The Pittsburgh Steelers went through a big change back in the 2022 offseason. Once the NFL Draft had been completed, the organization searched for its next general manager after Kevin Colbert was set to walk away. The franchise ended up promoting from within and gave the reins to long-time front office member Omar Khan. It’s been clear since he got the keys to the kingdom that a physical brand of football would be emphasized, as his three first-round selections as the man in charge have been either on the offensive or defensive lines.
While the team has made a conscious decision to build in the trenches, it hasn’t panned out just yet. The defense allowed 299 yards rushing to the Baltimore Ravens in the 2024 Wild Card Round, and the offensive line has not been able to consistently protect the quarterback or help the rushing attack find a consistent groove.
Reporter has concerns about the Steelers’ player development
On Wednesday, Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette hosted his weekly fan chat. Someone wanted to get the insider’s thoughts on both sides of the ball on the line of scrimmage. The reporter did not mince words.
“My thoughts are you are right. They want to play a physical brand of football, but they can’t because their players are not developing at the rate they had hoped,” Fittipaldo wrote. “When Omar was hired as the GM, that was one of his main goals. Get bigger and more physical and be able to maul teams.”
It didn’t stop there for Fittipaldo. He brought Andy Weidl into the equation, who is Khan’s partner-in-crime. The lack of development regarding several players has to be something that is leaving the front office uneasy.
“I remember a quote from Andy Weidl from a while back about how physical offensive and defensive lines travel well in the playoffs,” Fittipaldo noted. “And yet, three years into the new regime, the Steelers don’t resemble a physical football team at all. I’m sure that’s a concern for the front office.”
It’s one thing to worry internally about a trend, but it’s even worse when it’s blatantly obvious for the outside world to see. The Steelers’ front office simply cannot be happy with how the coaching staff is making it look. Players with promise are being selected, but not turning into the professionals that they should be.
Head coach Mike Tomlin is continuously recognized as one of the best coaches in the NFL, but still, somehow, lacks a legitimate coaching tree. There are arguments to be made that he is seriously losing his ability to truly develop the players that are drafted, and the individuals on his staff aren’t as qualified as he would like to believe they are. It’s currently being seen with the young group that is on the roster in 2025, specifically those who operate in the trenches.
There is still time remaining to turn the ship around, but it’s fair for fans to start worrying about the franchise’s recent drafts. It’s hard to blame Khan specifically, or Weidl for that matter, because the coaching staff is in charge of getting young players ready to compete at the professional level. The NFL is played at a completely different speed than college, so Khan’s goal of dominating the trenches only ends up working if the draftees are developed and coached the proper way.
Steelers’ Omar Khan and Andy Weidl not necessarily at fault for losing in the trenches
While the goal in recent seasons has been clear from a front office perspective, the vision on the field has not exactly gone according to that plan. The best organizations are on the same page at every level, but something is missing in Pittsburgh right now. The coaching staff is running out of time to get certain young players up to speed, and that is only going to delay the team’s ability to compete for a seventh Lombardi Trophy.