Steelers' Art Rooney II Defends Prior "Significant Changes On The Offensive Side Of The Ball" Statement

Pittsburgh Steelers Owner and Team President Art Rooney II spoke with the media and was forced to answer some difficult questions about the abysmal end to the 2024 season. Fans, in particular, have been flooding his inbox with their frustrations regarding Head Coach Mike Tomlin's inability to win in the postseason as of late. Rooney said he is aware of their dissatisfaction, but made it clear they won't be moving on from Tomlin. However, he said there would be change coming. 

He said that only an excellent coach could be as successful as Tomlin is and noted they still believe in him as the team's leader. This isn't a surprise, considering the Steelers rarely move on from coaches that are under contract, and Tomlin was just extended in 2024. His newest deal will run at least through the 2027 season. When Rooney was pressed about what fans could expect to be different, he only said they wouldn't be "wholesale changes." 

Rooney had a one-on-one interview with Bob Pompeani from KDKA after the larger media session. Pompeani pointed out that when the Steelers lost to the Buffalo Bills at the end of the 2023 season, Rooney said he was tired of not winning playoff games. Now, the season ended precisely the same way. Pompeani noted it didn't feel like significant changes happened last year. 

"When you talk about change, last year, we made significant changes on the offensive side of the ball, brought in a new coordinator, brought in some new position coaches on the offensive side, so I would say it's not as though we haven't made any changes," Rooney explained. "[I'm] looking forward to the second year under Arthur Smith in terms of the offense, preferably with one of the two quarterbacks we had on the roster this year so we can continue to develop that way."

After the unconventional firing of Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada during the 2023 season, they hired Arthur Smith in 2024. The hire of Smith was a departure from their usual decision to promote from within, as they did with Canada. In addition to Smith, they also brought in Tom Arth as a quarterbacks coach and Zach Azzanni to coach the wide receivers.  

It is unlikely that any changes the organization makes to the assistant coaching staff will be enough to satisfy fans. It is not as if the problem is limited to just one positional group or even one side of the ball. However, the offense, in particular, was beset with challenges all season long. They lacked weapons after failing to secure a reliable number two wide receiver, the offensive line suffered multiple season-ending injuries, and starting quarterback Russell Wilson missed the first six games of the season with an injury. 

Steelers' Art Rooney II Very Clear About His Quarterback Hopes

During his press conference and when he spoke to Pompeani, Rooney made it clear that he prefers to retain one of the two quarterbacks who started for the team in 2024, Wilson or Justin Fields. Both were in Pittsburgh on one-year contracts, and because Wilson was injured before the start of training camp, both got an opportunity to start. 

The Steelers got off to a hot start and went 4-2 under Fields, and then Wilson got them to 10-3. At that point, Wilson seemed to be the favorite to stay in the Steel City for 2025. The only issue was how much it would cost. Unfortunately, they lost the last four games of the regular season and then dropped the Wild Card game to the Baltimore Ravens. That made the decision not so clear-cut. 

Now, many insiders believe that the team will work to keep Fields, as he is younger and more mobile than Wilson. The Steelers could sign him to a two-year deal that provides a bridge while they search for their next franchise guy. 

Do you believe the team made sufficient changes after the 2023 season? What would satisfy you this offseason? Tell us what you think below!

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