The Pittsburgh Steelers made some incredible runs in the mid 2000s and were fortified by some legendary defensive units, great coaching, and a young franchise quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger. The team won Super Bowl XL in 2006 thanks to some explosive offensive plays and a defense that held the Seattle Seahawks’ offense in check. This marked one of two Super Bowls won by Pittsburgh in the 2000s, but the final of Head Coach Bill Cowher's tenure. Longtime Head Coach Mike Tomlin handled the reins starting in January of 2007, which sparked a new era in the Steel City.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin roams the field as his team warms up before a big-time home game during the 2025 regular season at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA.
The Steelers then went on to win the Super Bowl against the Arizona Cardinals during the 2008-09 season. The game was filled with legendary moments, like a 100-yard pick-six and a game-winning touchdown in the final minutes for Pittsburgh. Tomlin was coaching by this point, but with how well the roster was constructed and developed, his scheme fit into place nicely. The defense continued to be a force and is considered a top unit in history.
An important piece of these two Super Bowl rosters was coach Bruce Arians. He started his tenure in Pittsburgh as a wide receivers coach under Cowher, but was promoted to offensive coordinator under Tomlin's staff. Arians helped Roethlisberger become one of the league's premier passers as a coordinator, and his coaching as a wide receivers coach proved to be extremely valuable, as the Steelers' wide receivers proved to be elite in this era.
The Arians offense was vital in unlocking the juggernaut that was the Steelers' passing game in the mid-2000s. However, his contract was not renewed in 2011. Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio and Chris Simms spoke about how this was one of the biggest mistakes in franchise history.
"Bruce Arians got shoved out because he was a little too close to Ben Roethlisberger, and I think somebody in the organization higher than Mike Tomlin thought it was a little bit too cozy between coach and quarterback. You needed somebody who was going to agitate the quarterback a little bit more." Florio said. "That was stupid. That was one of the biggest mistakes of the organization's tenure. That was a dumb move. They took away one of the greatest quarterback offensive minds in the sport. And Ben, when he was absolutely tearing it up as one of the best quarterbacks in football, and they got uncomfortable with the relationship," Simms responded.
The decision came as a complete shock to Arians, who had no idea if he was getting fired. It was clearly not Tomlin's decision, as he loved having Arians on the staff. The success showed on the field under Arians, but many felt that Arians' relationship with Roethlisberger was causing some issues.
The two were very close, and the offense had become much more pass-heavy compared to the traditional run-forward Steelers' offenses. Arians "let Ben be Ben" and this caused some clash, as many felt the quarterback had too much power.
Associated Press
Steelers Offensive Coordinator Bruce Arians coaching up quarterback Ben Roethlisberger during a home game in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers ultimately decided on hiring Todd Haley to fill the role, but the Steelers have yet to win a Super Bowl since Arians' firing. While there have been some prolific Steelers offenses, the dominance of this scheme proved vital in winning Lombardis.
Steelers’ Bruce Arians' Reaction To Being Let Go By Pittsburgh
Arians was very upset by his tenure ending with the Black and Gold, even considering retirement, but he later became the offensive coordinator with the Indianapolis Colts, before becoming head coach due to Chuck Pagano's Leukemia diagnosis.
Colts.com
Former Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians, during his time as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts.
He won Coach of the Year in 2012 for his efforts and then again when he became the head coach of the Cardinals. But he still holds some resentment toward the Steelers organization even after a successful post-Pittsburgh run.
"I had done a good job," Arians said. "Maybe not the right image, but it was a damn good job. I was pissed. But again, time heals things."
Pittsburgh may have made a wrong move by letting Arians go, but he found a ton of success elsewhere. That marked the end of an era in the Steel City, as the team is still striving for another Super Bowl, and Tomlin's coaching staffs caught a ton of fire since. Now, there's a culture change in Pittsburgh.
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