The road to 7-7 has been anything but easy for a Pittsburgh Steelers team that is in unfamiliar territory. The Steelers organization is a long and storied franchise with a history of great talent and a winning culture. The Pittsburgh Steelers have been viewed as an elite NFL team for decades, fielding top talent with winning seasons year in and year out.
In 2023, the Steelers are at the bottom of a solid AFC North division with their playoff hopes dwindling with every passing week. At 7-7, Pittsburgh seemed firmly in control of their playoff hopes before losing three straight games versus the Cardinals, Patriots and Colts.
Quarterback Kenny Pickett was injured in Pittsburgh’s Week 13 matchup with the Arizona Cardinals and the team has appeared to begin to spiral
The Steelers lost to the Patriots on Thursday Night Football the following week and then lost their third straight to the Colts in a game that saw backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky benched in favor of Steelers veteran Mason Rudolph.
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ troubles started long before their three-game skid, though. Let’s look at the steps that led to Mike Tomlin losing his locker room seemingly overnight:
The Pittsburgh Steelers Fire OC Matt Canada
Prior to Pittsburgh’s firing of their offensive coordinator Matt Canada, Steelers fans made their frustrations known, with ‘Fire Canada’ chants erupting from crowds nationwide. https://x.com/PatMcAfeeShow/status/1715406241143656616?s=20
The chant went viral. The team’s offensive woes grew so severe that even non-Steelers fans couldn’t help but join in with the chants.
Canada served as the team’s offensive coordinator from 2021 until Week 11 of the 2023 season. Under Matt Canada, the Pittsburgh Steelers never managed a 400-yard performance offensively. The Steelers’ offense ranked in the bottom half of the entire NFL in each season of Canada’s tenure.
The Pittsburgh Steelers announced their firing of Canada on November 21st following an abysmal 13-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns. Cleveland started rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson in place of the injured Deshaun Watson. Pittsburgh’s offense posted just 249 yards of total offense in what would be Canada’s final game with the Steelers.
The following week, Pittsburgh defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 16-10, gaining 421 yards of total offense in their first game of the post-Canada era.
Steelers fans were excited, but that would be the end of any momentum Pittsburgh’s offense would garner, as the team still has yet to top 26 points in a game on the season. The problems were just getting started for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Locker Room Troubles Made Public
Following the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 20-16 win versus the Tennessee Titans on November 2nd, receiver George Pickens took to social media to voice his frustration after a two-catch, -1-yard performance. https://x.com/jasrifootball/status/1720526270704836827?s=20
This wasn’t the first time Pickens had taken to social media to voice any frustration. Following Pittsburgh’s embarrassing 30-7 loss on opening night versus the 49ers, Pickens liked an Instagram comment that highlighted the team’s struggles at the quarterback position. https://x.com/jasrifootball/status/1701058593791898052?s=20
Head coach Mike Tomlin has since met with the receiver ahead of Pittsburgh’s upcoming contest versus the Cincinnati Bengals.
I thought he was better but still has, obviously, room for continued improvement.
Tomlin said in his press conference on Monday, following the Steelers’ 30-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
Fellow Steelers receiver Diontae Johnson has also had his share of internal problems within the team this season. Reports stated that Johnson was “held back” by rookie tackle Broderick Jones in an altercation with a Pittsburgh Steelers coach. The incident took place during Pittsburgh’s second matchup versus Cleveland on November 19th.
The following week versus the Cincinnati Bengals would see Diontae Johnson tied into more drama. Running back Jaylin Warren fumbled the ball near Johnson on a Steelers offensive drive. Johnson could be seen waking near the live ball, displaying a lack of effort in the middle of a play. https://x.com/FootbaIIism/status/1728847461824049524?s=20
Johnson has since apologized for the lack of effort in the play. When speaking about the incident, Johnson stated, “[My teammates] know how I feel and how I should go about the situation next time it occurs. I owned up to it. I’m not perfect, so all I can do is move forward and keep playing football.”
Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said on his podcast, “You need someone to stand up in that room, on offense, and be like, hey this isn’t what it means to wear the black and gold.”
Roethlisberger also called Pittsburgh’s tradition into question: https://x.com/Blitz_Burgh/status/1735037319198003597?s=20
Roethlisberger served as the team’s quarterback for 18 seasons from 2004-2021, leading the Pittsburgh Steelers to three Super Bowl appearances and winning two. One can’t deny what Roethlisberger said, as anyone would call the Steelers’ antics into question during this stretch.
Where do the Pittsburgh Steelers Go From Here?
The road does not get easier for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the final weeks of the season. The Steelers will square off against the Bengals, Seahawks and Ravens in their final three games.
Seattle is fresh off of a Monday Night Football win over the reigning NFC Champion Philadelphia Eagles. Baltimore sits atop the AFC with an 11-3 record and the Cincinnati Bengals are riding high, winning their last three games under backup quarterback Jake Browning.
Pittsburgh is still in the playoff hunt at 7-7 despite their season-long struggles but will need some help even if they can win out. Finishing around 7-10 or 8-9 will give the Steelers a decent pick in the upcoming draft, but will forfeit head coach Mike Tomlin’s streak without a losing season as Pittsburgh’s head coach.
The Steelers could elect to move on from Tomlin after the season given the team’s struggles over the last two seasons. Life after Ben Roethlisberger hasn’t been easy and Tomlin has been unable to keep his locker room in check without his quarterback holding people accountable.
The 2024 NFL Draft boasts a lot of talent and will be one the Pittsburgh Steelers need to get right after the team’s share of struggles. Quarterback play and offensive line depth have continued to be problems for the Steelers and will need to be addressed this offseason if they want to return to their winning ways.
One thing is certain. The Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot of work to do.