They got off to a 3-0 start, and won 10 of their first 13 contests. They made a quarterback change after six games, and a former Super Bowl champion signal caller seen to bring stability to the position. With four weeks to play in the regular season, the first-place Pittsburgh Steelers owned a two-game over the defending AFC North champions Baltimore Ravens in the standings.
Then it suddenly came apart for Mike Tomlin’s club. The Black and Gold would not win again, settled for a wild card berth, and were blasted at Baltimore, 28-14.
Understandably, Tomlin is facing a lot of heat for this latest late-season collapse, which has become quite the habit for this franchise.
Biggest Positive from 2024
Given the way the season ended for Tomlin’s team, it was a bit of a struggle to find something upbeat. However, veteran placekicker Chris Boswell was on-point for most of the year. He accounted for all of the points twice via a half-dozen field goals in victories over the Falcons and Ravens.
The 10-year pro hit on 41 of his 44 field goal tries, and that former number is the second-most by a player in a season in NFL history. Boswell was named to his second Pro Bowl, and earned All-Pro honors for the first time. He totaled an NFL-high 158 points in ‘24, and became the first player in Steelers’ history to lead the league in scoring.
Potential UFA that needs to be re-signed
General manager Omar Khan has his work cut out for him. The Steelers could have as many as 21 unrestricted free agents hit the open market at 4:00 PM ET on March 12. That includes quarterbacks Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, and Kyle Allen, as well as four-time 1,000-yard rusher Najee Harris.
Still, the one name that stands out on the list is veteran cornerback Donte Jackson, obtained via trade from the Panthers in a deal that included sending wideout Diontae Johnson. In 15 games, Jackson finished with 38 tackles, led the team with five interceptions, totaled eight passes defensed and recovered a fumble.
Needs Fixing
Mindset? Philosophy? Tomlin is the head coach, and he has to take the brunt of these consistent failures to capitalize on these numerous postseason opportunities. It is somewhat unfathomable to think that a franchise that closed the season with five straight losses (by a combined 137-71 score), as well as a sixth consecutive ugly playoff setback (by a combined 230-148 count) seems a bit content to not make a major change up top.
Steelers’ ownership (Art Rooney II) has certainly voiced his frustration about the club’s recent postseason failures, yet there don’t appear to be any changes on the horizon. Perplexing indeed.