The Pittsburgh Steelers are stuck in mediocrity and blame for that has been going all over the team. There seems to be a severe lack of accountability in the facilities. They just keep going through the same motions over and over again as complacent ownership sees no reason to make wholesale changes. Until something truly drastic happens, the standard will likely continue to be the standard, and the same exact scenario that has been playing out nonstop will happen once again in 2025.
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Steelers President Art Rooney II roams the sidelines prior to a 2022 preseason matchup at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA.
During his end-of-season press conference, Owner and Team President Art Rooney II spoke about the current state of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He acknowledges the obvious, but words don't mean everything.
“The three-game stretch, the Christmas tournament, shows we aren’t there. We need to take the next step.”#Steelers Art Rooney
— 93.7 The Fan (@937theFan) January 27, 2025
Yes, losing three games in a row when you are not the least bit competitive shows that the team is not a true threat. Yes, getting annihilated by the AFC Champions at home on Christmas Day is a sign of being in the middle tiers of the league. Steeler Nation knows these things. The real question is if Rooney will actually do anything about it.
Previously, Rooney's brother, Jim Rooney, admitted that the team was content with "outperforming the mean" as he made excuses to why his teams could never dethrone the best of the best. With those comments, it does not seem likely that ownership will do whatever it takes to make the Steelers a true contender once again.
Gene J. Puskar / ap photo
Steelers' Art Rooney II visits the field before a game against the Browns.
When the current culture of the team is as questionable as the Steelers' one is, you always have to look at the ones at the top of the food chain. Ownership appears to be very laid back. The team accomplishes their main goals on a regular basis, so why strive for more?
Steelers Fans Can Force Rooney To Make Changes
The Steelers' way of operating the team is to make as much of a profit as possible without spending too much money to get there. It's like they have their own self-implemented salary cap on the front office.
If that is truly the case, Steeler Nation could be the deciding factor. Sure, the Steelers aren't nearly as bad as the Pittsburgh Pirates of the MLB, but they can treat the two teams the same: no-showing games. When they do show up, they need to do what they do best and let the team know how they really feel about everything.
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Pittsburgh Steelers fans wave their Terrible Towels aggressively as Styx famous song, Renegade plays during a home game at then-Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, PA.
Growing numbers of empty seats will send a message to the Rooney family. Actions speak louder than words, and these lower attendance numbers will show that the fan base is not content with outperforming the mean like ownership seemingly is. It's either greatness or bust for the ones that watch this team year in and year out.
Fans are angry right now, but anger shows that they still care about the team. They still buy tickets in hopes that change will happen, and they will be proven wrong in their pessimistic viewpoint. With this recent stretch of failure, that anger could quickly fade away into something much worse: apathy.
If fans become apathetic, they will stop coming to games. Some of them will even stop watching them on TV. Yes, the Steelers are a good team overall, but this isn't the Cleveland Browns: no one cares about being just good except the owners. Without any direction or even a desire to move in any way, it's only a matter of time before fans stop giving their time and money to the Steelers.
What do you think about Rooney talking about the team not being a contender? Let us know in the comments.
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