with an established coach.
Even as you sit as the reigning division champ, you still have to deal with Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow twice.
This isn’t to say the Steelers isn’t a great job, but looking deeper there is a lot to consider when taking over the Pittsburgh Steelers.