There are both positives and negatives in which Pittsburgh Steelers fans can point to regarding their favorite team. Of course, there’s the fact that the Steelers haven’t had a losing season since 2003 and are one of the more competitive teams in the league every year. But Pittsburgh hasn’t won a playoff game since 2016 and doesn’t look ready to contend for a Super Bowl anytime soon.
Both of those have been true for most of the last decade. It’s a story that’s getting old in Pittsburgh, and quick. We know the Rooney family doesn’t think major changes are on the horizon just yet, at least at the quarterback position. Steelers owner Art Rooney II spoke earlier this week about his desire to bring back either Russell Wilson or Justin Fields this offseason. Yet, Steelers fans don’t feel the same way, and it’s safe to say they’re fed up with the current state of the franchise.
Wednesday on the Gojo and Golic podcast, Mike Golic Jr. echoed the same sentiment.
“You wonder about that fan base, [which] already [has] more angst around Mike Tomlin’s job,” Golic said. “I’m not saying he should be on the hot seat. I’m not saying they should fire him. But I do wonder how much longer you can sell it to them. I’m wondering how much longer you can sell build up the rest of the roster and hope when right in your division, you’ve got two teams with quarterbacks that look like they’re going to wear gold jackets someday soon.”
Golic is obviously referring to Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson here, and it’s a good point. In a way, the Steelers’ 2024 season is telling as to how different the vibes can be around this team. Russell Wilson and the Steelers beat both Burrow and Jackson during a three-week span. That was when the Steelers looked like they could actually contend for a Super Bowl.
Then things came crashing down, and we saw the other vantage point. Pittsburgh was beaten by both of those quarterbacks to end the regular season. They lost again to Jackson in the playoffs in dominant fashion. That seemed to be a clear sign that things weren’t working.
Pittsburgh’s stuck in a tough spot this offseason, without a clear path toward finding its franchise quarterback. If either Wilson or Fields comes back to be the starter, it may be more of the same in 2025. Golic wonders how much longer Steelers fans can stomach that, and it’s a fair question.
