The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the more consistent franchises in the NFL but heading into 2022, there are a few issues with their roster
There’s no team in the NFL that has as much stability as the Pittsburgh Steelers. The franchise has had just 16 coaches in its entire history which dates back to 1933 and since 1969, they have only had three — Chuck Noll (1969-1991), Bill Cowher (1992-2206), and now Mike Tomlin (2007-present).
Tomlin had quick success, winning a Super Bowl in his second season, and has also never had a losing campaign in 15 years. However, he’s heading into a season that could end up being the most difficult of his career.
With that being said, here are three reasons the Steelers could be in for a rough year in 2022.
3 reasons Pittsburgh Steelers will disappoint in 2022
3. Sheer number of contenders in the AFC
Since Tomlin joined the Steelers in 2007, they have been able to win the AFC North seven times. The Cincinnati Bengals had a few seasons sprinkled in where they were solid contenders and the Baltimore Ravens did the same.
However, in 2018 the Ravens landed Lamar Jackson and in 2019, the Bengals drafted Joe Burrow. Suddenly, the North had two elite — young — quarterbacks and the Steelers found themselves in some tough competition.
Even so, they won the division in 2020 and made the playoffs last season despite a slow start to the year. But this won’t be as easy in 2022.
Not only are Baltimore and Cincinnati threats, but the Cleveland Browns also added Deshaun Watson — who is facing a suspension but could still be a factor should he return.
Outside of the North, Russell Wilson is now in the AFC as he joins Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, and Josh Allen as top-tier quarterbacks in the conference.
That means Pittsburgh will have a tough time in their own division, and there will be many more contenders for the Wild Card spot which could leave them on the outside looking in.
2. Wide receiver questions
The Steelers have a dilemma on their hands with Diontae Johnson who wants to be paid like a top wideout. And so far in his career, he’s proven that he’s worth the big money.
A former third-round pick, Johnson had 254 receptions for 2,764 yards and 20 touchdowns. Most importantly, he’s improved in every statistical category throughout his first three seasons and had 107 receptions for 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns last year.
The question Pittsburgh is asking is whether or not they want to fork out the kind of money players such as Terry McLaurin just received — McLaurin signed a three-year, $68 million deal with the Washington Commanders.
In the past, they’ve allowed players to walk — Emmanuel Sanders, Plaxico Burress, and Santonio Holmes are just a few examples — and have come out looking better. And as was the case with the wideouts they let walk, they have options behind Johnson with Chase Claypool and rookie George Pickens.
They do need to ask, however, if Pickens can ascend to starting level by 2023 and if Claypool has the makeup to be a No. 1 guy — he has shown a tendency to say things that bring bad attention to the team but then again, that’s kind of what Steelers receivers do anymore.
None of this should doom the season by itself but anytime a star player has a lingering contract concern following them into the season, there’s a risk that things could go south.
1. Change at quarterback
Since 2004, Ben Roethlisberger has been a steady leader for the Steelers offense. He went 13-0 as a rookie, led them to a record of 165-81-1 in 247 career starts, and won two Super Bowls. Simply put, Pittsburgh always had a chance when Big Ben was playing.
Now heading into 2022, their star quarterback is enjoying the first year of his retirement and the Steelers are facing two possible players as his replacement. Rookie Kenny Pickett, who was the only first-round quarterback selected this season, was a star at Pitt and is trying to continue his success in the same city.
Pickett has some questions, most of which centered around his hand size, but he’s got the intangibles to be the face of a franchise — and could develop into a trusted starter. But he might not be ready to do this right away.
The front office knew that any rookie they added might need time before taking over under center, which is why they added a veteran option in free agency before the draft. Mitchell Trubiksy was brought in after spending the 2021 campaign as a reserve in Buffalo.
Before that, he was the starter for the Chicago Bears. Despite posting a 29-21 record during his four years in the Windy City, Trubisky was widely considered a bust due to his inconsistent play.
For Pittsburgh, they now have a battle on their hands and it might not be a smooth transition from a future Hall of Famer to two guys who have serious concerns that need to be answered.