The Pittsburgh Steelers seem extremely far away from another Super Bowl victory, especially after the terrible five-game losing streak to end the 2024 campaign. Another loss in the Wild Card Round raised concerns in the Steel City to a very high level, with many criticizing Head Coach Mike Tomlin's inability to adapt to the modern NFL. No postseason wins since the 2016 season has left the city upset and the leader of the team in Tomlin is not on the good side of many throughout the fan base. While the franchise has not had a losing season since 2003, it certainly feels like there is not much hope for the near-future.
It's certain that a team needs a franchise-caliber quarterback to compete at the highest level, and that is something that the Steelers are currently in the midst of trying to figure out. A lot of media pundits in the city have criticized Tomlin and believe that he needs to find a way to change, and quickly, or Pittsburgh doesn't have much of a chance to make a postseason run anytime soon.
After watching Super Bowl LIX, it became clear that the Steelers are nowhere close to being on the same level as the Kansas City Chiefs or Philadelphia Eagles. Oddly enough, though, the champions over in Philadelphia won with a style of play that is no longer too common in the NFL. That should be terrifying for fans of Pittsburgh, as a run-first offense and defensive-dominant squad can be the last one standing. It will lead to Tomlin thinking his message remains far from stale.
There are very few teams across the league that could accomplish what the Eagles did in 2024. Investing in both sides of the line and having a selfless quarterback is a big reason why the city is celebrating on Monday. With that said, the Steelers have an aging defensive front, no quarterback, and questions looming on the offensive line as well. The Eagles may have built a championship roster with a similar approach to Tomlin's, but the two franchises couldn't be further away from one another.
Everything has gone nearly flawless for Philadelphia when it comes to roster construction in recent years. The same can't be said for the Steelers. The quarterback situation is a mess, the organization's top running back is set to be a free agent in 2025, and, for the most part, the defensive line has to go through a serious overhaul. Despite the clear holes on the roster, the Eagles' approach to winning will convince Tomlin that not much has to change aside from "execution."
This couldn't be much further from the truth. The main issue with attempting to replicate Philadelphia's formula isn't necessarily that it can't be done, but the Eagles had the pieces in place to accomplish it. Even when the team was losing in 2024, its offensive weapons included Saquon Barkley, AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith. Pittsburgh pretty much just has George Pickens, and he may not even be in the locker room when the 2025 season kicks off.
Steelers Likely To Be Stuck In NFL Purgatory For A Little While Longer
While it isn't impossible to build a championship roster in one offseason, it's very unlikely. Pittsburgh is stuck in a trend of finishing above .500 and making the playoffs, but not being good or efficient enough to make any kind of run. Fans have grown tired of the defensive-minded philosophy that Tomlin brings, but unfortunately, the result of Super Bowl LIX will have him grinning from ear to ear as the team begins to put together its depth chart for 2025.
