How far away are the Steelers for competing for a Super Bowl?
Another year and another Super Bowl of Steelers fans watching other teams competing. The last time the Steelers competed in a Super Bowl, Keeanu Benton was probably in second grade. That was back in 2010, and the Steelers haven’t even won a playoff game since the 2016 season.
Steelers fans don’t need to read these things, if only because they know them very, very well. Nobody understands better than the team’s own fans just how little success they’ve had when it matters recently. Sure, Art Rooney II will tell you about their accomplishments in the regular season, but here’s the thing. He’s not raising a banner for winning seasons, is he? He knows where the Steelers stand, but he also has a product to sell.
Technically speaking, Rooney didn’t say anything wrong—the Steelers have a good amount of success in the regular season. At the very least, they are always “competitive”, let’s call it. But when is the last time they have been contenders? How long has it been that the Steelers were included on a list of Super Bowl candidates at the start of a season?
And how far are they away from being that kind of team again? How much ground can the Steelers cover in pursuing that endeavor this offseason? One topic we’ve discussed is the dearth of quality quarterback options, which does them no favors. But even if they don’t acquire a franchise quarterback this offseason, they can build a team worthy of one.
One thing last night’s Super Bowl reminded us is that even a generational quarterback alone will not win. It’s almost hard to conceive of Patrick Mahomes looking mortal, but that’s what the Philadelphia Eagles accomplished. The Steelers obviously need to invest in their defensive line this offseason, and probably through multiple means.
Either way, it looks like they have their work cut out for themselves before anybody considers them seriously as a Super Bowl favorite. The Steelers have their fair share of trophies, and they don’t come with expiration dates. But pretty soon they’ll be drafting players who weren’t even alive the last time they won. If that’s not an eye opener, I don’t know what is.
The Steelers’ 2024 season has come to its predictably inauspicious end, with yet another one-and-done postseason for HC Mike Tomlin. The offense faltered, and the defense matched it blow for blow, leading to a 21-0 first-half deficit.
Just like last year, the biggest question hanging over the Steelers is the quarterback question. Do they still believe in Russell Wilson, and/or Justin Fields, or do they want another solution? There are other major decisions to make, as well, such as what to do with George Pickens. Do you sign him to an extension, try to trade him, or let him play out his rookie contract?
The Steelers started the 2024 season 10-3, with Mike Tomlin in the Coach of the Year conversation. Wash, rinse, and repeat, and we have another late-season collapse. This may be the worst yet, a four-game losing streak presaging a one-and-done playoff “run”. Welcome to Steelers football.
