Every piece of the Pittsburgh Steelers has been criticized from top to bottom after their latest collapse. Key players have taken heat for a supposed lack of effort, miscommunication, or general underperformance. The coaching staff led by Mike Tomlin has been ridiculed for their outdated way of doing things. Ownership has taken a lot of heat after Jim Rooney's latest comments. All in all, there are clear issues all over the place. Usually, when that is the case, it starts at the very top of the food chain. Things have to change there first.
Andrew Stein / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin and Ben Roethlisberger smile before a training camp practice at Saint Vincent College in 2018.
Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger met up with Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette to talk about the problems with the current iteration of the team. He starts off by talking about the team culture or, more importantly, the lack of one.
“It feels like there’s no ‘Steelers Way’ anymore,” explained Roethlisberger. “There’s still guys who have it, but it doesn’t feel like it. It frustrates me to watch it happen.”
The supposed "Steeler Way" has been used as more of a mockery than a symbol of greatness, as the team itself has yet to accomplish anything meaningful in recent years. While having a record above .500 is generally a good thing, it usually means nothing unless they win playoff games, which hasn't happened since the 2016 season.
Many fans see that culture as one of focusing on loyalty and family, with the actual on-field product coming later on the list of priorities. That seems to be part of the reason why coaches rarely ever get fired and why Roethlisberger was allowed to have control of the direction of the team while playing the worst football of his career as he got older.
NBC
Steelers' Najee Harris and Ben Roethlisberger talk before a snap during an away game.
Those issues at the top seem to have finally trickled their way down to the players, as Roethlisberger pointed out. No one was playing with that fire that everyone expects to see from a supposed model organization. When the Cleveland Browns in their worst seasons are arguably putting up more of an effort than a 10-win Steelers squad, there are serious issues.
Even before the embarrassing playoff loss where they gave up almost 300 rushing yards, Roethlisberger was calling out the team out. Back in December, he questioned if the Steeler Way was gone. It sounds like he got his answer with the team's latest performances and media answers to officially end the season.
The New Steelers Tradition Is Here To Stay
As mentioned before, Rooney seemed content with merely "outperforming the mean" on a yearly basis. They have a profitable business that gets fans into seats and makes for exciting football for a few months. As long as he and his brother / team President Art Rooney II have their say on the team, this new, complacent way of running the Steelers will be the new norm.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter / X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers President, Art Rooney II roams the sidelines prior to a 2022 preseason matchup at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA.
Many fans hope that Rooney II eventually gives up control of day-to-day operations to his son, Daniel Rooney. He seems to be more involved with the team each year, so that day could be coming sooner than later. No one knows when that day will be, but one can dream of a team that strives for more than a decent regular season.
However, no one knows how the future heir of the team will do. Will he be more like his grandfather, Dan Rooney, and demand the best out of his squad, or will he be more like his father and uncle and arguably focus more on making a profit and keeping relationships intact? There is only one way to find out, and that's to wait and see whenever the power change officially does happen.
What do you think about Roethlisberger's concerns around the Steeler Way, as well as what the current version of that seems to be? Let us know in the comments.
#SteelerNation
