The Pittsburgh Steelers are known for doing things differently. Still run by the same family that founded the team in 1933 with just three head coaches since 1960, they’ve created a culture many other franchises have tried to replicate.
Yes, Pittsburgh may have a playoff win drought, which is aggravating, but the team is consistently competitive, and there have been no locker-room mutinies in recent years. That’s a strong culture. To have that strong culture, you need leadership and the right players. Although he has his faults, head coach Mike Tomlin is a great leader, and through his leadership, he has found a good way to bring in players who fit the Steelers’ culture. That’s reflected throughout the entire season, including the draft process.
Former NFL tight end Jake Butt took to Twitter to explain how the Steelers’ scouting process differed from the rest of the league.
“It was different from the start,” Butt tweeted Sunday. “Most teams send a runner/ scout to take you to the correct room, so I was surprised to be greeted by Mike Tomlin. When I got to the Steelers meeting room, I noticed there was no TV- so no film. Tomlin jumped the gun. After some brief small talk, Tomlin said, “Don’t let these other teams fool you. You will be drafted by your film and film alone. We’ve already watched your film. We just want to get to know you to make sure you’ll fit our culture.”
To expand further… 99% of where someone gets drafted is their film.
I remember going to different individual meetings, all unique. Each team had their own philosophy, questions, film, and playbook. Then I met with Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
It was different… https://t.co/ZXXqBFiysX
— Jake Butt (@Jbooty88) December 29, 2024
Obviously, the film is the most important. Bad film often means a player won’t work out in the NFL. But you need a player who will come in and fit what the team wants to do and not cause problems. Players like rookie LB Payton Wilson, OLB Alex Highsmith, and RB Najee Harris fit this perfectly. Not only did their film tell the story of potentially great players, but their attitude fit the team.
Ultimately, Butt wasn’t drafted by the Steelers. Instead, the Denver Broncos selected him in the fifth round of the 2017 draft, one pick before the San Francisco 49ers selected TE George Kittle. Ultimately, a college knee injury followed him to the pros, and he struggled to get healthy. Butt appeared in just eight career games, catching 10 passes. Film nor culture can triumph over health.
Tomlin’s approach makes sense. The Steelers have been grinding film on players all year. Their talent has been vetted, and spending precious face-to-face time watching film isn’t helpful. Instead, the team uses its time to get to know the person. Ultimately, that’s who the team is bringing into their building—not just a football player.
Over the years, the Steelers have had some players who don’t fit the culture and are promptly shipped out of town (see WR Diontae Johnson), but it doesn’t happen very often. There is a reason Pittsburgh is consistently good: They don’t deal with nonsense all the time. And when the team gambles on a player with off-field concerns, Mike Tomlin seems to manage them better and longer than other teams.
Pittsburgh has plenty of high-character players who work their tails off and just want to win. While the team has shown they aren’t Super Bowl contenders right now, they have a lot of the right players to get there. Culture-wise, Pittsburgh is in the right place. Now, they need a few more pieces. If history tells us anything, those pieces will fit the Steelers’ culture like a glove.
