Since the 1970s, the Pittsburgh Steelers have mostly been the gold standard of the NFL. They’ve had their fair share of down years, but they’ve consistently been in the playoff picture for the most part. There’s a reason why they’re tied for the most Super Bowl victories by one franchise. For the Steelers, the standard is the standard. However, former NFL linebacker LaVar Arrington isn’t sure if they still have that standard.
“You think about James Harrison,…” Arrington said recently on his 2 Pros and a Cup of Joe podcast. “He was not a starter; he did not make the roster. He was getting put on the practice squad, and worse, he was getting cut. Wasn’t even good enough to be on the team at one point. And now he’s going to be a Hall of Famer.
“It’s because they had a culture that forced you to fit what it was to be a Pittsburgh Steeler football player. And I do not think that exists today. That’s kind of a sad thing to say, but I do not think it exists. Ask any of these Steelers; there might be a handful of guys that understand what that statement means.”
This isn’t the first time someone has questioned the current Steelers’ culture this offseason. A few months ago, Willie Colon brought up how things in Pittsburgh are different now compared to when he played there. Arrington isn’t alone in his thinking.
After the way the Steelers finished the 2024 season, it’s fair to question them. At one point last year, they were sitting comfortably in first place in the AFC North. Then, they lost their final four games of the regular season, looking like a complete mess. That led to them getting crushed by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the playoffs.
The Steelers didn’t look like themselves. It was a disaster on all fronts, including their vaunted defense, which is supposed to be one of the best units in the league.
First-round playoff exits have become the norm in Pittsburgh, which contributes to people questioning their culture. Their franchise goal used to be winning championships. However, at this point, it feels like they’d be lucky to win a single postseason game.
Part of that is due to their team going through a slight reloading phase. While the Steelers aren’t totally rebuilding, they have lost key pieces of their franchise in recent years. To start the 2020s, they saw players like Maurkice Pouncey and Ben Roethlisberger retire. Losing those kinds of players, especially a franchise quarterback, usually results in a shift for a team.
However, that doesn’t mean the Steelers’ culture is gone. This offseason proves that their goal is still to win the Super Bowl. They made multiple moves to make their team better right now, including signing Aaron Rodgers and trading for DK Metcalf. Some of their methods may have changed, but the Steelers are still the same team at their core. Perhaps they’ll prove that to Arrington this season.
