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It’s been a roller coaster of an off-season for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and with the 2022 NFL Draft still yet to happen, things can get even more exciting. But the single most important thing Steelers fans should look forward to this upcoming season is not the quarterback room, not the defense that has warranted the most money this off-season, not our retooled offensive line, it’s head coach Mike Tomlin and what he can do with the team.
Tomlin is a sure-fire Hall of Fame coach with one Super Bowl win to his name and 15 straight non-losing seasons with the Steelers. But it’s the latter that is becoming more egregious as each season passes. There’s been no shortage of talent over the past few years under Tomlin’s realm with names like Antonio Brown, Le’Veon Bell, Maurkice Pouncey, and of course, Ben Roethlisberger, all donning the black and gold. Unfortunately, when all these players were on the same team, they never could hoist the coveted Lombardi trophy. Echoes of mediocrity are growing louder and louder as Tomlin enters his 16th year at the helm.
Mike Tomlin will be without Ben Roethlisberger around at all for the first time.
There’s also the argument that Tomlin’s Super Bowl victory piggybacked off the success of former head coach Bill Cowher, one that came three years after Cowher’s retirement. With Roethlisberger now gone, he was the final piece of the Cowher-led team, so the light is shining brighter than ever on Tomlin to not only win, but to make the playoffs, and to get back to the promised land.
Steelers former defensive coordinator, Keith Butler speaking to team captain, Cam Heyward. | Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO
With the off-season addition of Brian Flores as the Senior Defensive Assistant/Linebackers Coach and the promotion of Teryl Austin to Defensive Coordinator, perhaps this will allow Tomlin to use a more hands-off approach to a defense that he reportedly is heavily involved with. Being the defensive-minded coach that he is, this should come as little surprise to Steeler Nation, but something that may need to be changed heading into 2022. “As much as I’d like to have been more involved in calling defenses and stuff, I wanted to do what was best for the team and what was best for the defense,” says Keith Butler, former defensive coordinator for the Steelers in an interview with 93.7 The Fan. “Mike is the head coach and Mike can do what he wants to… the last few years of Dick Lebeau, Mike was still calling the defenses, too,” he adds. The Steelers are leading the NFL so far in defensive spending this off-season that gives plenty of weapons for Austin and Flores that can hopefully lead to a top-tier defense in the NFL.
Looking on the offensive side, there’s no shortage of talent, and that talent is young and primed to breakout with Mitch Trubisky looking to lead the way. Last year, the offense ranked near the bottom of the league in total yards, so Tomlin and offensive coordinator, Matt Canada, will need to head to the lab to see how they can make the most out of the weapons they have.
The team is talented and Tomlin will again look to keep his non-losing streak alive, but he’ll need to set the precedent for his new-look coaching staff and players to follow, to make a run in the playoffs, and to bring the seventh championship back to the Steel City. Only time will tell.
Do you think Tomlin can get it done with the Steelers? Let us know in the comments, below!
#SteelerNation
Support SteelerNation by clicking here to read the story..
Tomlin’s Track Record
Tomlin is a sure-fire Hall of Fame coach with one Super Bowl win to his name and 15 straight non-losing seasons with the Steelers. But it’s the latter that is becoming more egregious as each season passes. There’s been no shortage of talent over the past few years under Tomlin’s realm with names like Antonio Brown, Le’Veon Bell, Maurkice Pouncey, and of course, Ben Roethlisberger, all donning the black and gold. Unfortunately, when all these players were on the same team, they never could hoist the coveted Lombardi trophy. Echoes of mediocrity are growing louder and louder as Tomlin enters his 16th year at the helm.
Mike Tomlin will be without Ben Roethlisberger around at all for the first time.
There’s also the argument that Tomlin’s Super Bowl victory piggybacked off the success of former head coach Bill Cowher, one that came three years after Cowher’s retirement. With Roethlisberger now gone, he was the final piece of the Cowher-led team, so the light is shining brighter than ever on Tomlin to not only win, but to make the playoffs, and to get back to the promised land.
Looking Ahead to 2022 for the Steelers
Steelers former defensive coordinator, Keith Butler speaking to team captain, Cam Heyward. | Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO
With the off-season addition of Brian Flores as the Senior Defensive Assistant/Linebackers Coach and the promotion of Teryl Austin to Defensive Coordinator, perhaps this will allow Tomlin to use a more hands-off approach to a defense that he reportedly is heavily involved with. Being the defensive-minded coach that he is, this should come as little surprise to Steeler Nation, but something that may need to be changed heading into 2022. “As much as I’d like to have been more involved in calling defenses and stuff, I wanted to do what was best for the team and what was best for the defense,” says Keith Butler, former defensive coordinator for the Steelers in an interview with 93.7 The Fan. “Mike is the head coach and Mike can do what he wants to… the last few years of Dick Lebeau, Mike was still calling the defenses, too,” he adds. The Steelers are leading the NFL so far in defensive spending this off-season that gives plenty of weapons for Austin and Flores that can hopefully lead to a top-tier defense in the NFL.
Looking on the offensive side, there’s no shortage of talent, and that talent is young and primed to breakout with Mitch Trubisky looking to lead the way. Last year, the offense ranked near the bottom of the league in total yards, so Tomlin and offensive coordinator, Matt Canada, will need to head to the lab to see how they can make the most out of the weapons they have.
The team is talented and Tomlin will again look to keep his non-losing streak alive, but he’ll need to set the precedent for his new-look coaching staff and players to follow, to make a run in the playoffs, and to bring the seventh championship back to the Steel City. Only time will tell.
Do you think Tomlin can get it done with the Steelers? Let us know in the comments, below!
#SteelerNation
Support SteelerNation by clicking here to read the story..
