The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the most storied franchises in NFL history. However, after going to three Super Bowls and winning two between the 2005 and 2011 seasons, they have entered a playoff slump. After years of being consistent contenders, the Steelers haven't won a playoff game since the 2016 season.
That doesn't stop them from being able to recruit players to the team. That was evident this past offseason when the Steelers signed guys like Russell Wilson and Patrick Queen. Both veteran players with a history of excellence reported speaking with Black and Gold players who encouraged them to come.
Some of Pittsburgh's best defenders recently sat down and talked about pitching the Steelers to these potential recruits. T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Larry Ogunjobi all joined Cameron Heyward on his podcast, Not Just Football with Cam Heyward. Heyward asked Watt what line he uses to get guys to come to the Steelers.
"It's easy," said Watt. "There really isn't much you have to pitch because Mike T. [Tomlin] is so well-known across the league and respected. And the fans, I mean, when we travel everywhere, the fans come with us, so it's just an incredible place to play. I tell them it's about tradition and we're so close. You know, since I've been here, we haven't won a playoff game. I've talked about that on and on, but I truly feel like we're so close, and I mean, we can't play forever, so the time really is now. What's been happening can't continue to happen. I think there's a sense of urgency."
Heyward, drafted in 2011, is the only one of the four who has won a playoff game in Pittsburgh. Watt was selected the year following that last playoff win in 2017 and Highsmith in 2020.
Ogunjobi is the only one who wasn't originally drafted by the Steelers. He was also drafted in 2017, but by the Cleveland Browns, where he played for four years before spending one season with the Cincinnati Bengals -- then he came to the Steel City. Heyward asked Ogunjobi what attracted him to Pittsburgh.
"I think Coach T. [Mike Tomlin] played a big role," said Ogunjobi. "Being on the other side, being in the AFC North for my entire career. just seeing how Mike T. ran the operation and the legacy, the tradition that's been built around this organization. It was an easy choice. I feel like there's a unique energy, you can just kind of feel it. What T.J. said earlier, it's just time. I feel like we have the right pieces, we have the right mindset. You know when you beat on a door for so long and you're so close, at a certain point, you just got to break through."
Watt added that he thinks the team has the right mix of young and old players and that they have been aggressive in their acquisitions. This is evidenced in the Queen signing, the largest free agency signing in franchise history. Highsmith agreed, saying that he loves their current squad and can't wait for the season to begin so they can potentially win a Super Bowl.
Steelers Hit The Jackpot With Payton Wilson
While Watt and Highsmith might be one of the best outside linebacking duos in the league, Queen promises to bring what the defense has been missing in the middle. Joining Queen at the inside linebacker spot this season is some exciting depth, Payton Wilson. A third-round draft pick out of NC State, Wilson dropped down draft boards because he is missing an ACL in one of his knees. 
During the preseason, Wilson has shown that he is here to play. During the first exhibition game against the Houston Texans, Wilson received praise from Head Coach Mike Tomlin. During Heyward's show, Ogunjobi said that Wilson was the newcomer who had most surprised him. He has been impressed with how he seems to fly around the field.
