An organization like the Pittsburgh Steelers is accustomed to winning. In total, its six Super Bowls are tied with the New England Patriots for most across the NFL, while the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys are just behind them with five. Additionally, the franchise's 661 regular season wins are fourth-most in NFL history. Unfortunately, fans haven't gotten to witness that kind of success over the past few years.
JORDAN SCHOFIELD / STEELERNATION (TWITTER: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin remains one of the best coaches in the league, but the lack of recent playoff success has been quite alarming.
Head Coach Mike Tomlin and his squad have been fighting for a playoff spot for the past few years now. They haven't won a playoff game since 2016, seven years ago. That's essentially the last time they were even a legitimate Super Bowl contender when the Killer B's were all still with the team. The last time they made the big game? 2010, when they lost to the Green Bay Packers. It's a drought that Steelers fans are not used to. The dry spell allowed the Tom Brady-led New England squads to catch up to them in Lombardi Trophies.
Superstar TJ Watt has always been transparent about his expectations in Pittsburgh and the importance that he places on winning a Super Bowl. The 2021 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year continued those sentiments in an interview with Mike Prisuta of 102.5 WDVE.
"I care about the regular season too, but it's being here, what six years now and don't have a playoff win? I mean, it's not acceptable in any ways. Obviously there's so much that goes into getting in the position to even be in the playoffs, but that's the ultimate goal. You can't shy away from wanting to be a Super Bowl champion. That's everybody's goal, so it's not like I'm not gonna talk about it," Watt said via Prisuta.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
For Steelers star TJ Watt, the next step in his accomplished playing career is playoff success and perhaps even a Super Bowl trophy.
Watt has been with the team since 2017, which has included just three playoff appearances in six seasons. In those three playoff stints, they've all been brief stints. Watt has yet to win a playoff game in his career, as the most recent loss came to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2021. With a new, aggressive regime in the front office, fans are hopeful that it won't be too long before the team is back and competing.
What do Steelers need in order to compete for Super Bowls again?
General Manager Omar Khan made significant improvements to the roster this offseason, as he was quite aggressive in free agency. In a loaded AFC, it's going to be a dogfight to even contend for one of the seven playoff spots in 2023. With Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and several other elite quarterbacks across the conference, it's important that Kenny Pickett becomes the real deal in Pittsburgh.
If so, they'll have a real shot at competing again. For Watt, that's seemingly all he wants at this point. He's achieved a lot already in his six-year career, racking up five Pro Bowl nods and three selections to the All-Pro First Team. He's become one of the most decorated in team history, and that next step for him is some success in the playoffs.
How long do you think it will be before the Steelers are back in the Super Bowl? Do you expect the 2023 squad to be legitimate contenders? When he retires, where will Watt rank amongst all-time greats in Pittsburgh Steelers history? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, as well as on our social media sites, yinz!
