Heading into the 2023 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers were a team that many thought could shock the NFL landscape and find themselves as a dark horse AFC contender. After a successful preseason, it was looking like second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett was going to fit right in as the next franchise quarterback of the Steelers.
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Steelers receiver George Pickens tried to avoid an Indianapolis Colts defender after making a catch in their Week 15 regular season matchup.
Alongside him, young playmakers such as George Pickens and Pat Freiermuth were looked at as likely candidates to have a breakout season in 2023. After a 7-4 start and a schedule in front of them with multiple games against bottom-tier teams in the NFL, it was expected the Steelers were going to make a run at the AFC North and possibly have a shot at the number one seed in the AFC.
Unfortunately, disaster struck the Steelers who have fallen in three straight contests and are currently on the outside looking in, in terms of postseason football. Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin, who was once looked at as a possible candidate for Coach Of The Year, now finds himself facing extreme criticism from fans and the media.
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Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin.
The downhill spiral the Steelers have been on the last three weeks has caused major turmoil in and out of the locker room. On Monday, former Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall made headlines when he proposed an All-White vs All-Black bowl game instead of the annual Pro Bowl on his X account and stated that he is sick of "average white guys commenting on football."
Although it wasn't specifically stated, the comments seemed to stem from the recent criticism of Tomlin. The claims made by Mendenhall received major pushback by others who played with him in the NFL. Most notably Robert Griffin III, a former first-round pick who played seven seasons in the NFL and now is an analyst for ESPN.
Griffin made his own post on X in response to Mendenhall's proposal of the All-White vs All-Black bowl.
"This is the tweet of a dumb***. Don’t be a dumb***. These are prejudice, discriminatory, racial ideologies which set us back centuries. We don’t want to go back to the old times. I don’t want to participate in the segregation bowl."
Griffin also went on to give his opinion as to who should be able to give their opinion on football.
"The truth is that any person of any creed, any race, any color, any background, or any gender can give their analysis on football and give their opinions. It doesn't mean they're right, but you also don't have to listen. So Rashard, don't be a dumb*** and stop saying stupid s***."
Steelers' Mendenhall Has Had His Fair Share Of Controversy
Steelers fans have many memories with Mendenhall in the backfield for the black and gold in the late 2000s. In two of his first three seasons, he rushed for over 1,100 yards and was on the fast track to becoming one of the top running backs in the NFL. One of the more memorable parts of Mendenhall's career (for both good and bad reasons), came in 2010 during the Steelers' postseason run.
He rushed for 46 yards and two touchdowns in the Steelers' Wild Card Weekend victory over the Baltimore Ravens and then capped it off with a 121-yard rushing performance against the New York Jets in the AFC Championship game.
That's where the good times ended for Mendenhall in Pittsburgh, as he wound up fumbling the ball in the Super Bowl against the Green Bay Packers, ultimately ending the Steelers' chance at claiming their franchise-record seventh Lombardi Trophy. Many Steelers fans put the loss in Super Bowl XLV solely on the shoulders of Mendenhall's fumble.
New York Times
Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall fumbles during Super Bowl XLV which ultimately cost the Steelers a shot at their seventh Lombardi Trophy.
Over the past year, Mendenhall has been vocal in his criticism of former players he played alongside, such as former quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for his apparent lack of leadership. For what we saw on Monday, Mendenhall is now trying to stir the pot with a certain group of fans.
Unfortunately, when it rains it pours and the Steelers are facing a significant storm in the final stretch of the season. There are a lot of questions that surround this team and their identity. The next few weeks will be a huge determining factor as to which direction the franchise is headed in the years to come.
Will we see a whirlwind of changes heading into 2024? Tell us your thoughts in the comment section below!
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