Steelers Hall of Fame RB Jerome Bettis explains why Pittsburgh is in a vicious cycle that shows no sign of ending
The Pittsburgh Steelers simply don't have losing seasons. But they also don't or haven't won the ultimate prize in a decade plus. A purgatory that plagues Pittsburgh, Jerome Bettis explained why the Steelers keep finding themselves in the same situation, year after year… Bettis says the Steelers are a victim of their own success "They’re […]
The Pittsburgh Steelers simply don't have losing seasons.
But they also don't or haven't won the ultimate prize in a decade plus.
A purgatory that plagues Pittsburgh, Jerome Bettis explained why the Steelers keep finding themselves in the same situation, year after year…
Bettis says the Steelers are a victim of their own success
"They’re a victim of their own success because he’s [Mike Tomlin] never had a losing season,” Bettis told DJ Siddiqi of SportsLens. “They’ve never been able to draft in the top 5 or top 10 where you gotta go get a quarterback. So, they’ve been picking 17th, 18th, 22nd, 24th. You’re not gonna get the quarterback that you need at that point. It’s 100% the quarterback scenario because you haven’t been able to go get that guy.”
Bettis couldn't be more right, and what's perhaps more damaging is that the Steelers are likely to continue being in such a spot. This year is a primary example. The team finished 10-7, lost in round one of playoffs, and are picking 21st overall in the NFL Draft. They have a solid roster that is likely to compete for a playoffs post next year, but no one should be pegging them as SB contenders.
Rcently we've seen names like Jaxson Dart, or even Jalen Milrtoe mocked to the Steelers at 21. And while projecting QBs is an imperfect science, very few in and around the league view those two names as franchise QBs.
Even last year, where six, yes six QBs went in round one, the last of them was Bo Nix to the Denver Broncos…at 12. So trying to find a franchise QB outside of the top 10-15 is never going to be an easy feat.
"I just think they need a quarterback,” added Bettis. “I think that’s been the issue that’s been holding them up is they don’t have the quarterback play that they need to have to be a special football team. I think because of that, they haven’t been able to be a championship-caliber team. They are a playoff-caliber team, but not a championship-caliber team.”
The Bus is right, and until Pittsburgh figures out that position, expect more of the same from the Black & Gold.
