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Pittsburgh Steelers: Consistently Taking Care of Business

By Russell S. Baxter

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To perhaps no one’s surprise, the Pittsburgh Steelers continue to do what they do better than perhaps any franchise in the National Football League.

And that’s keeping things as constant as possible.

That reliability has been part of a team that has won more regular-season games since 1970 and more Super Bowl victories than any other organization in the league.

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Over the past few days, the defending AFC North champions have secured the services of both head coach Mike Tomlin and now general manager Kevin Colbert through 2018.

Let’s start with the last part first via Steelers.com on Saturday. “I am happy to announce that we have extended Kevin Colbert’s contract for two additional years,” said team president Art Rooney II. “Kevin’s work and footprint on our football operations have been a key factor in our success. We are excited Kevin will continue to lead our personnel department for at least the next three years.”

Feb 18, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert speaks at a press conference during the 2015 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

While he’s only held the title of general manager since 2011, Colbert has been on the job in the Steel City since 2000.

Meanwhile, the executive’s new contract is on the heels of the re-signing of Tomlin to a new deal. In eight seasons as the Steelers head coach, he’s posted an 82-46 regular-season record, led the team to the playoffs five times and took them to a pair of Super Bowls, winning XLIII and falling short in XLV.

Earlier this month, Colbert secured the services of one of the club’s best player by re-signing four-year defensive end Cameron Heyward to a substantial deal. And it wasn’t long ago that the organization re-upped quarterback “Big” Ben Roethlisberger to big bucks.

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Back in 1969, the Steelers hired Chuck Noll to be their latest head coach. From 1933 to 1968, the franchise had been to one postseason game and lost that. It took Noll a few years and a few healthy drafts to get the team into the playoffs by 1972. That started an eight-year postseason run which saw the club win four Super Bowls over that span.

Noll left following the 1991 season and enter Bill Cowher, who guided the club from 1992-2006, made his share of playoff appearances and guided Pittsburgh to two more Super Bowl appearances. The team lost in 1995 in Super Bowl XXX to the Dallas Cowboys but in 2005, became the first No. 6 seed to win three road playoff games and a Lombardi Trophy, defeating the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL.

Now Tomlin is in the midst of his run. Entering 2015, the Steelers have had a total of three head coaches since ’69 and all have made at least two trips to the Super Bowl. Now the current head coach and current general manager are locked up for a few more years.

The Black and Gold has come up with quite a blueprint.

Next: Pittsburgh Steelers: If…And…But for 2015

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