Steelers Now
Colin Cowherd of FS1 did not hold back on the current state of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He thinks Mike Tomlin’s defensive-minded approach is holding the franchise back and it’s time for a new voice to lead the organization.
“I just think it’s time,” Cowherd said on The Herd. “If it takes you seven to eight years to fix the offensive line and you still can’t get it right, and Pittsburgh still can’t. [Sean] Mcvay and Andy Reid and Kevin O’Connell can do it in an offseason. You’re outdated.
“Since 2019, the Steelers are 29th in offensive touchdowns, ranking only behind the Jets, Giants, and Panthers are worse.”
The Steelers averaged just 18.1 points per game in 2022, 17.9 in 2023, and 21.9 in 2024, ranking 26th, 28th, and 20th. They’ve struggled mightily to find a long-term answer at quarterback following Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement in the 2022 offseason.
The Steelers will have a different Week 1 starter for a fifth-straight season: Roethlisberger, Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, Justin Fields and Mason Rudolph/Will Howard. Rudolph and Howard are currently the Steelers’ top two options, but the team is banking on Aaron Rodgers eventually signing.
Regardless, Cowherd thinks the Steelers are in a world of trouble this season.
“Count me in as somebody predicting the Steelers are not going to make the playoffs and not going to win a playoff game for the ninth consecutive year,” Cowherd said.
"The Steelers are not going to make the playoffs."@ColinCowherd thinks Mike Tomlin's time in Pittsburgh is nearing its end. pic.twitter.com/v3RbRVX374
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) May 16, 2025
Cowherd isn’t the only talking head that has a negative view on the Steelers’ 2025 campaign. Adam Schein of Mad Dog Sports Radio believes the Steelers will have their first losing season since 2003.
“I’ll amend this if [Aaron] Rodgers plays, or maybe I won’t,” Schein said. “We’re gonna predict it again. One of these years we’re gonna be right. Mike Tomlin is gonna have a losing record this year. I guarantee this is the year. They are worse at quarterback. They don’t have a quarterback.”
With that said, the Steelers still expect Rodgers to be on their roster for the 2025 season. Schein thinks their problems are more than just at quarterback, though.
“Worse at receiver. Worse at running back. Schedule is difficult,” Schein said. “I think the Jets are gonna beat the Pittsburgh Steelers Week 1 of the season. Mason Rudolph? Really? Is that what we’re doing? Or Aaron Rodgers is gonna have to introduce himself to his teammates at some point this spring or summer time. I mean, what’s the game plan here for the Pittsburgh Steelers?”
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Cowherd: Mike Tomlin’s Voice with Steelers Has Run Stale
