What now? Pittsburgh Steelers face uncertain future after quick exit
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers left no doubt last spring.
As quarterback Ben Roethlisberger healed from right elbow surgery, the organization he’s helped lead for the better part of two decades dismissed the idea of finding his eventual heir following an 8-8 finish, adamant the franchise’s Super Bowl window with Roethlisberger at the controls remained open.
They used free agency to bring in tight end Eric Ebron and veteran lineman Stefen Wisniewski. They spent nearly $10 million on fullback and special teams ace Derek Watt. They drafted wide receiver Chase Claypool in the second round. They placed the franchise tag on outside linebacker Bud Dupree.
Nearly every decision pointed toward the Steelers returning to prominence in 2020. And for three months, it worked. Roeth
lisberger played flawlessly at times during an 11-0 start.
The defense continued to wreak havoc in opposing backfields, leading the NFL in sacks for a fourth straight year in the process. Claypool looked very much like one of the best rookies in the league.
Still, the signs of weakness were there during that giddy stretch. Narrow wins against teams led by Jeff Driskel (Denver), Garrett Gilbert (Dallas) and Robert Griffin III (Baltimore). An occasional issue with giving up the big play. A running game that started off adequate before disappearing almost entirely.
Then, it all fell apart. Four losses in the final five games to end the regular season followed by an embarrassing 48-37 beatdown at home by Cleveland in the wild-card round. While the numbers look good on paper — a 12-5 final record
and an AFC North title — the misery of the last six weeks erased all the good vibes that came before.
“We were a group that died on the vine,” coach Mike Tomlin said.
A loss Roethlisberger and good friend and longtime center Maurkice Pouncey mourned on the bench late Sunday night, wondering if their highly successful partnership was in its final moments.
“I hate that it ended the way it did,” Roethlisberger said. “I just wanted to apologize to (Pouncey) that I wanted to win it for him.”
Roethlisberger stressed he was just talking about the season. Still, it’s fair to wonder if the era of remarkable success that began when he jogged onto the field in Baltimore to replace an injured Tommy Maddox on Sept. 19, 2004, is over too.
The 38-year-old Roethlisberger’s current deal lasts
through the 2021 season. While the two- time Super Bowl winner will take the offseason to weigh his options, he has frequently pointed out that he has played through the entirety of every contract he’s ever signed.
“I hope the Steelers want me back, if that’s the way we go,” he said. “There will be a lot of discussions.”
Not all of them will center around the future Hall of Famer.
SALARY CAP COMPLICATIONS
After kicking the can down the road financially for years, the bill may finally be due.
The list of pending free agents includes Dupree, wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, running back James Conner, left tackle Alejandro Villanueva, left guard Matt Feiler, defensive back Mike Hilton and defensive tackle Tyson Alualu.