The Monkey In the Room

[CKSteeler]

Most owners will say they want to compete to win a Super Bowl every year. For most of those owners, it’s something they feel like they have to say in order to keep the fan base fully prepared to renew season tickets and to show up for games and buy a bunch of overpriced stuff.

In Pittsburgh, they mean it. To a fault.

The Steelers are never willing to strategically take a step back in the short term, in the hopes of laying the foundation for a Super Bowl team. Owner Art Rooney II wants to win it all, every year.

Near the end of Wednesday’s press conference with reporters, Rooney said of the “rebuild” term, “I don’t like that word that much. We’ll try to compete Day One [with our next coach] if we can.”

Put simply, the concept of accepting a lost season is lost on Rooney.

“I’m not sure why you waste a year of your life not trying to contend,” Rooney said earlier in the 15-minute session. “Obviously, your roster is what it is every year. It changes every year, and so you deal with, you know, what you have every year and try to put yourself in position to compete every year. And sometimes you have the horses, sometimes you don’t, but I think you try every year.”


His presser gives a lot away. I don't know if he influenced Tomlin or if Art II was as much or even more of the culprit for NHALS approach than I thought. But he has already said that the candidate's opinion of the state of the roster is going to matter. That's going to cost you some percentage of candidates and in my opinion probably the honest ones who are going to tell you that your roster is fundamentally broken and can't win anything.

Watt isn't going to be here when or if this team gets back into contention. Neither is Heyward. You have a few pieces to keep, guys on their first contracts. Not too many of these guys on their second ones are worth keeping around. You need to find your QB and this may just not be the year to do it and every vet band-aid you put on this situation takes you further from being able to get the guy you need to truly contend.

Maybe it won't matter, but this is like worst case scenario. An owner who is so detached that he really thinks his broken team has been in contention for the last decade when it hasn't even been close.

[CKSteeler]

The other issue here is as I said in another topic scheme. The defense is still I guess supposed to be the strength of this supposed contender. What if a coach wants to come in and tear it down to implement a 4-3 which at this point may be the better approach given the state of the league and how they've performed of late? I touch on that above with guys like Watt and Heyward. Heyward you may be able to sell Art Ii on moving on from but could probably stick around for a year or two with a new regime if he plays for what he has of late (we'll see on that, he has to feed his family and all). But can Watt at this stage play 4-3 DE? He aint playing OLB in a 4-3. Can Highsmith even do that because I don't think he has the sand in his pants. It definitely isn't going to work with Herbig as anything more than a situational pass rusher at most.

So are they going to slice the candidate pool down further or try to force a coach to find someone who can still run a 3-4 without Tomlin around? How narrow is the coaching pool for 3-4 guys on defense at this point?

[Steelperch]

Rooney is a known problem, but he’s 71 and will be retired or dead soon enough. Hopefully the next Dan Rooney is young, bright and aggressive.

As far as the defense goes, nickel is every teams real base defense now because of the pass heavy schemes. Teams like the Rams and Steelers have countered that with large personnel groupings. I do agree going with more prototypical 4-3 defenders makes more sense. I’d rather have a 270 pound Myles Garret style DE than an undersized OLB with his hand in the dirt.

Regardless, until they get the OC and QB right they are just another also ran irrelevant team.

[sowhat]

yea, i don’t. think rooney wants to win it all every year.
i think he is more than happy with ,500.
thinking doing the exact same thing every year that previous years failed, doesn’t sound like what it takes to win it all
he liked hearing ‘the steelers have only had 3 coaches on 60 years’ crap.

[Orangesteel]

Rooney doesn’t understand what “contend” means in the modern NFL.

My hope is the young coaching staff can explain that to him or tell him to stay the fuck out of the process (meaning demanding control up front during the negotiations).

Rooney is not Jerry Jones. I know that.

[955876]

The Steelers are never willing to strategically take a step back in the short term, in the hopes of laying the foundation for a Super Bowl team. Owner Art Rooney II wants to win it all, every year.

Come on man. We were right there with Duck Hodges & Mason Rudolph that year. I mean fuck, we only missed the playoffs by one game.

Sarca off.

There is a reason I refer to him as Dunce Rooney.

Dumb ass most likely believes we’ve been “competing” for a championship.

We’ve not been close.

Sooner he passes the torch the better.

Jibba is gone. Step two is getting rid of Dunce Rooney.

[Steeldrama]

Lotta eggs being put in the little Danny Rooney basket.

If he's a chip off the old block, I know being 54 there's a very good chance I won't live to see another Super Bowl.

Yep, The Rooney's have owned the Steelers since before I was born and once Little Dan takes over they'll own them after I die.

Could be problematic for us older fellas.

Read a Florio fluff piece about Hand Job Bob up in New England saying he's a fan first, and knew that despite his admiration for Jerrod Mayo, he had to fire him despite the financial ramifications.

Kraft's love for his team combined with his business savvy allowed him to exercise excellent judgement and sound decision making (especially in hiring Vrabel).

So Art admitted he had no intention of firing Tomlin.

Maybe he fell asleep up in his box and missed the second half of that Texans debacle or maybe he doesn't know Tomlin hasn't won a playoff game since the Obama administration.

Hand Job Bob cut bait with a 6 time Super Bowl winning coach.

Art can't fire Tomlin?

He couldn't look at a MOUNTAIN of evidence and determine that he needed to go??? YEARS AGO?

If Dan inherited that level of piss poor judgement-(and utter lack of give a fuck), his supposed high football acumen won't mean JACK DIDDLY SHIT.

[W&M_Steeler]

The Steelers are never willing to strategically take a step back in the short term, in the hopes of laying the foundation for a Super Bowl team. Owner Art Rooney II wants to win it all, every year.

Come on man. We were right there with Duck Hodges & Mason Rudolph that year. I mean fuck, we only missed the playoffs by one game.

I think that was the most damaging year for Steelers football of the past few decades and a real turning point for the worse:

-It marked the beginning of the end for Ben

-It featured the Steelers throwing away what could have been a high 1st round pick (Justin Herbert?) to rent Minkah and save NHALS. Nothing to show for that pick now.

-Worst of all it solidified in Tomlin's mind that he could win with a Super Bowl 2000 Ravens strategy of killer defense and barely competent offense. He wasted the next 6 seasons with this and left the Steelers saddled with an old, overpaid defense and a dysfunctional, talentless offense.

[swissvale72]

Just listened to Orlovsky, whose opinions I like, perhaps too much so....who thinks the Steelers are better positioned than people think with....
-improving, young o-line
-5 draft picks in first 100
-cap space

What they DONT have though, as he's citing and we all know, is a stud young QB!!

Which leads me to ask...zero convo, anywhere, about Will Howard. Is that zero possibility? I'm asking those of you asshats more informed than me.

Lastly, Shefter feeling that Steelers may go with their coaching search standby of young, defensive guy....have reached out to Brian Flores, Jesse minter, the Miami guy, and chris Shula ...noting they've not done this for 20 years, and the league is now an offensive league

[anpsteel]

The positives that I took away from Rooney’s press conference were

He did not use the phrase great coach. He did say great Leader.
He was very subdued, if not refrained, in his praise of Mike Tomlin
He expressed on multiple occasions he was not shocked about the outcome of the meeting
He indicated that the organization was willing to run it back in 2026. He did not indicate anything beyond that.

When asked about his contract situation, Art would not discuss the circumstances or conditions

All of this leads me to believe that B2Bs suggestion that Tomlin had been informed the team was not exercising his option year for 2027. Given that scenario Tomlin decided to resign

Art indicated the meeting lasted for approximately 15 minutes.

This makes me believe, whatever decisions were spoken during that 15 minutes, they had already been determined by the separate parties in advance

I’m guessing Tomlin‘s agent was informed that the team was not going to exercise the option year prior to the meeting; and if the speculation is accurate, Tomlin felt slighted and disrespected partially because of that and partially, I’m sure as a result of all of the fans out cry to fire him.

So Tomlin said I’m done.

Additionally, when asked, Art was very clear that he did not consider anyone on the coaching staff a candidate for the head coach coaching position.

My take away from all of that speculation is that while art is excruciatingly patient, he recognized the failure and the need to move forward in a new direction with a new staff and new ideas.

[6Trophies]

Just listened to Orlovsky, whose opinions I like, perhaps too much so....who thinks the Steelers are better positioned than people think with....
-improving, young o-line
-5 draft picks in first 100
-cap space

What they DONT have though, as he's citing and we all know, is a stud young QB!!

Which leads me to ask...zero convo, anywhere, about Will Howard. Is that zero possibility? I'm asking those of you asshats more informed than me.

Lastly, Shefter feeling that Steelers may go with their coaching search standby of young, defensive guy....have reached out to Brian Flores, Jesse minter, the Miami guy, and chris Shula ...noting they've not done this for 20 years, and the league is now an offensive league

Well, that sounds more positive than most "analyses" I've read lately about this team.

Any idea why the Steelers didn't sign Darnold? (Did they try?) I thought he would be a good fit.

[6Trophies]

The positives that I took away from Rooney’s press conference were

He did not use the phrase great coach. He did say great Leader.
He was very subdued, if not refrained, in his praise of Mike Tomlin
He expressed on multiple occasions he was not shocked about the outcome of the meeting
He indicated that the organization was willing to run it back in 2026. He did not indicate anything beyond that.

When asked about his contract situation, Art would not discuss the circumstances or conditions

All of this leads me to believe that B2Bs suggestion that Tomlin had been informed the team was not exercising his option year for 2027. Given that scenario Tomlin decided to resign

Art indicated the meeting lasted for approximately 15 minutes.

This makes me believe, whatever decisions were spoken during that 15 minutes, they had already been determined by the separate parties in advance

I’m guessing Tomlin‘s agent was informed that the team was not going to exercise the option year prior to the meeting; and if the speculation is accurate, Tomlin felt slighted and disrespected partially because of that and partially, I’m sure as a result of all of the fans out cry to fire him.

So Tomlin said I’m done.

Additionally, when asked, Art was very clear that he did not consider anyone on the coaching staff a candidate for the head coach coaching position.

My take away from all of that speculation is that while art is excruciatingly patient, he recognized the failure and the need to move forward in a new direction with a new staff and new ideas.

Good take on the situation. Makes sense. Thanks!

[bradshaw2ben]

Rooney is a known problem, but he’s 71 and will be retired or dead soon enough. Hopefully the next Dan Rooney is young, bright and aggressive.

As far as the defense goes, nickel is every teams real base defense now because of the pass heavy schemes. Teams like the Rams and Steelers have countered that with large personnel groupings. I do agree going with more prototypical 4-3 defenders makes more sense. I’d rather have a 270 pound Myles Garret style DE than an undersized OLB with his hand in the dirt.

Regardless, until they get the OC and QB right they are just another also ran irrelevant team.

The Steelers d would instantly be better with a switch to a base 4-3 mentality. Everyone here harping for “a true NT” really wants a 1 tech/shade DT in a 4-3. Both big bodies are more inside, edges are generally bigger and longer. Also less adjustment going from base to nickel. Also they have Off-Ball LBs more suited to 4-3 roles.

[.Kodiak]

Just listened to Orlovsky, whose opinions I like, perhaps too much so....who thinks the Steelers are better positioned than people think with....

I've been pounding this drum forever. The Steelers have at least average overall talent, and that's in Tomlin's simplified "high floor" schemes.

You get an innovative coach that designs schemes around the talent and suddenly this looks like a playoff roster (still lacking QB, obviously).

And, actually, it HAS been a playoff roster most of the last 5-6 years. But we need to clean house, because I think there are quite a few players on this roster that aren't going to like the end of Club Tomlin and being asked to do things they aren't comfortable with.

[jeemie]

The Steelers are never willing to strategically take a step back in the short term, in the hopes of laying the foundation for a Super Bowl team. Owner Art Rooney II wants to win it all, every year.

Come on man. We were right there with Duck Hodges & Mason Rudolph that year. I mean fuck, we only missed the playoffs by one game.

I think that was the most damaging year for Steelers football of the past few decades and a real turning point for the worse:

-It marked the beginning of the end for Ben

-It featured the Steelers throwing away what could have been a high 1st round pick (Justin Herbert?) to rent Minkah and save NHALS. Nothing to show for that pick now.

-Worst of all it solidified in Tomlin's mind that he could win with a Super Bowl 2000 Ravens strategy of killer defense and barely competent offense. He wasted the next 6 seasons with this and left the Steelers saddled with an old, overpaid defense and a dysfunctional, talentless offense.

In a year where the following draft year had Joe Burrow, Jordan Love, Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts, and Tua (the latter two may now be meh), we sold our draft pick to get Minkah so we wouldn't have a losing season.

So yeah, 2019 was mismanaged like crazy.

[steelclan]

Steelers may have intentions of competing for a SB, however, as the roster is currently constructed and with a new coach coming in. Even if they want to keep that intent, it seems highly unlikely they will be able to do so. Also, what coach is going to want to come in and step in the role of manager of the over the hill looking for one more paycheck club?

If Steelers hire a young HC, that coach will want to build the team their way. Yes, some promising players, however, holes everywhere.

WR
OG
LT
CB
Safety
Lber
QB
RB

A team can want to win a SB, but it is wishful thinking when the roster is falling apart.