PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Hall of Fame Steelers head coach Bill Cowher has been through it. He sees the Steelers for what they are, rebuilding.
Steelers management set the goal of winning a championship this year, saying it’s the goal every season. Understandable, but is winning this year realistic with this group?
It seems with the same stubbornness that Pirates general manager Neal Huntington had refusing to use the ‘R’ word. Where Pens general manager Ron Hextall might be with his team in only signing a couple players in the offseason, salary cap played into that as well.
Cowher admits rebuilding in the NFL is a quicker process today than even 20 years ago with the multitude of ways to retool a team. However, it’s still a process.
“It’s an evaluation that takes place over the course of time,” Cowher said at Heinz Field Sunday. “It’s an evaluation that takes place over the course of a season. You start to see how some things unfold. How certain players start to develop. Other players (maybe), they aren’t what you thought they were.”
It’s been obvious with the 2021 offensive line. A pair of rookies starting with another guard with four career NFL starts, a pair of veterans coming off injury and a tackle who has moved from side-to-side.
The O-line isn’t the only area needing growth and time. The Steelers most productive offensive player is a rookie running back. While he’s had a 100-yard rushing and receiving game already, Najee Harris admitted last Friday he is still figuring things out at the NFL level. Rookie tight end Pat Freiermuth more involved in the offense against Seattle, likely due to the season-ending injury to JuJu Smith-Schuster.
In the Steelers secondary, undrafted James Pierre is now playing over 50% of the snaps, rookie Tre Norwood just under that figure. The defensive line needing players to grow up fast with injuries to Tyson Alualu and Stephon Tuitt. Henry Mondeaux, Isaiah Buggs, Isaiahh Loudermilk thrust into more opportunities as they grow.
Cowher went through three non-playoff seasons before building the core that won seven playoff games for him including Super Bowl XL in 2005. Part of that core responsible for Mike Tomlin’s pair of Super Bowl appearances.
The general manager for the final year of that rebuild is the Steelers current general manager, Kevin Colbert.
“There is still a great tradition here,” Cowher said. “There’s still some great players here, and there will be. It’s just a history of how they do things around here. It’s a history of acquiring players and getting the right guys.”
Cowher says the organization is consistent with the type of players they get. They needs to stay true to that formula, even if a few years dip. The Crafton native believes if that happens. They will turn it back quickly.
“It’s sustainable,” Cowher said. “Does it mean you won’t have one of those years or a couple of those years. As long as you stay the course through a period-of-time.”
“There is still a process. It’s got growth. It’s got strength because it’s time proven, the process is in terms of the development of players, the acquisition of players. The whole process you go through going through those periods of transition.”