Steelers Retaining Main Coaches Personifies “The Standard”
Following another first round playoff exit at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens last month, the Pittsburgh Steelers have now gone nine consecutive years without a playoff victory.
Despite Pittsburgh losing its final five games, including the playoff loss, the main coaches on Mike Tomlin’s staff are being kept on board, even though Tomlin said in his season ending press conference that changes were expected to be made.
It was recently that Steelers owner and team president, Art Rooney II, was interviewed by WTAE sports reporter, Ashley Liotus. Specifically, Rooney was asked about what it would take for the team to make significant changes to the coaching staff, with Rooney never really providing a straight answer.
On January 31st, inside linebackers coach Aaron Curry left the Steelers, to become the new linebackers coach of the New York Jets.
Last week, it was reported that Pittsburgh was bringing back Gerald Alexander as their defensive backs coach. Alexander had served as the Las Vegas Raiders’ safeties coach.
Arthur Smith, Pat Meyer, and Teryl Austin are all staying in organization, which has drawn mostly negative reaction from Steelers’ fans.
Smith joined Tomlin’s staff last offseason as the offensive coordinator. When Justin Fields was at quarterback, the strategy was to use Fields more like a game manager. As for Russell Wilson, the play calling was definitely more pass-oriented.
There were rumblings that Wilson and Smith weren’t getting on the same page, and according to a report from the Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac, it allegedly stemmed from Wilson not having the freedom to change plays at the line.
Meyer just finished up his third season as Steelers offensive line coach. Although Zach Frazier is coming off a strong, rookie season, in 2024, there’s been mostly shortcomings on the O-line, most notably with the development of Dan Moore Jr, and the handling of former first rounder Broderick Jones.
Austin has been Pittsburgh’s defensive coordinator since 2022. Among fans, it’s probably the most criticized decision, in regards to coaches being kept on staff, given both the inconsistent nature of the defense, as well as how much money is invented into it.
Of course the biggest criticism is Tomlin remaining the Steelers head coach. The frustration level continues to reach high, especially when a team like the Philadelphia Eagles have won two Super Bowls in seven years; each with a different HC (Doug Pederson and Nick Sirianni).
The definition of insanity is trying the same things over and over again and expecting a different result, and as its become evident that Mike Tomlin and Art Rooney II are just satisfied with being “good enough”. Perhaps the definition of insanity saying should be renamed “The Standard”.