The Pittsburgh Steelers haven't exactly been setting the NFL on fire with their 2023 offense, and while everyone in Pittsburgh is aware of that fact, the topic is apparently becoming more widespread by the day. While the 2023 Steelers have found enough ways to win despite their anemic offense to get them to 5-3 approaching their Week 10 matchup against the Green Bay Packers, the Los Angeles Lakers haven't discovered a way to eke out wins in 2023. Lakers' superstar LeBron James had some comments after one of their recent losses that included a shot at the Steelers, something that didn't go unnoticed by Pittsburgh's locker room.
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Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris laughed off LeBron James' comments, but he certainly didn't appreciate them.
Steelers' Najee Harris Responds To James
When your season is as up and down as the 2023 Steelers' is, you need to find ways to smile and enjoy yourself during the challenging moments. Pittsburgh put together one of their more impressive offensive performances in their Week 9 victory over the Tennessee Titans. Still, all James seemed to focus on was the struggles that have plagued the Steelers throughout 2023.
RB Najee Harris laughed and said he heard Lebron James’ comments that the Lakers were like the Steelers getting “outscored and outgained.” He got curious when he saw a graphic of Lebron and Mike Tomlin side-by-side.
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) November 8, 2023
“I was like, oh man, he’s talking shit. … Tell Lebron I’m a… pic.twitter.com/R7spiezNb6
After James' Lakers dropped a game on Saturday to the Orlando Magic in a 19-point loss, he spoke to the media in the locker room, and his comments went a bit off-book than they usually are. Rather than focusing on what the Lakers needed to do in order to make their 2023 season competitive, James decided to bring the Steelers into the situation. While there are plenty of positive reasons for an athlete to compare his team to a storied franchise like the Steelers, James wasn't doing so to be complementary, but rather to bring humor into a difficult situation.
"We're like the [2023] Pittsburgh Steelers right now. The Pittsburgh Steelers, right now, have not out-gained or out-scored any of their opponents in this season, and yet they've got a winning record."
James was referring to the fact that the 2023 Steelers have been outgained in every single game of the season, yet they have a winning record, making Pittsburgh the first team in NFL history to have that unique record. He was at least half-right, but Pittsburgh has, of course, not been out-scored in every game, or that would result in a delightful 0-8 record rather than the 5-3 standing they currently occupy.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett and running back Najee Harris know how much relies on them for 2023 to be successful.
On Wednesday, the comment had found its way to the Steelers, which meant that the question was sure to be asked at some point during the day. When Najee Harris was asked what he thought about James' comments, at first, Harris admitted that he was confused as to why Mike Tomlin was being linked to James. It isn't a common connection, but it ended up being more amusing to Harris than anything else. There was a brief moment where the usual media mask slipped for Harris, and he mentioned how they really don't expect anything different than these kinds of shots against them in 2023. It didn't take long though, for Harris to laugh it off, after which he made sure to give a shout-out to James while still backing his team.
"I was trying to figure out why they showed Mike T's [Tomlin] face and LeBron's, and I was like, oh man, he's talking s***, you know what I mean? What do you expect, you know? Shoot, I mean, tell LeBron I'm a fan - other than what he said."
Harris knows that the 2023 Steelers still have plenty left to prove before people will stop second-guessing them, but for now, it's enough to know that the attitude in the locker room is light and more amused by this James situation than anything else. However, Harris wasn't the only one to chime in on James' comments.
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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett (#8) understands the pressure on him to get the 2023 Steelers to that next level as NFL contenders.
Steelers' Kenny Pickett Unconcerned By Outside Comments
The 2023 season hasn't been the prettiest or the most successful for Kenny Pickett. Still, as the Steelers continue to find ways each week to stay competitive, it allows him more chances to improve and raise his game to the level that Pittsburgh fans saw in the second half of the 2022 season. After Pickett heard about the jabs taken at their expense by James, he could have gotten riled up or used the frustration of the season as an excuse to go overboard, but instead, he stayed even-keel and responded with humor and deflection all rolled into one media-friendly response.
"Yeah, he [James] said, 'Outscored,' I was like, 'I don't know how that [works], I don't know,' ...but yeah, it's funny. As long as you find ways to win, it's all that matters."
Pickett wasn't the only one confused by the reference James made to their offensive struggles in 2023 since the Steelers have been outgained in every game, but certainly not outscored simply by logic and looking at their 5-3 record. Chuckles and savvy responses won't be enough to turn 2023 from a try-hard season into a competitive run. Still, Pickett seems confident in his team's ability to keep rising to the occasion.
Every franchise needs to set an identity and tone for themselves each season, and this could be the moment when the Steelers discover their catalyst to drive them down the stretch and into the playoffs. At 5-3 with the Packers waiting, things seem poised for Pittsburgh to start yet another second-half run during their season.
What did you think about LeBron James' comments on the 2023 Steelers? Comment below.
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