What’s to come?
Future uncertain after another postseason ends with a thud
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 that the franchise’s Super Bowl window with Roethlisberger at the controls remained open.
It used free agency to bring in tight end Eric Ebron and veteran lineman Stefen Wisniewski. It spent nearly $10 million on fullback and special teams ace Derek Watt. It drafted wide receiver Chase Claypool in the second round. It 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. Roethlisberger 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.
There were the narrow wins against teams led by quarterbacks Jeff Driskel (Denver), Garrett Gilbert (Dallas) and Robert Griffin III (Baltimore), the occasional issue with giving up the big play and 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.
“I hate that it ended the way it did,” Roethlisberger said.
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.”
The Steelers went all-in this season and still haven’t won a playoff game since Barack Obama was president. They’ve allowed 37 points or more in each of their past three postseason defeats, losses in which they never once led.