The Pittsburgh Steelers keep finding a way to stay out of the basement, and that’s the heart of the argument about how this franchise operates.
Analyst Warren Sharp put that reality in plain view with a rundown of every NFL team’s last-place finishes since 2010. Pittsburgh and Green Bay were the only two clubs that never ended up in fourth place over that stretch.
4th place division finishes since 2010:10 - CLE98 - NYJ7 - TB, WAS, CHI, ARI6 - JAX, TEN, DET5 - DEN, CIN, CAR, SF, LV, NYG4 - BUF, LAC3 - HOU, PHI, LAR, MIN2 - ATL, MIA, KC, NE, NO1 - BAL, SEA, DAL, IND0 - PIT, GB
That kind of consistency is exactly why the Steelers draw so much criticism. They’re rarely a disaster, but they also haven’t been the kind of team that forces the rest of the league to treat them like a true threat.
The irony, of course, is that Green Bay’s run without a last-place finish came during years when Mike McCarthy was the head coach from 2010 to 2018 and Aaron Rodgers was the quarterback from 2010 to 2022.
Pittsburgh has now tied itself to both names. Rodgers was signed ahead of the 2025 season with the idea that he could help push the Steelers closer to AFC contention in what became Mike Tomlin’s final year as head coach. After Tomlin stepped down, the team hired McCarthy to replace him and reunited him with Rodgers rather than turning to the future at quarterback with Will Howard or Drew Allar.
There’s plenty for the franchise to hang its hat on. The Steelers haven’t had a losing season since 2003, and they’ve won two Super Bowls in that span.
But the bigger issue is what hasn’t happened. If Pittsburgh had enjoyed even a little more postseason success over the last decade, the talk about the team being stuck in the middle would not be nearly as loud.
Every NFL team is supposed to compete every year and give itself a shot once January arrives. But there’s also a point where a franchise has to know when to reset, and Pittsburgh still hasn’t done that.
Tomlin’s time had clearly run its course for both sides, even with everything he accomplished. Instead of going after a younger, more modern coaching option like some of the league’s best-run teams have done, the Steelers went with McCarthy, a familiar face with a proven résumé.
McCarthy won Super Bowl XLV over Pittsburgh and later guided the Dallas Cowboys to three straight 12-win seasons from 2022 to 2024 before being let go after the 2025 campaign. He brings credibility, and he brings a known style.
That’s the point, though. The Steelers know exactly what they’re getting. It looks a lot like the version of Tomlin they had at the end: a veteran coach who can steady the room, keep the team respectable and competitive, but probably doesn’t raise the ceiling much.
Pittsburgh could have used this offseason to make a real break from the past. Instead, the most likely outcome is more of the same in 2026. Whether that’s enough is the question hanging over the franchise.
In Other News...
Steelers Suddenly Face A Brutal T.J. Watt Question
The idea of T.J. Watt ever leaving Pittsburgh is the kind of thought that usually gets dismissed quickly, but it has surfaced for a reason. Watt remains one of the leagues premier edge rushers, yet his age and hefty contract make any theoretical trade far more complicated than the usual star-player speculation, especially for a Steelers team that still has to weigh present-day competitiveness against long-term flexibility.
ESPNs Bill Barnwell pointed to the Von Miller deal as the sort of framework that could shape Watts market, which is a reminder that even elite pass rushers do not always command the kind of return fans expect. If Pittsburgh were to stumble badly this season, the front office could at least have to confront whether moving Watt becomes a real option, even if the price tag would not likely match his reputation. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Suddenly Have Real Questions About Payton Wilson Before Camp
The Steelers head into camp with their middle linebacker spot under a sharper microscope than anyone would have expected a year ago. Patrick Queen is back as a starter, Payton Wilson is back after leading the team in tackles in 2025, and the group still carries the burden of a defense that never quite found its footing last season.
Wilsons athleticism has never been the issue, but the next step is harder to ignore now. His play in coverage remains the part that will define how far he can go in Pittsburgh, especially with the Steelers looking for more stability in the middle after a disappointing defensive year. [Read more 🡒]
Keeanu Benton Suddenly Has More To Prove Than Steelers Fans Expected
The Steelers have spent the offseason locking up familiar faces, with several veterans and members of the 2023 draft class already getting extensions. For Keeanu Benton, though, the picture is a little different. The fourth-year defensive lineman has shown enough growth to keep himself in the conversation, especially after taking a step forward as a pass rusher in 2025, but his place in Pittsburgh still feels more like a work in progress than a finished product.
Bentons next test is the one that matters most for a lineman in this system: holding up against the run. He needs a stronger season in 2026 to turn improvement into trust, a more prominent role and, eventually, the kind of long-term security his draft classmates are chasing. For now, he remains one of the more interesting Steelers to watch because the path forward is obvious, even if the payoff is still out in front of him. [Read more 🡒]