The Pittsburgh Steelers are likely far away from competing in another Super Bowl mainly due to the fact that the organization does not have a long-term solution at the quarterback position. All has gone downhill in that department since Ben Roethlisberger retired after the 2021 season. The team has tried many different strategies in regards to a starting signal-caller, but none have been formidable enough to remain consistent. While that remains a massive issue within the franchise’s building, other factors have come into play when focusing on the fact that the team hasn’t won a playoff game since the 2016 season.
Pittsburgh has received criticism from all over the place and, recently, Super Bowl champion Julian Edelman had some very concerning comments about the Steelers’ defense looking the exact same as it did when he was still playing. That’s a direct indictment of Head Coach Mike Tomlin not making any adjustments over the course of several years.Roethlisberger was asked on the most recent episode of his podcast, Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger, about Edelman’s latest analysis and the Steelers legend had nothing to say that argued. Instead, he agreed and made it clear that he doesn’t think that Tomlin and co. have been able to adjust over time.
“There’s definitely truth to it,” Roethlisberger said. “If you don’t – you’ve got to change with the times. We’re not trying to confuse people like other teams do. Other teams are confusing people.”
Roethlisberger went on to commend Kansas City Chiefs Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo for throwing a wrinkle in his unit’s look towards the end of the AFC Championship Game against the Buffalo Bills. Kansas City sent a corner to blitz for the first time in the game, and it made a big difference in a critical moment. A Tomlin defense is not showing that kind of creativity, and for some time now.
This has to be a concerning reality for Steelers fans. What’s more upsetting is that it’s not like Roethlisberger was on the team two decades ago. It has been less than five years since he retired, which leads one to believe that he experienced Tomlin’s inability to adapt firsthand. The legendary signal-caller continued to bounce off of Edelman’s comments.
“At some point, you have to decide that you’re going to throw different wrinkles at teams,” Roethlisberger stated. “That’s something that the Steelers, they got to get away from.”
It remains a mystery as to how and why so many individuals outside of the Steelers’ building can recognize the need to change, yet, there is not much hope that it will end up happening under Tomlin. Roethlisberger is a franchise legend who knows exactly what it takes to win championships. Him agreeing so strongly with public criticism of Tomlin is very telling.
Time will tell what Tomlin and his team decide to do in 2025 and beyond regarding a different approach, but the fan base has seen the same movie play out over and over. It’s possible that Tomlin is simply too stubborn to adapt to the current way the NFL operates. The offense hasn’t been good, but analysis from guys like Edelman and Roethlisberger paint a picture that shows an old-school, ineffective defense as well.
Steelers Will Fall Behind In AFC If Big Adjustments Aren’t Quickly Made In 2025
The AFC is an extremely talented group, especially when it comes to offensive prowess. Pittsburgh’s offensive unit needs to take massive steps forward, but the defense also has to find a way to modernize its game plans. That all starts with Tomlin and while he doesn’t care what Edelman or Roethlisberger has to say, the hope is that someone in the organization recognizes it and quickly brings it to his attention.
Discover more from VIEWINFOR
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
