The Pittsburgh Steelers sit atop the AFC North at 7-6 after a huge road win over the Baltimore Ravens, putting them in strong position for their first division title since 2020. Still, the 2025 season has shown they’re far from perfect. Through the highs and lows, many fans can’t help but think back to the “good ole days,” and they’re not the only ones to feel that way. One former Steelers coach recently spoke about how this year’s team doesn’t resemble the Steelers football he remembers.
AP
Steelers' Mike Tomlin and Bruce Arians look on during a home game in Pittsburgh.
Bruce Arians served as the Steelers' offensive coordinator under Mike Tomlin from 2007-2011, and for a lot of fans, that era still feels like yesterday.
Pittsburgh made two Super Bowl appearances in that span and came away with one Lombardi Trophy. It wasn’t a perfect stretch, but it’s still looked at as one of the strongest periods of the Tomlin era. Arians was right in the middle of it all. His aggressive mindset made him one of the most respected offensive minds in the league. Even today, people still talk about how play-calling hasn't been the same in the Steel City since Arians was let go.
Of course, Arians had the advantage of coaching a future Hall of Famer in Ben Roethlisberger, but Roethlisberger still experienced his most successful years with Arians running the offense. Even though Roethlisberger put up bigger numbers later in his career, the Steelers won more meaningful games when Arians was calling the shots. It was a pairing that clicked. Roethlisberger trusted Arians, and Arians trusted Roethlisberger, and that relationship helped define some of the franchise’s most memorable moments of the past two decades.
On a recent episode of Up & Adams with Kay Adams, Arians joined as a guest and shared his thoughts on the 2025 Steelers, and his review wasn’t exactly glowing.
"It's a totally different team than when I was there. That defense we had with Ben [Roethlisberger], Ben was in his prime. We had everything we needed," Arians said. "It's gone a different direction. They didn't win anything with the Killer B's, maybe a playoff game. To watch them play now, it's not Steeler football that I know."
Even though the Steelers have had winning seasons and playoff appearances in the years since Arians left, the vibe hasn’t been the same.
Associated Press
Former Steelers offensive coordinator, Bruce Arians coaches up former quarterback Ben Roethlisberger during a home game in Pittsburgh, PA.
Arians has the same feeling that many Steelers fans do. Although the team has been successful at times this season and in previous seasons, it still doesn't feel the same. There’s a sense that the franchise has been trying to figure out who they are and where they’re going. Some games give fans hope, others leave them wondering what direction the team is actually headed. Arians' comments didn’t create that feeling, they just confirmed it.
Ex-Steelers OC Arians Knows The Feeling Of Being In The Hot Seat In Pittsburgh
Recently, we've seen Steelers fans calling for Tomlin to be fired. Frankly, that is nothing new. If there’s anyone who understands pressure and criticism in Pittsburgh, it’s Arians. He dealt with plenty of it despite winning at a high level. In fact, he pointed out a memory that perfectly captures how tough the Pittsburgh spotlight can be.
"My last few years in Pittsburgh, they had FireBruceArians.com, and we had just won a Super Bowl," Arians said.
That’s Pittsburgh for you. The expectations are sky-high, and even success doesn’t always feel like enough.
Peter Diana / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
A young Ben Roethlisberger and former offensive coordinator, Bruce Arians during a team practice.
Arians’ comments don’t come off as him being bitter or overly critical. Instead, they reflect someone who genuinely cares about the organization and still wants to see it succeed. He knows what championship-level Steelers football looks like, and he knows the passion that fans have for the team. When he says things feel different now, he’s speaking from experience, not frustration.
Whether or not the 2025 Steelers get back to that old-school identity remains to be seen. But they’re in a division race, they’re battling every week, and, at the very least, they still have a chance to write a better ending to this season.
#SteelerNation
