Level of uncertainty entering 2022 season will test Steelers Head Coach

The Steelers are entering into uncharted territory with the start of the 2022 season right around the corner

Make no mistake about it, the 2022 NFL season will test Steelers Mike Tomlin like never before. Since becoming our head coach in 2007 and up until this season, Tomlin enjoyed one constant that probably made his coaching life much easier. That constant was Ben Roethlisberger.

For fifteen seasons, Tomlin really did not have to worry too much about who was going to be under center in any given season.  Yes, there were times when ‘Big Ben’ was injured and Tomlin had to hand the reins over to our backup quarterback.

In those times, I’m sure he felt a little uneasy. I know I did. Frankly, how could you not feel uneasy? It’s rare that a team is able to boast about having a franchise QB.  The Steelers had one for eighteen seasons. Now, we don’t… and that’s scary.  I don’t care how you slice it.

Steelers will lean on Mike Tomlin to provide stability

If you look at the Steelers roster, you will perhaps notice what I have noticed, which is this: we have nineteen rookies, five players who have one year of service, and fourteen players who have two years of service.  We have only two players who have ten years or more of NFL experience.

If you take it a step further, we currently have four QBs on the roster, two of whom are rookies. Of our two veteran signal-callers, one is new to us, the other has been on the team for five years. If the Steelers were ‘sold’ on Mason Rudolph, the aforementioned QB who has been with us for five years, why go out and sign Mitch Trubisky in free agency?

From 2007 to 2021, Tomlin did not have to concern himself with trying to acclimate a free agent QB to the Steelers way because we had ‘Big Ben’ and he was the unquestioned starting QB.  The only unquestioned element that Tomlin has right now is that we don’t know who the starter will be Week 1.

Again, I don’t care how you slice it, this is uncertainty at its best. Tomlin will probably have to do the best coaching job of his career if we are to have a successful 2022 campaign.  I believe he is up to the task, but you can’t convince me that there’s not at least a modicum of trepidation occupying his thoughts.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like the Steelers have no pieces on the offensive side of the ball. That is certainly not the case.  I think the issue on offense will be how quickly and how well the offense will function with a new signal-caller.

Let’s not forget about the defensive side of the ball where we will be breaking in a new defensive coordinator, a new defensive assistant, and a new secondary coach. Talk about uncertainty.  Granted, our DC and assistant DC have been around the block a few times, as it were, but that does not necessarily mean that changes won’t be coming to that side of the ball as well.

I am entering this season with three expectations which are these:  The Steelers will be competitive, we will not quit no matter what and we will play Steelers football.  If we do those three things, the level of uncertainty will dissipate as the season progresses.