Despite Old School Approach, Steelers are far From 'Unserious'

Unlike the Las Vegas Raiders, whom Tafur covered for years, the Steelers consistently put together winning seasons because that's what self-respecting organizations strive to do. The idea that tanking is the only path to contention is misleading. For every Detroit Lions turnaround under Dan Campbell that endured a brutal season, there are countless examples like the Raiders and Cleveland Browns, whose repeated failures never led to sustained success. No, the Steelers are not an "unserious" organization.

Do they need to recalibrate parts of their approach? Absolutely. There's a legitimate argument that they should have given Will Howard an opportunity to prove what he could do. Perhaps they also should have been more involved in the Malik Willis sweepstakes. However, the quarterback market offered few realistic options. Signing Aaron Rodgers is hardly enough to label an organization "unserious."

The Steelers are modernizing, even if it's gradual

The idea of tanking simply for the sake of tanking is foolish. No self-respecting coach, player, or front office willingly embraces losing. More often than not, bad teams stay bad because dysfunction starts with ownership and filters throughout the organization. The franchises that consistently win and reach the postseason share stability, a clear organizational philosophy, and strong leadership. Those that don't, like the Browns and Raiders, constantly cycle through coaches, executives, and quarterbacks in search of those qualities. There are multiple ways to build a winning franchise, but intentional losing isn't one of them.

That said, the Steelers do need to continue evolving, and they already have begun making changes. Was the Mike McCarthy hire a home run? No. But it represented a shift in philosophy. The Steelers' previous three coordinator hires came from the young defensive ranks. This time, they chose a veteran, offense-oriented coach to lead the unit. They've also become far more aggressive in the trade and free-agent markets, areas where they were once notably conservative. Will those changes be enough? Probably not. They'll need to keep adapting. General manager Omar Khan appears committed to doing exactly that while preserving the franchise's identity as a team built through the draft and player development.

Are the Steelers perfect? No. Are they guaranteed to succeed in 2026? No. Are they "unserious" because they refuse to tank and instead try to win? Absolutely not.