The Pittsburgh Steelers seem to believe their fans have forgotten how their season ended.
After a rough stretch of five consecutive losses and another early playoff exit, the team hasn’t made any major changes to its coaching staff.
And based on a recent statement from owner Art Rooney II, it looks like more of the same is on the horizon.
“Mike [Tomlin] certainly knows that he’s evaluating his staff and will continue to do so,” Rooney said in a video on the team’s YouTube channel. “But I think most of the coaching staff will stay in place. Our coordinators will likely remain. I look forward to having Arthur Smith return for a second year and giving him more of a chance to fully implement his system. There’s still work to be done, but I believe we have the right people in the right positions to get it done.”
But after a defensive performance that saw the Steelers allow over 300 rushing yards and 400 total yards before the third quarter against the Ravens, many might expect changes to be on the way. Yet, the Steelers seem content to move forward with business as usual.
And it’s not just on-field performance that’s a concern. There were growing cultural issues in the locker room as well, with veteran players in the secondary showing visible frustration, even quitting on the field during a playoff game. Patrick Queen later claimed to have had the flu, but what about Donte Jackson’s lackluster effort? Or the fact that Kirk Herbstreit felt compelled to call out the team for not playing with the usual Steelers intensity?
While the blame may not fall solely on defensive coordinator Teryl Austin or anyone other than Mike Tomlin, it raises the question of whether any changes are warranted, or if the Steelers are simply postponing another early playoff exit.
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