For as accomplished as they are, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been nothing short of disappointing in recent years. While they’ve remained competitive, they’ve gotten absolutely demolished in the playoffs. The Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since 2016. That doesn’t have just fans frustrated but former players like Ryan Clark speaking out to end the streak.
“Whoever you are, wherever you are, however the roster is constructed, when the playoffs get here, show up to the damn stadium,” Clark said recently on NFL Live. “I’m not saying you’re supposed to go out and beat the Baltimore Ravens, because they were clearly the better team.
“But when you walk into the stadium, please walk in there like you want to play. If you’re playing linebacker, if you’re playing defensive line, if you’re playing safety, show up like you want to tackle. If you’re outside and you’re covering, lock down those receivers. If you’re supposed to be protecting Russell Wilson, then damn protect him.”
Clark is clearly fed up with the Steelers’ poor playoff results. What he’s saying here echoes what much of the fanbase has been saying. The Steelers losing in the playoffs isn’t their only issue.
In their last three playoff games, the Steelers have been outscored 63-14 in the first half. That includes not scoring a single point in the first quarter of any of those games. That is unacceptable. How can they have any hope of winning if they dig themselves into such a deep hole?
Clark continued expressing his frustrations about the Steelers not living up to the standard.
“This is supposed to be one of the most prepared teams in all of football. And for the last decade or so, when they show up in the playoffs, they might as well stay their butts at home. Pittsburgh Steelers are about winning Lombardi trophies, and you can’t win those if you can’t win a single playoff game.”
Nothing Clark is saying there is wrong. It’s been almost 10 years since the Steelers won a postseason game. They’re supposed to be one of the best franchises in the NFL, and yet, they’ve mostly been mediocre and their quarterback woes are a problem of their own making. It’s left the franchise in a rut.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like the Steelers are going to make any big changes in response to these issues. In 2025, it feels like they’re going to stick with the status quo. Whether that’s right or wrong remains to be seen.
Maybe Clark’s message will resonate with players. Last year, sitting at 10-3, it felt like the Steelers were primed to win a playoff game. However, they completely collapsed, losing four games in a row and then being bounced in the first round of the playoffs. The team looked shell-shocked by their failures. Those two parts of the season were like night and day and by season’s end, they couldn’t buy a win.
The 2024 season felt like 2023, which felt like 2022, which felt like 2021, and so on and so forth. It’s been rinse and repeat for the Steelers over the past few years. That’s left fans wanting to see change, but it doesn’t seem like they’re going to get it. We’ll see if that leads to different results. If it doesn’t, maybe it will be time for them to start making bigger moves.
