Steelers Great Bill Cowher Gives Uplifting Comparison Between 2025 Roster And Past Teams

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been hearing all the negative narratives about them for years now: They can't win in the playoffs, they are the definition of mediocrity, they don't actually care about anything other than being above .500, etc. The front office spent all offseason trying to shut the naysayers up with a flurry of big moves. The goal is playoff win or bust. If "The Standard" continues, massive changes may be on the way. Everyone in Pittsburgh is tired of getting blown out immediately in the postseason, including ownership. 

While making an appearance on The Snap Count, the Hall of Fame coach, Bill Cowher, was asked about his thoughts on the current team and how they're configured. He started off by explaining his initial mindset about the projected 53-man roster.

"I do think this team is going to grow as the season gets older, just because of the new faces that they have, really on both sides of the ball," Cowher explained. "I think [Juan] Thornhill coming in the secondary and Chucky Clark being there along with DeShon Elliott... I think there's better depth right now, in particular experience-wise, at the corners. I think when you look up front, if you get your #1 pick back, that's going to be huge, but there's depth on the defensive line... I think if you look at this roster, it's got better depth and more experience than it did a year ago."

The defense did get a massive overhaul. The depth at cornerback is insane after all their recent acquisitions, and it got to the point where people questioned if Beanie Bishop Jr. had a spot on the roster, even though he had a great rookie season. With the growth of the young players and the infusion of many veterans, that position should be so much better than it was the season before. 

The defensive line has a pair of rookies that appear to have lots of upside, even though Derrick Harmon will likely miss a couple games to start the season with a recent knee injury. If him and Yahya Black can develop, that defensive line will be deadly, especially with the elite edge rushers flanking them on either side. Safety got completely overhauled, and the depth there is likely about the same as it was in 2024.

Cowher was then asked about the chances of this Steelers team winning a playoff game. He would not give his exact thoughts about that, but he continued to rave about the current state of the franchise.

"Right now, this is the best team they've had personnel-wise [since the 2016 playoff run]," Cowher said. 

Obviously, that all starts with the quarterback position. Aaron Rodgers has accomplished a lot in the past, and there are still a lot of questions about his present. His play will be a major factor in figuring out if this team is truly better than they were in 2024 or not. The Steelers got humiliated by their division rivals in the 2024 Wild Card game last season. That can't happen again. 

The defense also fell apart in that season, which is why they had that massive overhaul in the first place. You can't give up almost 300 rushing yards in the biggest game of the season and expect no changes. The front office did their part. Now it's time for the coaches to help this team gel into one cohesive unit.

Steelers Are Already Ready To Retool For 2026

The Steelers have loaded up with 12 draft picks (including four projected compensatory selections) in the 2026 NFL Draft. On top of that, numerous players could easily be released as cap casualties, and Rodgers is a pending free agent. If this is not the best Steelers team of the past eight years or so, the core will likely get dismantled even further than it did this offseason.

What do you think about Cowher's assessment of the 2025 Steelers? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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