The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a new era after the departure of former head coach Mike Tomlin. Going 0-7 in their last seven playoff games can be attributed to a couple of things. These Steelers teams cannot be dismissed as obsolete, as they've set an NFL record with 22 consecutive winning seasons. That's a record that spans over two decades and can be attributed mostly to Tomlin's coaching career.
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Former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin looks off into the distance and roams the practice field as his team works out during a 2025 training camp practice at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
However, when you're the epitome of consistency, it's hard to make stark improvements when you can never get a high draft pick. The Steelers' 2025 draft class for example, showed promising flashes, but left much to be desired.
As in other sports, in the NFL, it is common for teams to bottom out to trigger a rebuild. It is short-term pain for long-term success. Take the New England Patriots for example. They are the only other team that can rival Pittsburgh's success historically. The Steelers and Patriots are alone on the mountain top with six Super Bowl championships; both teams know what it takes to be great. After Tom Brady's long-term success, the Patriots decided to enter a full rebuild after a few middling seasons.
After back-to-back 4-13 win seasons, the Patriots came roaring back to win the AFC Championship. While they lost in Super Bowl LX to the Seattle Seahawks, the season was a rousing success for the Patriots, largely due to their impressive rookie class. NFL reporter Gennaro Filice released his 2025 NFL rookie class rankings and had some interesting thoughts on the Steelers' rookie class including ranking them #17 on his list with a "B" grade.
"As a franchise that’s long been defined by its defensive front seven, Pittsburgh looked to fortify that group with three of its first four picks last April," Filice wrote. "None of the selections emerged as certified stars in Year 1, but all three appear poised to keep the Steelers’ strength a strength in seasons to come. Multiple knee injuries limited Derrick Harmon to 12 games, but when he played, the first-round pick displayed disruptive ability from the interior. Jack Sawyer and Yahya Black were used in more rotational roles, but both flashed playmaking ability. Pittsburgh also attempted to add more juice to its ground attack by snagging Kaleb Johnson in the middle of Round 3. That pick did not bear fruit, as the rookie’s most memorable play was a brain fart in the return game that swung momentum in the fourth quarter of a Week 2 loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Seahawks."
The Steelers' rookie class would've been much better received if they had more postseason success. It is not uncommon for a playoff team to have a non-elite rookie class; after all, you're not going to have one of the better picks in the draft. However, a first-round loss puts you in a middling position draft-wise.
That's not to say that you can't find gems later in the draft, and Steelers rookie defensive tackle Derrick Harmon could be an example of this as last year's 21st pick, but if you look at the Filice list, there's a direct correlation between the teams with the worst records in the NFL the previous year, and the best rookie classes.
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Steelers Head Coach Mike McCarthy walking off the fields during his time with the Dallas Cowboys.
New Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy will have to balance the Steelers' Super Bowl expectations with the inability to perform a rebuild. Tomlin successfully did this for years before the Steelers' playoff flame dimmed amid their recent playoff woes. To achieve this, the Steelers will have to make up for their draft position with strong drafting, which they'll need to improve in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Steelers' 2026 NFL Draft Is Pivotal For Future Success
The McCarthy hire signals that the Steelers will most likely be running it back with a similar roster to the one they just won the AFC North title with in the offseason. However, the Steelers will have to find a way to bridge the gap between them and the NFL's best. It can take one All-Rookie player to make all the difference.
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Mike McCarthy coaching on the sidelines as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.
The Steelers will once again have the 21st pick in this year's NFL Draft. Who do you want the Steelers to select? Let us know in the comments below!
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