Pittsburgh Steelers: Proper culture the primary reason for 8-0 start

The Pittsburgh Steelers are not 8-0 on talent alone but also heavily due to the culture.

Halfway through the 2020 NFL season, the Pittsburgh Steelers are the only team to have not lost a game, spotting an 8-0 record. Their offense is playing with precision and poise while their defense is continuing to be persistently aggressive.

While the talent is palpable and deserves high praise, that alone is not the primary reason as to why the Steelers are playing at such a productive level. Some will say confidence and, yes, that is a part of it as well — but that too is not the primary reason. So what is it? It’s a simple word that is spelled shortly but carries a strong meaning: Culture.

The right culture combined with the right talent is paramount to success in the NFL. Throughout their history, Pittsburgh has had a large number of talented players. In the 1970s under the late Chuck Noll, the talent was there, yet the discipline was also on par and, as a result, four Lombardi Trophies made their way to the Steel City.

Under Bill Cowher, the team had their moments to win the championship but fell short until Super Bowl XL. However, their culture was real and as a result, they proved to be dominant. Then they ushered in Mike Tomlin, only their third coach since the hiring of Noll.

Tomlin proved to be a player’s coach in addition to a strong leader of men. For a man that has never had a losing record as a head coach and who has a Super Bowl title to his name, his emphasis on a proper culture can’t be underestimated.

Mike Tomlin’s vision of a strong culture has paid off with this Pittsburgh Steelers team.

There was a time where the Steelers had Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown. A talent-laden trio with no rings to show for it. Yes, it’s easy to say the playoffs were the issue. But looking back on it, Brown was his own man who proved an issue within the organization. Bell wanted his money and left for it as well.

Big Ben is still on the team but he has pieces such as JuJu Smith-Schuster and James Conner that are not as talented as their predecessors but play together as a strong unit.

As for the defense led by T.J. Watt, they are playing with a mindset that was shared by their championship predecessors. The game against Dallas is a good example. It should not have been that close, yet they hung in and pulled it off.

The Pittsburgh Steelers may not go 19-0 in the 2020 season. But that is also not their primary goal. Their goal is to win the Lombardi Trophy, which ironically will be handed out this year in Tampa Bay, the site of their last Super Bowl victory.

Whether or not they face Arizona again is a different story. The headline is that the team has a winning and positive culture that is infused with their talent. Thus, the Steelers are undefeated, the top team in the AFC and a potential favorite to represent the conference in Super Bowl LV.