The Pittsburgh Steelers are a team that is in an unusual spot as they are looking to win now, while also carefully building for the future. It is difficult to consciously do both at the professional level, but General Manager Omar Khan is making a lot of favorable moves that should help the franchise now, and later. He took over the general manager job ahead of the 2022 season after Kevin Colbert retired, and Khan has done a good job being aggressive. He has also had some help from his assistant general manager Andy Weidl.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers assistant general manager, Andy Weidl speaks to the media.
Weidl is well-known throughout the league, and he is known and respected for his talent when it comes to scouting players entering the league. He has played a crucial role in building the foundation for some great teams, including the Baltimore Ravens from 2005 through 2015. He helped them win a Super Bowl, and he did that with the Philadelphia Eagles as well at the end of the 2017 season. He is also a reason the Eagles are still dominant today, as he scouted a lot of players still on the roster.
He is now doing that with the Steelers, which is great news, but it may not last long. Weidl's resume is impressive, and he should be getting some looks within the next couple of years to become a general manager elsewhere. Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo recently went on 93.7 The Fan and shared how the Steelers should be in a hurry to build a contender.
"I'm confident that Andy someday will run an operation of his own." Fittipaldo said. "But until that time, the Steelers have to take advantage of his skills. I think for the most part, he's done a real good job of building these offensive and defensive lines out from what was, let's face it, a pretty bad circumstance. Every evaluator like Andy wants to go on and become a GM one day. They want to run their own operation one day, so we'll see if that happens for Andy. People forget, Andy was one of the 10 names in the Steelers' search."
When Pittsburgh was hiring a new general manager back in 2022, Weidl's name was one of the final 10 being considered. Ultimately Khan got the job, and he wound up hiring Weidl, who is a native of Pittsburgh. Weidl's close relationship with the city might make him wait for the perfect general manager-job to come up, but it is more than likely that he departs Pittsburgh within the next year or two.
Steelers.com
Steelers' Andy Weidl speaks to members of the media.
Weidl has done a good job scouting the lines on both sides of the ball. Derrick Harmon seems like a promising first-round pick from the 2025 NFL Draft, and Zach Frazier looks like a future All-Pro at center. There are some guys in the trenches to build around, which is a major key when it comes to being a successful team.
Pittsburgh needs to capitalize on having Weidl in the building. This means building a legitimate contender, and one that is sustainable. It is okay if he leaves in a year or two, as long as the Super Bowl window is visible and open.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers brass Art Rooney II, Omar Khan, and Mike Tomlin during the 2025 NFL Draft.
Steelers' Omar Khan Signs Fresh Extension
Pittsburgh signed Khan to a new extension that keeps him with the team as its general manager through the 2028 season. He specializes in cap management, which is why he and Weidl make such a good team. If Weidl were to leave, Pittsburgh would have to find someone else to fill his shoes as someone who primarily focuses on scouting.
The hope is that Weidl has been helping the entire front office with the idea of scouting, and that is fair to assume considering how the Ravens and Eagles have continued to draft successfully since Weidl departed both stops.
What do you think about Weidl taking on a general manager role? Let us know in the comments below!
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