The Pittsburgh Steelers and head coach Mike Tomlin kept their streak of winning seasons alive in 2024. Unfortunately, like so many others, this season ended with an early playoff exit. This team has plenty of talent but has struggled to find consistency, especially on offense. The combination of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields showed flashes of greatness but fell flat in the year’s biggest games. It has left fans asking how this team can get over the hump and back into at least an AFC Championship Game. Here are three questions for the Steelers this offseason.
1. What Do The Pittsburgh Steelers Do At Quarterback?
This is the biggest question for the Pittsburgh Steelers to answer. It is anyone’s guess what the team will do. Through 14 weeks, it looked like Wilson was on a fast track to a new contract, but a subpar finish has left many wondering whether they should move on. Fields had an opportunity to grab the starting job by the horns but couldn’t. Because they made the playoffs, their draft position isn’t ideal for grabbing a rookie, especially in this year’s draft. Everyone has a take on what the Steelers should do.
Some have suggested trying to trade up. Others have suggested seeing if a player like Dak Prescott is available for a trade. Ultimately, I think they go back to Wilson. He wasn’t horrific by any means. In 11 games, he threw for 16 touchdowns and only five interceptions. In many of those games, he was missing his number one target. To make matters worse, he was injured in the offseason and didn’t get much work with the team. If they want to be competitive next season, re-signing Wilson is probably their best bet. If they want to roll the dice on being good or not,
2. What Happens With George Pickens?
After the playoff loss, George Pickens made it pretty clear how he feels about the offense. All season, the Pittsburgh Steelers were dealing with the antics of their former second-round pick. Reports indicate the team is ready to move on. Sports Illustrated’s Nick Strackbein had this to say about the situation.
“According to a team source, the Steelers are likely to ‘move on’ from Pickens this offseason, with the idea of completely reshaping their wide receiver room. After a dreadful 2024 campaign and the expectation that Justin Fields or a new option may be taking over at quarterback, Pittsburgh is looking for a new group of wide receivers for the offense.”
It is unclear what team will try and take a swing. Players with character concerns are often tricky to trade, as some teams are not interested at all. More than likely, the Pittsburgh Steelers will get a day-three pick for him, and they will be very happy. Getting him out of the locker room is the number one priority.
3. Is The Mike Tomlin Hot Seat Noise Real?
In the age of social media, it is hard to know what is noise from the fans and what is actually true. If you scrolled your social media, you would think the Pittsburgh Steelers are close to getting rid of their head coach. However, the team has made it pretty clear how they feel about their head coach. The Chicago Bears inquired about a possible trade and were quickly rebuffed. Tomlin himself told reporters who inquired about the possibility of him moving on to “save your time.”
I don’t get the feeling that the Pittsburgh Steelers owners are as upset as fans are. It is frustrating to fall flat in the postseason year after year. However, having an endless carousel of coaches come through a program is just as frustrating. If the Steelers were to move on from Tomlin, what would be the backup plan? Is there some genius head coach waiting in the wings? Be careful what you wish for. It is understandable that fans want to win, but sometimes it is better to stick with what you have than roll the dice with a wild card.
Final Thoughts
The Pittsburgh Steelers are at a crossroads. They could go into next season with a similar-looking team and most likely make the playoffs again. The team could also decide to blow it all up, trade assets, and start from scratch. It will be interesting to see how they attack this offseason as they try to recapture the AFC North in 2025.
