Behind the Steel Curtain
While the Steelers have their eyes set on a Super Bowl, or at least, a playoff win, entering 2026, this offseason has still had more of a long term planning feel to it. Pittsburgh made 10 draft picks, none of whom are guaranteed to start right away, and has started work on extending its young core of players.
So, while Pittsburgh’s short term goals remain as obvious as ever, it’s more fun to look at 10 long term goals for the team. This year, what should the Steelers look to accomplish to set up future seasons for success?
When you have three first-round tackles, a pair of Day 2 guards, and a second-round, likely future All-Pro at center (plus a slew of quality backups in Dylan Cook, Brock Hoffman, etc.), you’re doing something wrong if you can’t figure out an above-average starting five.
With fairness to new offensive line coach James Campen, it will take time. There’s a lot of youth, position switching, and still-developing chemistry up front. Don’t panic if the group doesn’t gel immediately.
But by the season’s end, it’s important — and should be expected — that the Pittsburgh offensive line looks like the unit it was drafted to be. The Steelers are concerned not just with keeping the aging Aaron Rodgers upright, but also giving the team’s eventual young quarterback of the future good protection while learning the ropes in the NFL.
Cam Heyward’s ageless excellence has covered up a multitude of sins on the Steelers’ defense over the years, but he won’t stay elite forever. Still, a strong defensive line remains one of the most important aspects of a successful NFL roster.
After spending a first-round pick on Derrick Harmon in 2025, the Steelers took a major step towards addressing life after Heyward. Harmon showed plenty of promise as a rookie but still needs to take a leap in 2026, while Keeanu Benton and Yahya Black remain potential long term pieces. What’s promising is that the Steelers’ new coaching staff seems to be interested in finding better position fits for both.
A list like this would be incomplete without mentioning the Steelers’ new head coach, for whom you could probably create a hefty list of goals. The main interest will be on the offensive side of the ball, however, where McCarthy’s specialty lies. He’ll be the team’s play caller in 2026.
McCarthy has well-earned respect as an offensive mind in the NFL, even leading multiple top-five offenses as recently as his stint with the Dallas Cowboys. But as a 63-year-old coach with a number of past stops, he wasn’t one of the flashier, up-and-coming names available in the recent coaching cycle. Will he be able to keep up with the rapidly evolving offensive schemes and defensive responses in the NFL, or at least bring in assistants who can stay...
