Since the 2016 season, one thing has plagued the Pittsburgh Steelers, and it’s something that is incredibly frustrating, not only to the players and coaches on the roster, but the fans and media, too.
The lack of playoff success.
Since 2016, the Steelers are winless in the playoffs, going 0-4 in that time, dropping games to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills, giving up 30-plus points in every single loss.
It’s not the Pittsburgh Steelers way, and it’s drawn the ire of team president and owner Art Rooney II along with plenty of others inside the Steelers’ facility. Star outside linebacker T.J. Watt, especially.
This year though, the Steelers look rather good on paper, having made some key upgrades to their roster, including at quarterback, along the offensive line, on the coaching staff, and defensively, addressing some major needs.
Though the AFC is loaded overall, the belief internally is that the Steelers are much better than they were last season and are very close to tasting playoff success once again.
Veteran defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi, entering his third season in the Black and Gold, believes this is the year the team has to get over the hump. Appearing on the “Not Just Football with Cam Heyward” podcast back in training camp alongside Watt and outside linebacker Alex Highsmith, stated that the Steelers have the right pieces in place to do so.
“When you’re beating on a door for so long and you’re so close, at a certain point, you just gotta break through,” Ogunjobi said of the Steelers’ playoff struggles, according to video via the show’s YouTube page. “And I feel like we have a unique enough group that I think we have the right pieces to get over that hump, but it is up to us to do it.
“So yeah, we gotta go out and do it.”
It’s as simple as that at this point for the Steelers. They’ve been to the playoffs three of the last four seasons and haven’t gotten over the hump. It’s been rather frustrating, especially being a team centered on defense and then getting blown out in the playoff matchups. The last three losses? A 48-37 loss to the Browns, 42-21 to the Chiefs ,and most recently 31-17 to the Bills.
A lot of points given up.
That’s all well known. It’s been incredibly frustrating, but this offseason the Steelers added significantly to their roster, putting them in good position to get over the hump.
Watt, who has been pretty vocal about how “embarrassing” it is at this point in his career to not have a playoff win, believes that the Steelers are in great shape entering the season and can lean on that playoff experience of the past to help them break through.
“I think we have a good mix of young and old, not like we have in years past, but our acquisitions have been aggressive with intent,” Watt said of the Steelers’ offseason and his view of the team. “And we have experience in the playoffs. Not that we’ve won lately, but we have experience. We know how serious we have to take things, especially this time around this time of year, to be great and to have longevity and win late in the season.
“And what’s been happening can’t continue to happen. I think there’s a sense of urgency globally. Offense, defense and special teams. And I’m just excited for it.”
Urgency has been a key word around the Steelers all offseason, from the acquisitions in free agency and via trade, to the draft picks on down. It’s time to win, and win now.
That all started with Rooney’s comments after the season, and it’s shaped the mindset of everyone entering the 2024 season, one that has the potential to be a big one for the Black and Gold. The pieces are in place, chips on shoulders, points to prove, and more.
Time to go do it.
Check out the latest episode of “Not Just Football with Cam Heyward” below.
