By: Jack Arch, Sports Management, 2024

Since the 1970 NFL merger, no team has more wins than the Pittsburgh Steelers. Widely known as one of the most storied franchises in the sports world, the Pittsburgh Steelers have seen their fair share of success. Founded in 1933, the Steelers have become synonymous with excellence, boasting a rich history that includes six Super Bowl championships. With that being said, they have not seen the same sort of success in recent years. At the end of the 2021-22 NFL season, franchise icon Ben Roethlisberger retired, and the franchise was left with a question mark at the quarterback position for the first time in 18 years. During that offseason, the Steelers drafted Roethlisberger’s potential replacement, quarterback Kenny Pickett, from the University of Pittsburgh. During the first season with Kenny Pickett under center, the Steelers started off 1-4, however they fought back to finish with a 9-8 record. Despite narrowly missing the playoffs, Pittsburgh had shattered expectations and the future in Pittsburgh seemed brighter than it had been in a long time. 

During the 2023 NFL offseason, the Steelers had a tremendous opportunity to improve their roster. After drafting Georgia OT Broderick Jones in the first round of the NFL Draft, selecting Penn State CB Joey Porter Jr. in the second round, and filling in positional needs in the remaining rounds, the Steelers ended draft week with the 7th best draft ranking, according to NFL.com. Pittsburgh continued to make moves in free agency, signing cornerback Patrick Peterson, Isaac Semaulo at guard, and linebacker Cole Holcomb. Going into the 2023 season, the Steelers sat at #14 in ESPN’s preseason Power Rankings, moving up 8 spots since the start of the 2022 season. 

 

 

Going into just their second season under sophomore quarterback Kenny Pickett, Steelers fans had some lofty expectations. Here’s how the season went:

 

WEEK 1 vs SAN FRANCISCO 49ers: L 30-7

 

WEEK 2 vs CLEVELAND BROWNS: W 26-22

 

WEEK 3 @ LAS VEGAS RAIDERS: W 23-18

 

WEEK 4 @ HOUSTON TEXANS: L 30-6

 

WEEK 5 vs BALTIMORE RAVENS: W 17-10

 

WEEK 6 @ LOS ANGELES RAMS: W 24-17

 

WEEK 7 vs JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: L 20-10

 

WEEK 8 vs TENNESSEE TITANS: W 20-16

 

WEEK 9 vs GREEN BAY PACKERS: W 23-19

 

WEEK 10 @ CLEVELAND BROWNS: L 13-10

 

WEEK 11 @ CINCINNATI BENGALS: W 16-10

 

WEEK 12 vs ARIZONA CARDINALS: L 24-10

 

WEEK 13 vs NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: L 24-18

 

WEEK 14 @ INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: L 30-13

 

WEEK 15 vs CINCINNATI BENGALS: W 34-11

 

WEEK 16 @ SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: W 30-23

 

WEEK 17 @ BALTIMORE RAVENS: W 17-10

 

 

After starting the season 6-3, Pittsburgh went 1-4 from Week 10 to Week 14. During an ugly loss against the last place Arizona Cardinals, starting quarterback Kenny Pickett went down with an ankle injury that required ankle surgery. The season rested upon the shoulders of former #2 overall pick Mitch Trubisky. Mitch, however, could not get the job done, losing his only two starts of the season. In the midst of a three game skid, the Steelers transitioned to their third string quarterback, Mason Rudolph, who had been on the team since 2017, yet had only started in 9 games. “Mason Mania” took off, winning the remaining three games to propel the Steelers into the playoffs for the first time in two years. The Steelers unfortunately lost in their Wild Card matchup against the Buffalo Bills, 17-31.

 

Team Statistical Leaders:

Passing Yards: Kenny Pickett (2,070)

Rushing Yards: Najee Harris (1,035)

Receiving Yards: George Pickens (1,140)

Tackles: Elandon Roberts (101)

Sacks: T.J. Watt (19)

Interceptions: Patrick Peterson (2)

 

 

The 2023 NFL season was a rollercoaster for Steelers fans. While they obviously came up short of the ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl championship, they made the playoffs and saw lots of growth throughout the season. Despite the improvements they saw, there were a lot of problems that arose during the course of the season. 

Let’s begin with the elephant in the room, Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada. What a mess the Steelers offense had been since Canada’s hiring in 2020, and it had gotten increasingly worse since then. For two and a half seasons with both Ben Roethlisburger and Kenny Pickett, Matt Canada’s offense never had a single game in which the offense gained 400+ yards of offense. Matt Canada was the ultimate scapegoat this season, and was blamed for essentially every loss or poor offensive performance. After two and a half years of very little success, the Steelers fired Matt Canada on November 21. The very next game, the team broke the 400-yard mark for the first time since Canada was hired back in 2020.

 

 

Scapegoat number two was undoubtedly Kenny Pickett. Pickett showed flashes of what he showed in college, and proved to be an incredible leader, however his inconsistent play and indecisiveness held him back all year. If he wants to be the guy in Pittsburgh next year, he has a considerable amount of work to do. If Kenny Pickett cannot show significant improvement next season, then his tenure with the Steelers is likely over. Additionally, Mason Rudolph’s late season success puts added pressure on the organization and their decision regarding the quarterback position. 

 

 

Last but not least, we have Mike Tomlin. One of the most polarizing figures in the city of Pittsburgh. A Super Bowl champion and the record holder for the most consecutive seasons with a record over .500, Tomlin has a near-legendary track record. According to a Sports Illustrated article, Mike Tomlin is NFL players’ favorite coach, with Tomlin receiving 26.4% of votes in a recent poll. With that being said, there are concerns among fans regarding the future success of the team under Tomlin. While he has never had a losing record during the regular season, Mike Tomlin has not led the Steelers to a playoff victory since 2016. When it comes to Pittsburgh Steelers football, the bar is high, the expectations are high, and the pressure surrounding the team is higher than it’s been in decades. The big question is: what does Coach Tomlin have in store for next season, and will we see a coaching change in the near future?

 

 

“The standard is the standard”, courtesy of Mike Tomlin, is the embodiment of the Pittsburgh Steelers. There is one standard, and there is no room for excuses of any kind. Since the 1970s, the Steelers have been a franchise full of identity, accountability and a blue-collar mentality. Now, for the first time in many years, the Steelers’ identity is in question. As the franchise moves into the next chapter in its illustrious journey, the expectations will remain high, however the only thing to expect is the unexpected.

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