Former Pittsburgh general manager Kevin Colbert is now a Steelers fan in his retirement, watching the Chiefs and 49ers in the Super Bowl like everyone else. He rooted for the Steelers while in their front office too, of course, but now largely on the outside, he can indulge in his fandom a little more.
A bit of that came out recently during an interview with the Forever True to Thee podcast for North Catholic Athletes. Conducted prior to the Super Bowl, the hosts asked Colbert for his pick to win between the 49ers and Chiefs. And part of his answer came out rather honestly—and perhaps not general-managery.
“I’m just going to look forward to watching it without skin in the game, so to speak, and enjoy it. Whoever wins, they’re gonna deserve that win”, he said. “Personally, I’m a little prejudiced against San Fran because if they win, they get number six and they tie us, and, unfortunately, New England for the most wins ever”.
There are multiple levels to this, including his distaste for sharing the distinction with the New England Patriots. Now, he probably didn’t mean that comment to be about specifically the Patriots. Rather, he doesn’t want the Steelers to share the Super Bowl-title crown with anybody. New England just happens to be the team to tie their six Lombardi Trophies.
The 49ers, for the third time since 2012, had an opportunity to win their sixth Super Bowl, but once again they came up short. And for the second time, they lost to the Chiefs and QB Patrick Mahomes, now their own dynasty. Colbert admits to some prejudice on those grounds as well. Especially since the 49ers have had three more opportunities to tie since the Steelers’ last trip to the Super Bowl.
“If Kansas City wins that’ll be their third in this time frame, and that would be one more than the Steelers in recent years”, he said. Pittsburgh won two Super Bowls in the 2000s, in 2005 and 2008. They lost the 2010 Super Bowl. The Chiefs have been in four of the last five Super Bowls, winning three.
But they have won four Super Bowls altogether. Only four teams have at least five titles. The Steelers and Patriots have six, while the 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys have been stuck at five for decades. On that note, the Steelers are already 15 years removed from their last title.
Colbert led the front office during three of those trips to the Super Bowl, including two wins. Some, including myself, believe that he belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, some time down the line. He drafted one player who is already in the Hall of Fame in Troy Polamalu and several others who could join him in Canton.
QB Ben Roethlisberger is likely a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He still has a while to go, but OLB T.J. Watt will receive that same honor. Other possibilities for the Hall of Fame include C Maurkice Pouncey and DL Cameron Heyward.
