After an up-and-down 2023, expectations for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024 are all over the place.
There’s the glass-half-empty take, which is based on their brutal schedule, lack of proven passing game, and the fact that you can make a pretty convincing argument they are the worst team in the division. If this was 2016 Russell Wilson instead of 2024 Russell Wilson, you’d probably feel much better about the Steelers’ roster.
Then there’s the glass-half-full take. They went 10-7 and made the playoffs last year with one of the worst QB rooms ever for a playoff team. Sure, Russell Wilson may not be the guy he once was, but if he’s even half as good as he was, he represents a huge upgrade for this roster. And the defense has the potential to be one of the best in the NFL.
These two takes have analysts and league pundits split down the middle. However, former Super Bowl-winning coach Tony Dungy is planting his flag in the glass-half-full camp big time. He named the Steelers his newest Super Bowl contender on the NFL on NBC.
“They’ve been in the race, in the hunt. They haven’t had good quarterback play since Ben Roethlisberger. Now they’ve got a quarterback. You heard it here first,” Dungy said. “I like Mike Tomlin and what he brings. They have that belief, they always have that… if Russell can win one or two more games for them, I think they’ll be in good shape.”
Fellow analyst Rodney Harrison perfectly represents the glass-half-empty camp and was incredulous when he heard Dungy’s take.
“Make sure you guys record this, because this is absolutely ridiculous,” Harrison said.
While it’s hard to be sure exactly how much weight the word “contender” holds for Dungy, he makes a fair point. There is certainly potential for things to go very right in Pittsburgh this season. The string of recent above-average seasons makes people naturally hesitant to expect anything great out of this team. Still, if you look at the roster compared to last year and the results in a vacuum, you could talk yourself into it.
The Steelers as a real Super Bowl contender still feels strong, however. We aren’t sure that this core can even win a playoff game, never mind stringing multiple victories in a row. While there isn’t a consensus best team, the 49ers and the Chiefs prevent the league from truly feeling wide open. Crazier things have happened, and it’s unlikely the Steelers are so bad that Dungy gets embarrassed from this take.
But it’s certainly a bold one, especially before seeing this team on the field at all.
