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While the Pittsburgh Steelers' defense got a glowing review from a receiver, star defender T.J. Watt weighed in on the offense. There are plenty of question marks on the latter side of the ball. And that's why the Steelers’ biggest reason to panic after the start of 2025 NFL training camp is the offense.
Sure, the Steelers got their quarterback in Aaron Rodgers. They reeled in a big-time receiver in D.K. Metcalf. But what do the Steelers have beyond those guys that bring a lot of excitement?
The Steelers have their work cut out for them as the 2025 season arrives.
Steelers HC Mike Tomlin faces another challenge
Yes, there are those who want to hype train the Steelers into Super Bowl contention. But what about the more realistic move that requires a move into playoff contention first?
Think the playoffs are a shoo-in? Look at Rodgers’ age. Will the 41-year-old former superstar hold up for a full season? Will he be able to carry the offense if the running game doesn’t shine? And will he connect with Metcalf to form a threatening duo?
Tomlin tried to brush aside concerns, according to espn.com.
“Just still at the very early stages of development,” he said. “I appreciate the approach to learning and getting better and managing the installs.”
It’s reasonable not to worry too much at this point. It’s still early August. However, the season comes fast. And will all the question marks fall into place?
And one thing Tomlin can’t do is overload Rodgers during training camp. He must manage his workload.
“He's a workaholic,” Tomlin said. “I don't have a whole lot of reservations about that. I think he's hardened himself throughout his career with his attitude toward work. Certainly, I'm going to limit him in some instances. But when I do, it's going to be more about elevating opportunities for guys like Will Howard. And less about preserving him, to be quite honest with you.”
The bad thing is Rodgers likely won’t be patient if things start to unravel. And a few rough moments in practice can add up. The Steelers had some of those on Friday.
“Obviously, we didn't execute how we wanted to, but we got to continue to build on that,” tight end Freiermuth said. “It was our first two-minute all of camp, and so obviously we wish it ended differently. But we're working towards the end goal of week one and being able to execute. There's going to be some ups and downs, and we'll get it corrected.”
But what about the ground game?
The Steelers averaged only 4.1 yards per carry in 2024. That ranked in the bottom 10 of the NFL. And they don’t have Najee Harris now.
Leading the way are Jaylen Warren and rookie running back Kaleb Johnson. Kenneth Gainwell helps round out the depth.
The Steelers have struggled so far in camp on offense, but Tomlin downplayed the issues, according to Yahoo.com.
“I just think it’s usual for this time year,” Tomlin said. “Defenses usually develop a little faster than offenses. The get-to-know, the cohesion that’s required to be good, it’s just a component of it. No alarm bells there.”
And what about the team’s goals for 2025?
That’s part of this story as well. If the Steelers are going to have a shining season, the offense will have to be better than it looks heading into the year. Tomlin said he’s not concerned about preseason narratives, according to a post on YouTube by NFL on ESPN via Yahoo.com.
“A lot of the narratives are funny to me,” Tomlin said. “But I get what people mean. There’s a level of excitement about the talent that we’ve acquired. And it’s a little bit out of character, maybe in some instances. So from that standpoint, it’s exciting. But you’re right, we are trying to do it each and every year, and 2025 has our attention this year.”
Rodgers’ boasting certainly didn’t dampen the high-level narratives, according to a post on X by Brian Batko.
Aaron Rodgers says any given year, there are usually 6-8 teams capable of winning the Super Bowl, maybe 10-12 in some seasons, and he believes the Steelers are one of them.
And, of course, there’s the offensive line. Tomlin said that’s a big “if,” according to Sirius XM NFL Radio via steelersdepot.com.
“Their growth and development is the elephant in the room,” Tomlin said. “We talk about it. We gotta live it every day. But they got enough talent, individually and collectively, to do it. But it is a process, and this team development process is a big time for them. We expect these guys to play, and play well.”
Overall, the Steelers have a ton of work to do. And they will need a lot of things to fall into place. Not only to be a playoff noise-maker, but just to keep Tomlin above the .500 mark once again.
