Written by: Tyler Deakin
Ben Roethlisberger has been the starting QB for the Steelers since being taken with the 11th overall pick by the team in the 2004 NFL Draft. Kevin Colbert became the Steelers director of football operations in 2000, and has been the team’s general manager since the 2010 season. Keith Butler, the Steelers defensive coordinator since 2015, has been with the team for 19 years. All three men announced their respective retirements from football over the course of this week. The Steelers have been the NFL’s model of consistency over the past decade & a half, which is when Mike Tomlin took over as head coach of the franchise. His teams have never finished below .500, and they’ve won 1 Super Bowl, 1 Conference Championship, & 8 playoff games. What comes next for the Steelers after nearly two decades of success? Let’s dive in & find out.
Transition year lies ahead
Look, the road ahead for this team seems like it will indeed be filled with challenges. Let’s consider their division, in which the AFC North claims the Bengals, Ravens, & Browns. The Bengals are playing in the AFC Championship Game, while the Ravens & Browns were borderline playoff teams in 2021. This is one of the toughest divisions in all of football, which is why it’s hard to see the Steelers remaining competitive with a new starting quarterback in 2022. Mike Tomlin’s streak of his teams finishing .500 or better each year will surely be put to the test.
Tough act to follow
This mainly concerns whoever becomes the Steelers next starting QB after Roethlisberger. Big Ben’s going to be a first ballot Hall of Famer for a reason, as his legacy in leading the Steelers for 18 years is remarkable. Just take a look at what happened in New Orleans last year, as the Saints played several quarterbacks who all struggled in the post-Drew Brees era. This team is built to win now, so I envision them looking for a veteran QB rather than a rookie. The bottom line is that it will take a special type of QB for this franchise to succeed right away.
Defensive scheme changes incoming?
The organization hasn’t really needed to make any defensive scheme changes since 1995. That was the year that legendary defensive stalwart Dick LeBeau took over as the team’s defensive coordinator, and he was later succeeded in 2015 by his linebackers coach Keith Butler. This is why I’m shocked to read about the club interviewing candidates outside the organization. Maybe some defensive adjustments, including fixing the run defense, are needed after all though. Even if they do decide to stick with an internal candidate, the defense will look different in 2022.
Changes in draft philosophy
Similar to the club’s defensive coordinator dilemma, the organization needs to decide if they want to stay in-house or look elsewhere in replacing their general manager Kevin Colbert. Owner Art Rooney II recently said in a statement that, “(we) interviewed (two) in-house candidates. (We're) certainly not afraid to bring in someone from the outside." His statement to me makes it seem like they would like to fill Colbert’s position externally rather than internally. That doesn’t really make much sense though, considering the team’s two decade run of success. Either way, the next general manager for the Steelers will certainly bring with him a different flavor in terms of draft evaluations, free agency processes, and player acquisition techniques.