Since the 2009 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been trying to win a record-setting seventh Super Bowl. Unfortunately, they’ve been unable to reach that goal. Recently, it’s felt like the Steelers are light years away from winning another championship. They haven’t even won a playoff game since the 2016 season. This offseason, the Steelers made several offseason moves to help change that.
“I think the Steelers are really, really sick of people talking about them having not won a playoff game since 2016,” Ross Tucker said Monday on his YouTube channel. “It almost feels like they’re all-in to win a playoff game so people can’t keep saying that, so people have to shut up. We’ll see if it works.”
There is a general feeling that the Steelers are all-in this year, but usually, that sentiment means a team is trying to win a Super Bowl. That might not be realistic with Pittsburgh, though. The Steelers’ goal might be to win a championship, but it’s tough to see them doing that this year.
The Steelers added players like Aaron Rodgers and Jalen Ramsey, who were once the best players at their respective positions. However, they aren’t at that level anymore. Rodgers is 41 years old and coming off two ugly years with the New York Jets. He wasn’t terrible last year, but he still looked past his prime.
Ramsey isn’t as old as Rodgers, but he’s still coming off a few down years. Five years ago, both those players would’ve made the Steelers instant Super Bowl contenders. However, it’s unclear how well they can still play. Like Tucker says, Pittsburgh’s ceiling might be a single playoff win.
However, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Yes, the Steelers should want to win a Super Bowl, and they shouldn’t be satisfied with just winning a postseason game. Consider where the franchise is at, though. The Steelers are without a franchise quarterback, most of their stars are on the wrong side of 30, and they’ve been a perennial playoff disappointment.
Winning a postseason game would be a step in the right direction. They’ve done their best this offseason to become contenders. Are they likely to compete with AFC juggernauts like the Buffalo Bills or Kansas City Chiefs? No, but there’s no telling what the playoff picture will look like at the end of this season. Maybe the Steelers will have enough to make a legitimate run. They won’t know if they don’t try.
