Steelers won't intentionally enter a rebuild with their next head coach, but it might happen organically

PITTSBURGH — In September 2019, the Pittsburgh Steelers had a clear path to push the reset button on the franchise.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger suffered a season-ending elbow injury in a loss to Seattle to drop the Steelers to 0-2. Many franchises would have embraced a complete rebuild at that moment, but Steelers management did everything in its power to remain a contender.

Four days after Roethlisberger was injured, general manager Kevin Colbert traded the team's first-round pick in the 2020 draft to acquire safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who would help the Steelers stay in contention all season.

Built around a top-five defense that held opponents to 18.9 points per game, the Steelers rallied to finish 8-8 and missed the playoffs by one game on the final weekend of the regular season.

If the Steelers didn't trade for Fitzpatrick, they might have selected in the top 10 of a draft that included Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert, who remain two of the top young quarterbacks in the NFL.

Six years later, the Steelers still don't have a franchise quarterback or a playoff victory, but team president Art Rooney II's view of running his team hasn't changed.

With Mike Tomlin's decision to step down as head coach, there is another opportunity to push the reset button, but Rooney's mission remains the same as it's always been.

"I'm not sure why you waste a year of your life not trying to contend," Rooney said Wednesday afternoon. "Obviously, your roster is what it is every year. It changes every year, so you deal with what you have. You try to put yourself in position to compete every year. Sometimes you have the horses and sometimes you don't, but you try every year."

Rooney said he does not like the term "rebuild," but something along those lines could happen organically.

The starting lineup against the Texans in the AFC wild-card game on Monday night featured seven starters who were 30 or older, including 42-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers and 36-year-old defensive lineman Cam Heyward.

Rooney seems resigned that Rodgers will not be back.

"Aaron came here to play for Mike," Rooney said. "That will most likely affect his decision."

Rodgers repeatedly said Tomlin was the No. 1 reason he signed with the Steelers. It was Tomlin, not general manager Omar Khan, who was the point man in the recruitment and eventual landing of Rodgers.

How the Steelers choose to replace Rodgers will be a strong indication of how they plan to proceed post-Tomlin. They could bring in another veteran who might keep them in contention, or they could give the opportunity to a younger quarterback.

Much of that will depend on the preference and the input of the next head coach. Since Roethlisberger's retirement following the 2021 season, the Steelers have rifled through six starting quarterbacks of all varieties. There was failed first-round pick Kenny Pickett, bridge options Justin Fields, Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph, and the star veterans Rodgers and Russell Wilson the past two years.

The upheaval at the position has taken a toll on the players.

"It's been pretty tough, especially as a pass catcher," veteran tight end Pat Freiermuth said. "That has to be 10 quarterbacks in six years. It's pretty frustrating."

Khan knows his most important task is to land a future franchise quarterback in the next year or two. This year's draft is not considered deep at the position (the Steelers are picking 21st). The 2027 draft class is expected to have more quarterbacks with potential to be of the franchise variety.

"I'm sure the quarterback position will be an important part of this discussion with the candidates," Rooney said. "We'll have to develop a plan for going forward."

But above and beyond the quarterback, the roster could change drastically at a number of positions. The defense, in particular, is one of the oldest units in the league.

Heyward, who will turn 37 in May, does not have any guaranteed money in his contract for the 2026 season. He sat out most of training camp last summer in a contract dispute with the team. After making All-Pro again, Heyward might seek more guarantees in his contract again.

Then there is the future of the biggest star on the team — Watt, the nine-year veteran who has never won a playoff game. Watt could seek a trade to play for a Super Bowl contender, or the Steelers could have him on the block in hopes of creating more salary-cap space.

Watt is set to earn $32 million in base salary next season with a $42 million cap hit. It's a very tradable contract if the Steelers want to go down that road.

The Steelers also must make a decision on defensive back Jalen Ramsey, who is signed for three more seasons. He is set to earn $10 million in base salary and count $17 million against the 2026 cap, according to Spotrac. Veteran linebackers Alex Highsmith and Patrick Queen have cap hits of $20 and $17 million, respectively.

The type of defensive scheme the new head coach employs will play a large role in the decisions of the aforementioned players.

The Steelers don't have as many high-priced contracts on offense, but they must decide if they're going to re-sign guard Isaac Seumalo, who made $8 million per season on a three-year contract that just expired. Another wild card is Freiermuth, who expressed his disappointment in his role last season when he spoke with reporters Tuesday afternoon.

Freiermuth is set to earn $7.6 million in salary next season and count more than $11 million against the cap. Again, depending on the scheme and the new coach's evaluation of Freiermuth, he's another player who could potentially be on the trading block.

Tomlin never had a losing season during his tenure, a remarkable accomplishment that kept the Steelers in playoff contention every one of those years. The downside of that is drafting in the middle or later in the first round of the draft for the past two decades.

The last time the Steelers had a losing season, they landed Roethlisberger with the No. 11 pick in the 2004 draft. He won two Super Bowls in a sterling 18-year career. Lombardis Nos. 5 and 6 probably don't happen without that 6-10 season.

All eyes now turn to the coaching search. In the next few weeks, the Steelers will name a new coach whose philosophies and evaluations of this roster will help shape the franchise going forward.

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