It’s been a long time since the Pittsburgh Steelers last won a playoff game. For a myriad of reasons, it just hasn’t happened. While they’ve been bystanders at the quarterback position this offseason, the Steelers have at least been aggressive elsewhere. Earlier this week, they made a shocking trade for DK Metcalf and inked him to a massive contract extension.
“This DK Metcalf thing is a dramatic shift, unlike anything I’ve ever seen from the Pittsburgh Steelers,” NFL insider Mike Florio said Thursday on Pro Football Talk.
If there ever was a time for the Steelers to make a philosophical shift, it would be now, although some may not agree. It shouldn’t be a major one, as the Steelers are still one of the best-run franchises in all of sports. However, it’s clear that the way they’ve attacked recent offseasons isn’t working. The Steelers flaming out over the last month of the 2024 season confirms that.
Coming into the offseason, most people expected them to focus on the quarterback position before addressing anything else. That’s why it was so surprising when they made the move for Metcalf. Whether they expected to have Justin Fields or Aaron Rodgers in the building by now or not, that move at least encouraged fans that the team would show aggressiveness elsewhere this offseason.
While trading for Metcalf is a move that the Steelers typically never make, they haven’t since replicated that energy. It’s only been a few days, but a lot of quality free agents at a lot of positions the Steelers need to address, have gone off the board. With that in mind, Florio does think there may be some added pressure on the organization after making such a big move. If things don’t pan out in 2025, Florio wonders whether Mike Tomlin’s time might reach an end in Pittsburgh.
“It’s causing some to wonder, the next change,” Florio said. “Because when you do something this dramatic, is the next change, changing coaches? If they give him [Tomlin] the money, and the investment for DK Metcalf, if they give him Aaron Rodgers? If it doesn’t work now, and they don’t win a playoff game this year, is this the year that it all comes down?”
To be clear, Florio isn’t saying that he expects it to happen. It’s more him wondering out loud than anything else. To be fair to him, it’s a decent question. Trading for Metcalf and extending him before he ever plays a down in Pittsburgh is much more of a bold move than we’ve seen from the team in a long time. It could work. It could flame out in spectacular fashion.
After six straight playoff losses, it’s a move the Steelers had to make. Even if things go poorly, though, I wouldn’t expect Mike Tomlin to go anywhere. Even after the 2025 season, Tomlin still has two years left on his contract. The Steelers have never shown a willingness to part from a coach at that point in his contract. However, after such a big move, Florio is right that the pressure will only grow.
