The Pittsburgh Steelers enjoyed success right out of the gate with Mike Tomlin, losing in the playoffs to the Jacksonville Jaguars in his first season (2007), but winning Super Bowl XLIII in 2008 against the Arizona Cardinals. Following Pittsburgh's loss to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV, the success level has somewhat plateaued. Art Rooney II has made sure to be open about his trust in Tomlin, something he affirmed again during an interview with the team's media.
Michael Allio / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Pittsburgh Steelers President Art Rooney II has shown the same steady, consistent hand throughout his time in charge.
Steelers' Tomlin Has The Complete Trust Of The Front Office
Many NFL head coaches experience the ups and downs of the job, but Tomlin's route has been a little different. The Steelers' head coach has never once put together a losing regular season record, which has become a calling card for Tomlin, whether he likes it or not. As impressive as that statistic is, after years of the same, Steelers fans want more than just not losing.
On Wednesday, Rooney II sat down for an interview on the 2023 season and what to expect for the 2024 campaign and beyond. Rooney II was asked about Tomlin and the franchise's faith in him. The Steelers' president wasn't shy about endorsing Tomlin for the foreseeable future and making sure everyone knew which team had the superior coach.
"You know when you see Mike's interaction with players in the building, and certainly the respect that particularly the veteran players have for him and their belief in him... Mike is one of the best coaches in the league, as far as I'm concerned, and we're happy we have him."
Tomlin has always been known as a coach who could relate to his players, and that is obviously something that Rooney II still sees in the head coach. People tend to get caught up in the none-losing debate, but the reality is that the Steelers have salvaged seasons that would have resulted in top-5 picks for most other NFL teams. Some may see that as consistently average, but instead, it points to a coach who has the ability to get the most out of his players, even if that maximum effort is a Wild Card loss.
Patrick Smith / Getty Images
Pittsburgh Steelers retired quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger (7) always gave his team a chance of winning no matter what.
Steelers Eager For 2024 To Be Different
Every NFL team goes into a new season with at least some realistic belief that they could end up as Super Bowl champions, but when was the last time that felt real in Pittsburgh? The waning years with Ben Roethlisberger under center ended without another Lombardi Trophy, and 2022 through 2023 hasn't been any better. This isn't lost on the organization, and their focus is to have once again the kind of team that opponents fear coming up against.
Roethlisberger isn't playing quarterback anymore, so that gunslinger, anything-is-possible feeling retired with him. Kenny Pickett came in with high praise and expectations, but it ended up being Mason Rudolph, who got the Steelers into the 2023 playoffs. While Rudolph couldn't do more than a postseason berth, it is more of an indictment of Pickett than an endorsement for Rudolph. There has to be some kind of step forward in 2024, whether that is Pickett or Rudolph, but just getting by isn't acceptable.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter / x: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris (22) has used a bruising style to make his mark in the NFL.
Pittsburgh's expensive defense came under fire in 2023 for not holding up their end of the bargain, but that isn't entirely fair. Anyone watching the 2023 Steelers' offense knows that a drive that actually resulted in a first down was an accomplishment, so the bar was set very low. That translated into the defense being on the field for far too long on way too many instances, resulting in a tired, overtaxed group of defenders hanging out to dry.
Returning to the running game and believing that a fundamentally sound team can beat almost anyone will be the driving force for the 2024 season. Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren proved that they are more than capable of handling a two-headed rushing attack. So, it's up to Pittsburgh's new Offensive Coordinator, Arthur Smith, to create an offensive strategy that will make people forget that Matt Canada ever darkened Pittsburgh's doorstep. Rooney II has faith in his coaching staff, beginning with Tomlin, and all that's left is for them to prove that 2024 will be different.
#SteelerNation
