Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, Kordell Stewart was on 93.7 The Fan this week with host Andrew Fillipponi. As always, they were talking about all things Steelers related. Stewart had some harsh words for some of the players regarding their current complaints.
Former Steelers head coach, Bill Cowher (right) with eventual QB job winner, Kordell Stewart (left). (Getty Images)
Stewart is no stranger to adversity. During his eight years in Pittsburgh, he endured vicious rumors, quarterback controversies, conflicts with coaches, benching, and being misunderstood. In today's NFL, Stewart's hybrid wide receiver/running back/quarterback talent would be embraced and applauded. But during the late 1990's, it was mostly a conundrum to coaches and fans alike.
Stewart Tells Current Steelers Players to Be More Like Him
During those difficult years with Pittsburgh, Stewart had to learn to tune out the noise and just play. If he wanted to be successful, he couldn't just react to everything bad that happened.
Now, Stewart appears as a guest on shows like Fillipponi's and offers his unique insight and perspectives. This week, he had a lot to say about the drama with some of the current Steelers players. While he did not name anyone specifically, one has to assume he primarily means the wide receiver crew complaining about their lack of targets - notably Diontae Johnson and George Pickens.
When asked how the current quarterback competition in Pittsburgh might be impacting morale in the locker room, Stewart fired back that none of them have a right to complain. Adding that they need to do their job or they should go to the bench too:
"Who is playing great football this season? Go somewhere else where your feelings can be heard."
Stewart has a point, football is a business. For fans, it can all be very emotional and they become very invested in their favorite players. However, the players are at work and need to perform to get paid. Stewart reminded listeners that players are only as good as their next play. They are constantly being reevaluated and assessed.
Johnson has expressed frustration with his lack of participation this season. Johnson got a label as a "ball dropper" two seasons ago, he worked hard over the off-season to shake off that bad habit. It seemed to work and his statistics improved in 2021 with 169 targets, 107 receptions, for 1,161 yards, and 8 touchdowns. Regardless of the reason for the drop in production, it is definitely there. In 13 games this season, Johnson has only 67 receptions for 647 yards with 0 touchdowns.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - OCTOBER 25: Diontae Johnson #18 of the Pittsburgh Steelers scores a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans during the first half at Nissan Stadium on October 25, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)
The Steelers WR2, Pickens, has had a similar complaint. He was shown to be extremely frustrated during the Week 13 game against the Atlanta Falcons. Pickens was caught on camera screaming, "throw me the f___ing ball!" Both Pickens and head coach, Mike Tomlin, minimized the incident saying that the media caught a moment of passion and frustration and tried to make it into something more.
Regardless of if the frustration is warranted or not, it does create a distraction. As Stewart was pointing out, with the team currently at 5-8 and suffering from a bit of an identity crisis, they do not need the drama. None of the players are performing at a level where they have a right to complain this much. There is enough blame to go around and instead of focusing on how they feel, they need to focus on how they can help the team improve.
What do you think of Stewart's comments? How much does all of this distract players from focusing on the real issues? How valid do you think Pickens and Johnson's complaints are? Click to comment below!
#SteelerNation
