This Version Of The Steelers Is Something We've NEVER Seen Before...

AtoZ Sports

Rob Gregson talks about the offseason moves that the Pittsburgh Steelers have made so far, and how this is a sharp departure from the Steelers that we've come to know for many years.

Transcript

00:00Monday's blockbuster trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers proved two things.

00:03One is very well known, that the team is all in on winning in 2025.

00:07The other one, however, is flying under the radar,

00:10and it's the fact that this version of the Pittsburgh Steelers

00:13is unlike one that we have ever seen before.

00:19There was a time when the Steelers were one of the most conservative franchises in the NFL.

00:23You're talking about a team that was more likely to be a bargain shopper

00:27than a big money spender in free agency.

00:28That would never consider making a DK Metcalf-like trade.

00:32That hoarded their NFL draft picks, and that developed and cultivated homegrown talent.

00:38All of that went out the window this offseason.

00:40We saw them make a massive trade and give up a second-round pick for DK Metcalf

00:44to turn around and pay him top-five money at the wide receiver position

00:49before he ever took a snap.

00:51That right there alone should tell you that the Pittsburgh Steelers are operating

00:54in a manner that we have never seen before.

00:57But it goes deeper.

00:57Obviously, they trade away George Pickens.

00:59Then they bring in Aaron Rodgers after holding up their entire free agency process,

01:04after letting Justin Fields and Russell Wilson walk to other teams via the New York Jets and New York Giants.

01:10We then see them trade Minka Fitzpatrick, of all people.

01:15A trade that, when it went down, some people were wondering if this was a typo,

01:19if this was a NBA Centel or Adam Scheffler kind of situation, given the fact that the Pittsburgh Steelers traded

01:27their most beloved safety since Troy Palamalu.

01:32The fact that one of their most vocal leaders, that a team leader of his caliber,

01:39could somehow be replaced by Jalen Ramsey and by Jonu Smith was just unfathomable to many people.

01:45But it proves that the Pittsburgh Steelers are no longer operating how they used to.

01:49It proves that Omar Khan is not Kevin Colbert.

01:52That Mike Tomlin feels the heat.

01:54That he knows that this version of the Pittsburgh Steelers has to win and has to win big.

01:59And that puts a lot of pressure on everybody.

02:00If you're Omar Khan, you just really cemented your career based on what happens with this trade.

02:06If this goes and backfires and the team is even worse, say they don't go 10-7 and get bounced in the first round,

02:13say they miss the playoffs, heads are going to roll in Pittsburgh.

02:17But at least the team is not being stagnant.

02:20At least they're not sitting on their hands.

02:22At least they're not being complacent and saying, you know what?

02:24We're still one of the best franchises in the NFL.

02:26We still have one of the biggest, if not the biggest following of any NFL team.

02:29We still make the playoffs.

02:31We still have winning records.

02:32We still haven't had a losing season in 18 trade years.

02:35No, none of that matters.

02:36We have to get better.

02:37We have to try and win a Super Bowl.

02:39And that's what Omar Khan just did.

02:41That's what Mike Tomlin has done.

02:43And for that, the Steelers should be commended and be on the lookout for being a potential serious contender in 2025.

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