Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II is eager for the team’s first playoff victory. Since 2016.
The Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since 2016, which is too long for owner Art Rooney II.
Rooney still believes Pittsburgh’s Head Coach Mike Tomlin can lead the team to another Super Bowl, but the organization feels compelled to achieve additional postseason success.
“We’ve had enough of this,” Rooney told Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com. “It’s time to get some wins; it’s time to take these next steps.”
Rooney did not provide an update on his contract negotiations with Tomlin, the league’s longest-tenured current head coach who has never lost a season in 17 years.
Tomlin guided Pittsburgh to a Super Bowl triumph in 2008, but the team has lost four consecutive postseason games, including this year’s 31-17 loss to Buffalo in the Wild Card stage.
Rooney made it obvious that he still believes in Tomlin.
“The players still respond to Mike, and that’s No. 1,” Rooney said in an interview. “He still possesses the important attributes that we identified when we recruited him. He can keep a group of 20-year-olds’ attention for an entire season and keep them fighting to the end.
“So, I still have a good feeling about Mike. Obviously, if I didn’t, [we] would make a change, but if we didn’t believe Mike was capable of leading us to a championship, he wouldn’t be here, which is why he is.”
The Steelers struggled offensively throughout the 2023 season and used three different starting quarterbacks: Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, and prospective free agent Mason Rudolph. Pickett has been declared the starter going into the summer. Rooney believes the Steelers can win with Pickett, but he is at a key point in his third season.
“We still feel good about Kenny Pickett and his future, but he knows he needs to work hard to take the next step,” Rooney said in a statement. “And we’ve talked about it, and one of the things I think we loved about Kenny’s Pitt career was how hard he worked and how he progressed year after year. So, we’re expecting that to happen here.
Cleveland Browns: GM Still Weighing Options for Nick Chubb
Star running back Nick Chubb is still rehabilitating from two knee operations after tearing his ACL and MCL in Week 2, and his position with the team is uncertain as he enters the final year of his contract.
General Manager Andrew Berry said Chubb’s return date remained uncertain, and the team was still considering its alternatives.
“With Nick, I can say for myself (and for) the organization (that) nobody wants to see that carry in Pittsburgh be the last time he carries the ball for the Cleveland Browns,” Berry stated in an interview on the team’s website. “Obviously, there will be issues that we must address, but that was not our aim. We will certainly work to keep him on the team.”
Chubb, 28, will be entering his sixth season with the organization and is regarded as one of its most respected players. Berry said Chubb has done everything in his ability to return as soon as possible.
“I probably came into this year, on a scale of one to 10 in terms of respect for Nick Chubb, it was a 10,” Berry told the media. “Probably coming out of this year, it’s now a 20.”
Cincinnati Bengals’ Jonah Williams could leave during free agency.
Jonah Williams, who successfully transitioned from left tackle to right tackle, should be one of the most sought-after offensive lineman during free agency in March. Willams had an excellent season after swapping positions when Pro Bowl left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. was signed in free agency last year.
Williams would not rule out re-signing with the Bengals, but he did accept the possibility of leaving.
“I gave my all over the last five years,” Williams told Mark Inabinett of al.com. “Like I said, I don’t know what the future has, but I’m proud of what we built here and appreciative of the opportunity.”
Duke Tobin, Director of Player Personnel, said Williams played right tackle as if he’d been there his entire career.
“It was impressive,” Tobin stated. “He showed he’s versatile, which will play well over time with him.”
