Steelers Now
UNITY TWP., Pa. — General manager Omar Khan and Tomlin spent the offseason massively remaking the team’s roster, adding Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf, Jalen Ramsey, Jonnu Smith and Darius Slay while shipping out or letting go Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, Najee Harris, George Pickens and Minkah Fitzpatrick.
A lot of that process came down to Xs and Os. Rodgers figures to be a better fit for Arthur Smith’s offensive scheme than Wilson was. Ditto for rookie running back Kaleb Johnson compared to Harris. The additions of both Slay and Ramsey show a markedly increased emphasis on the team’s ability to play with three cornerbacks on the field.
But some of those moves were also about getting the mix of personalities right on the squad. Pickens rarely seemed happy in his years in Pittsburgh, and caused problems for himself and his teammates non-stop. Harris made it clear when he arrived in Los Angeles that he liked it a lot better than Pittsburgh. Pickens made similar comments when arriving in Dallas.
“You guys have heard me talk about wanting guys that are Steelers,” general manager Omar Khan said on WDVE on Wednesday. “We take that seriously. We try identifying guys that fit into our culture and what we do. … We just have such a good vibe going here. So far, it’s been great.”
Ramsey and Rodgers, in particular, have not always been boy scouts throughout their NFL careers. They both came to Pittsburgh after essentially being told they were no longer wanted by their previous teams. So what makes them a better fit than an outgoing miscreant like Pickens?
One of the things that happened as Khan re-made the team this offseason is that it got significantly older. Rodgers is 41. Slay is 34. Ramsey and Chuck Clark are 30. Smith and Juan Thornhill are 29.
The Steelers are one of the oldest teams in the NFL, but age also comes with maturity. Guys like Rodgers and Ramsey have had the opportunities to make mistakes in their careers, to make decisions for the wrong reasons, and they’ve come out of the other side of it understanding how much they love football and why they really love it.
“This is the most fun training camp I’ve ever been a part of,” Ramsey said this week on The Pivot Podcast. “The most that I’ve enjoyed football. The most that I’ve enjoyed being around my teammates, my coaches and everything, because I feel like everything done went back to the basics. It’s about ball. It’s about the right stuff. It’s about the relationships and Mike T, he’s 1 of 1.”
Tomlin, of course, sets the tone for the organization. He remains a massive draw for free agents like Rodgers and players unhappy with their other situations like Ramsey and Smith. Players gravitate toward his leadership and messaging.
“Mike T is different,” Ramsey said. “Just his messaging, his motivation, the way he is a true leader. I’ll just sit in his meetings like, dang. I...
