The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the few teams in the NFL to prioritize stability and consistency on and off the field. When they believe they have found the right person for the job, they stick with it, and Kevin Colbert was an excellent example of that. Colbert was the Steelers' general manager from 2000 until after the 2022 NFL Draft, selecting some of the names that are now etched in Pittsburgh's history. Apparently, in the modern NFL, analytics are something that Colbert doesn't always agree with.
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Pittsburgh Steelers former GM Kevin Colbert worked directly with Mike Tomlin during the NFL Draft.
Steelers' Former GM Isn't A Huge Analytics Fan
With Colbert as general manager, the Steelers went to three Super Bowls, winning two of them (Super Bowl XL and XLIII) and losing one (XLV). The draft classes that Colbert helped bring into Pittsburgh were a large reason for the success enjoyed by the franchise during his tenure. Players like Lawrence Timmons, Maurkice Pouncey, Troy Polamalu, and Ben Roethlisberger became household Steelers names on Colbert's watch.
While Colbert didn't hit on every pick he oversaw, it's fair to say that the landscape of the league has changed since his retirement. The focus on analytics is an aspect of the game that Colbert doesn't necessarily see being as vital as some do. Colbert was on the Forever True To Thee: North Carolina Athletics Podcast on Wednesday when the subject of analytics came up, and he was asked whether he thinks that the numbers are getting overused.
"I do... At the end of my career with the Steelers, obviously, it came into play... I used to encourage our younger scouts. I said, 'Hey, keep me up to date. Tell me what I'm missing,' and we had analytic people and I used to challenge them. I said, 'When you guys can measure the intangibles, let me know because that's the most important thing.' And there will be certain situations in a game... what should we do, and it would spit out an answer, but is it also measuring the health of my team and the current state? Who's hot, who's not, do I feel the crowd... I don't think you can have any determination of certainty."
It's hard to argue with logic like that when it's produced incredible Hall of Fame careers. Colbert's approach to the game might seem old school, but there is certainly value in looking beyond the numbers. When the game moves so fast and there is no longer downtime, speed becomes the focus, and analytics help move things along faster. Whether it's better or not is part of a healthy debate, but Colbert is sure about which side he falls on.
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Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame safety, Troy Polamalu was drafted under Kevin Colbert's tenure and it paid off.
Steelers' Coaches Are Trusted To Measure Intangibles
When there are hours or days to make a decision, there is time to consider things from all angles, but that isn't always the case in the NFL. Lightning-quick choices have to be made within the moment, and that is when the choice comes down to a gut feeling and the numbers. Colbert understands those moments more than most, and when the pressure is building, he wants the decision in the hands of the coach who trusts what he feels rather than analytics.
"You as the coach or you as that player has to be able to make critical decisions under pressure situations, and I don't think there is any analytics that can measure that. I don't know if there's an intangible that can measure that. I think it's just that feel that that coach may have to have at a certain time point, and his trust in that player to make that play in that critical situation."
Mike Tomlin has been in practically every situation the NFL could throw at him, so when those high pressure situations come up, he is trusted to handle the moment. However, for those coaches who don't have nearly two decades of experience to draw from, that is where analytics becomes an attractive solution.
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Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin walks on the field before a game.
With the Steelers bringing in new Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith ahead of the 2024 season, will the team be relying on Smith's feelings, or the numbers during December football when everything matters? And how much will Tomlin's experience come into the offensive strategy? There is excitement and concern when change happens in large amounts, but as long as Tomlin trusts his own experience, the Steelers will be building on an excellent foundation.
Do you trust analytics or the coach's gut feeling in late-game situations? Comment below!
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