As he does shortly after every Pittsburgh Steelers season ends, owner Art Rooney II makes the media rounds to reflect on the season and offer an offseason outlook. This year, Rooney held a large media Q&A Monday and has slowly made the rounds the rest of the week, sitting down with several local news stations for 1v1 interviews in addition to a 1v1 featured on the team website.
With plenty of comments at our disposal and knowing the general weight Rooney’s words comments, he’s not grinding tape but is setting the course of the team, here’s my takeaways from what he had to stay. These are arranged in no particular order.
1. Goodbye Najee Harris
Though Rooney technically left the door open for Harris to return, his comments clearly pointed in the direction of a team ready to replace him. Admitting the room had a position to be filled by “Harris or someone else,” without offering any optimism, hope, or desire to bring him back means he’s walking out the door.
It certainly isn’t a shock and to me, the writing has been on the wall ever since his fifth-year option was declined last May. Harris’ subpar season that couldn’t receive a boost from the run-heavy Arthur Smith and Rooney’s comments (along with Pat Freiermuth’s quiet moment with Harris after the Baltimore Ravens’ loss) says he’s moving on.
Drafting a rookie between the second and fourth round is the most likely path to replacing him.
2. No George Pickens Extension…But No Trade Either
Pickens was naturally a hot topic all week. And his future has felt murky. But Rooney’s comments offered clarity. Considering Rooney is uncertain if Pickens will grow up and reach his full potential, there’s no way he’s going to sign off on paying him big money via a summer extension. I’d be floored.
That increases the odds of a trade. However, Rooney seemed content with letting 2025 play out and see if the light finally comes on for Pickens. Even if not, he’s still valuable to an offense with few other playmaking skill guys. Rooney also noted the desire to add a No. 2 receiver, implying Pickens will remain as the No. 1. The truth is trading Pickens and rebuilding the entire receiver room in one offseason is a tall task. One Pittsburgh doesn’t sound interested in doing.
3. Think Veteran WR…Not Rookie
So where will that No. 2 receiver come from? This is probably more of my speculation than anything concrete Rooney said. But he acknowledged the team’s attempts to add a starting wideout this past year. Those were veterans like Brandon Aiyuk and Christian Kirk.
With Pittsburgh having cap space and Rooney making a note the team intended to spend, not to mention a deep group of veteran wideouts slated to hit free agency and a fairly weak draft class, this is an area to expect the team to target in the first days of free agency.
4. D-Line, D-Line, D-Line
If there was any clear commentary about the team’s draft plan, it’s investing early in a defensive lineman. Repeatedly, Rooney discussed the need to stop the run. That becomes clear when Baltimore rolls you for 299 rushing yards to end your season. But Rooney credited the linebackers for being a “strength,” leaving the d-line to be the prime suspect of the issues.
In a 1v1 with Bob Pompeani, Rooney specifically said the Steelers must add “young blood” to the defensive line. Hello, draft pick. With Mike Tomlin keeping a watchful eye on the d-linemen at the Senior Bowl and a deep draft class, it’s a fair bet the team will add a young buck within the top two rounds. Expect more buzz come the NFL Scouting Combine and Pro Day circuit.
5. Acknowledging This Year’s QB Class Isn’t Great
Rooney understands there’s work to be done at quarterback. The Steelers will have an eye toward the draft this year or “next year” he said. A tacit admission the 2025 QB class isn’t strong. I still don’t rule out a Day 2 option, there’s a puncher’s chance of it, but the first round isn’t the place where Pittsburgh will snag one this year. All the more reason why they intend to keep one of Justin Fields or Russell Wilson.
6. He Doesn’t Fully Understand Fan Frustration
There’s only so much anyone from the organization can say after a historic collapse to end the season. Nothing will make fans feel good about how the year finished up. Nor should there be. But some of Rooney’s comments still ranged from debatable to completely tone deaf.
He said there weren’t many lessons to be learned from missing on QB Kenny Pickett. He rejected the notion of expanding the coaching staff. And he offered comments similar to brother Jim Rooney that fans should appreciate the fact the team enjoys winning seasons. Yeah, that’s not going over well with Steeler Nation. Those are signs of contentment and lowering the standard, which the team can’t fall into.
7. There’s Still Old School In His Soul
Though Rooney understands the importance of quarterback play and the value of QB mobility, he still reverted back to the tried and true “run the ball, stop the run.” That’s not inherently wrong but highlights his and the franchise’s old-school philosophy. As much as things change, Rooney still busts out his greatest hits album of what’s worked for most of his lifetime even if the modern-day landscape looks a little different.
