The standard is the standard for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Unfortunately, it’s felt like the last few years have muddied what the standard actually is. It used to mean competing for championships. Lately, the Steelers have struggled to even win a playoff game, not accomplishing that feat since 2016. Some people believe that the Steelers way has lost much of its luster, including Willie Colon.
“I was at the Super Bowl, and I ran into a lot of my old teammates because everybody was kind of whoring themselves around media row and trying to shake hands, kiss babies type thing and find a door so they can walk through with their media career,” the former Steelers offensive lineman said recently on The Ryen Russillo Podcast. “We were talking about the culture of the Steelers.
“At one point, it meant something. And now, it feels like it’s something that you just say, and it doesn’t have as much weight as it once did. Some of the stories I was hearing coming out of the locker room was interesting.”
Colon played for the Steelers from 2006-012, so he was part of two of their Super Bowl appearances. He’s got direct experience with them during the height of their recent success. It sounds like he thinks the team’s mentality has changed since then. The standard may no longer be the standard.
Colon also alludes to hearing some interesting stories coming out of the Steelers’ locker room this year. He’s not the first person to say that, either. Earlier this year, Baltimore Ravens corner Marlon Humphrey hinted that he was hearing similar things.
“I got the feeling that the old way and what I was brought into doesn’t exist anymore,” Colon said. “That was disheartening.”
It sounds like what Colon was hearing isn’t good. Now, it’s totally unclear what exactly that was. However, it wouldn’t be surprising to hear the Steelers had issues last year. Look at how they finished the season.
At one point last year, the Steelers were 10-3 and in first place in the AFC North. Then, they were 10-7, losers of their final four games. They went into the playoffs against the Ravens and got crushed. The season spiraled, and it didn’t seem like anyone knew how to stop it.
Players were visibly upset about how they were performing, too. That’s understandable, but it never produced results on the field. The Steelers’ defense, which had been their backbone, couldn’t stop a nosebleed. Their offense also heavily regressed. It felt like nothing was going right.
After the season, Art Rooney II made it clear that he believes Mike Tomlin’s message is still being heard in the locker room. However, Colon’s feelings might contradict that. Tomlin might not be the sole reason why some have questioned Steelers’ culture, but as their head coach, he’s in charge of setting the tone. If any single person should be in charge of fixing their culture, it’s him.
Maybe Colon is right, and maybe he’s not. Without knowing exactly what stories he was told, and who the sources were, it’s difficult to say for sure. However, it’s apparent that they haven’t been the same on the field. Their playoff drought is ugly and doesn’t reflect what the Steelers were when Colon was on the team. Of course they can’t win the Super Bowl every year, but many fans are sick of the mediocrity.
