Steelers Veteran Takes Subtle Shot At The NFL Schedule Makers

The Pittsburgh Steelers recently found out their schedule for the 2024 season, and it seemed as though the NFL had a personal vendetta against the organization. The last stretch of the season includes all six of the team's divisional games, as well as games against the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. It is one of the toughest schedules in the league based off of the strength of their opponents, and it also puts Pittsburgh at an extreme disadvantage as they will take on eight playoff-caliber teams in a row to end the regular season.

The NFL is always trying to make more money, and talks have begun to ramp up about the possibility of an 18 game schedule being introduced. The current 17-game slate was first introduced in the 2021 season. The NFL season was expanded to 16 games in 1978, and it took 43 years for it get expanded again. Now, talks are starting about adding more games just three seasons after the switch to 17 games. It says a lot about how money-hungry the NFL is. 

Steelers insider, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, recently wrote about some Steelers veterans who are concerned about their number of games possibly increasing. One of those veterans was safety and special teams ace, Miles Killebrew. 

"Here’s the deal, whether it’s 18 games or 17 games, it takes a professional to be able to bounce back to transition from one week to the next, where it becomes an issue, it becomes even harder when there’s less margin for error, when you’re playing games on Thursday, on Wednesday, on Christmas, three games in 10 days. When you start to get into that territory, along with 18 games, it does get pretty difficult."

Killebrew is taking a subtle shot at NFL schedule makers. Not only did they backload the Steelers schedule, but they compressed it and are forcing Pittsburgh to play on multiple short turnarounds. They will take on the Eagles on December 15th, a Sunday, and then get on a flight to play the Baltimore Ravens on December 21st, the Saturday after. 

Pittsburgh will then get to go home, but have to play the reigning Super Bowl Champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, on Wednesday, December 25th; also known as Christmas.

Steelers Will Smile In The Face Of Adversity

That's three games in 10 days, one coming on Christmas. Players always have the football season going on during the holidays, but playing on Christmas is a completely different story. A lot of players have kids they won't get to see because the NFL wants to force a few mid-week games on a national holiday. Killebrew continued, in a way that Head Coach Mike Tomlin would be proud of. 

"But, hey, it’s like [Mike] Tomlin says, you have to smile in the face of adversity. Everybody has parts of their job they don’t like. I enjoy Sundays. I enjoy playing the game. It’s one more chance to go out there and play. You’re not going to hear me complain too much about that.”

Tomlin will prepare his team for their difficult stretch late in the season, but it might be his most difficult challenge yet. This season will truly be a test for Pittsburgh, and it will be interesting to see if Tomlin can keep his streak alive of never having a losing season.

The NFL is constantly making changes to rules on the field that effect the way the players have to play the game. In the 2024 offseason, the hip drop tackle was banned. The game has been made less violent every year. NFL executives can't control what players do on the field to help protect player's safety. They ban the hip drop tackle, and players will still be tackled in that fashion for the coming years. One thing the NFL can control to help keep players safe, is the schedule. 

Despite having complete control over how often players are worked and put to the test, NFL executives continue to push them while limiting what they can do on the field.

What do you think of Killebrew's comments? Let us know in the comments below!

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