It’s that time of the month, Pittsburgh Steelers fans: the monthly mailbag is here. Much has happened since the last iteration of this article took place, with them taking home the AFC North crown, Mike Tomlin stepping down as head coach, and coaching search on the docket.
Combine that with the 2026 NFL Draft taking place on the North Shore in just a matter of months and it feels like we’re all in for quite an eventful offseason. Today, we’ll briefly touch on the past before looking ahead to the future.
As always, I sincerly appreciate all of the great questions that you submitted through various platforms. Without further ado, here we go!
Q: Perhaps this is too loaded of a question, but where do you think the Mike Tomlin era went wrong?
A: When things run their course like this over a large sample size of time, it’s more complicated than just one singular issue. During their nine-year drought in the postseason, they’ve felt the ripple effect of so many lackluster draft classes from 2018-22. Despite that, Tomlin’s innate ability to raise the floor of the group was evident, but it came at the expense of having a long-term vision of how to get back to the promised land, too often opting for older veterans in key positions well past their prime.
The assembled coaching staffs simply didn’t give them much of a schematic advantage over the past decade, and that’s a reflection of how they struggled to keep up with the times. Obviously, not being able to figure out the quarterback position is low-hanging fruit that doesn’t need any explanation. Despite all of that, they’ve been competitive, but the standard in Pittsburgh should be competing for Super Bowls.
Q: What do the Steelers truly need in a head coach, a guy more on the X’s and O’s side or more of a team leader? Would it be better to hire an offensive or defensive coordinator?
A: The ability to lead is a non-negotiable element of the job, regardless of your football background, and we’ve seen smart football minds fail as head coaches because they lack the soft skills necessary for this role. Assuming everything is equal, going the offensive coordinator route seems to be best practice. Over the last decade, success on that side of the ball has had a higher correlation towards winning; it’s more replicable year over year, and you don’t have to worry about another team poaching your play caller.
On the flip side, Mike Macdonald’s Seattle Seahawks are a shining example of what can happen when a defensive mastermind hires the right guy to run to steer the ship on offense. Unfortunately, it’s just impossible to keep those guys in the building long-term with how the NFL turns over coaches these days. It also depends on who is available, which is among the reasons that Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula is atop my choices for Pittsburgh.
Q: Where would you rank the Steelers’ job among the NFL’s head coaching vacancies?
A: As of the time of this writing, there are nine franchises that will enter 2026 with a new head man in charge, with two of those spots already being filled (Atlanta, New York Giants). This is an older roster, albeit with some intriguing talents on rookie deals, but the main selling point for Pittsburgh is that they have few, if any, peers from an organizational stability standpoint. Whichever candidate is chosen will be given the freedom, and most importantly the time, to build out the team in their image. Baltimore would be the one destination that strikes me as more attractive, and that’s just because they’ve got the game-changer at quarterback already in place.
Q: Which of the top Steelers impending free agents would you be looking to re-sign?
A: When you look at the list of Steelers pending free agents, there are only four players that played more than half the snaps this season: Aaron Rodgers, Isaac Seumalo, Kyle Dugger, and Kenneth Gainwell. There might not be a plethora of exciting avenues to update at quarterback, but even with that being said, they should pursue someone younger with some upside. Dugger was effectively benched in the playoffs, so that one seems pretty cut and dried. With how short the shelf life is for the position, Gainwell would be wise to try and cash in on a career year, but I’m very skeptical he’d be able to replicate that sort of production again. It would be nice to have Seumalo back as the veteran presence on an extremely young offensive line, but his body has taken a beating in the league. It’s dependent on cost, but that would be my answer, assuming he wants to continue playing.
Q: With Mike Tomlin stepping down as head coach, do you think Cam Heyward and T.J. Watt will be back in Pittsburgh next year?
A: The discussion regarding Cam Heyward is very nuanced. He’ll be 37 years old next season but is coming off yet another fantastic campaign, one that may have stamped his ticket to Canton, Ohio. It’s almost impossible to imagine a scenario where he’s not on the team next year and the defense improves without him. Heyward is under contract through 2026; however, he has previously expressed displeasure regarding his deal. What would those conversations with the front office look like? Either a market-value raise or a one-year extension seems justifiable.
The latter discussion surrounding T.J. Watt is much more cut and dried from my vantage point. Team president Art Rooney II made it very clear that he’s not remotely interested in rebuilding. They’re not going to tear this thing down to the studs; it’s just against their DNA. Plus, after back-to-back seasons where his production has declined, his perceived value around the league has surely never been lower. Maybe it would be different if Pittsburgh was able to get something back for him in return via draft capital or a younger asset. Watt has a $32M base salary for each of the next two seasons, both of which are fully guaranteed, making it a rather unattractive contract for any acquiring team. The best-case scenario is that a new system rejuvenates him, setting up a strong final act in the steel city.
Q: Is there a possibility that Ohio State safety Caleb Downs falls within striking distance for the Steelers in round one of the NFL Draft?
A: Such a question might seem crazy to some, given the fact that he’s been an impactful defender from the moment he stepped on campus as a freshman. However, it’s not outside the realm of possibility because of the position he plays, with recent examples like Kyle Hamilton and Brian Branch being selected later than they should have. He’s also not a freak athlete that is going to set Indianapolis on fire with his tested numbers. With that being said, he’s an extremely physical run defender in the box and a highly instinctive player at the second level in coverage. Versatile defensive backs that can carry out this many assignments at a high level are really valuable in the modern NFL, and Pittsburgh would be lucky to snag him.
Q: What should the Steelers do with the additional draft picks now that a trade-up for a quarterback feels unlikely?
A: Pittsburgh desperately needs an upgrade at the game’s most important position, but they can’t be reckless in that pursuit. I only have one passer with a first-round grade, and he’s headed to Las Vegas with the first overall pick. As simple as it sounds, the best approach is to just continually draft the best player available at a position of need and set up the foundational building blocks for another run once the quarterback is in place. If a player at a different position starts to slip in the first round, they have the ammo to go grab them, which is a defensible move so long as you’re getting a real difference maker. However, I would be pretty hesitant about moving those picks for a veteran player, given their timeline.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: DB’s Steelers Mailbag: Mike Tomlin Successor, Roster Turnover & 2026 NFL Draft
