Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin admits he's both scared and excited as he and the team enter their first season in the post-Ben Roethlisberger era.

Big Ben officially retired at the conclusion of the 2022 season after spending his whole 18-year career in Pittsburgh. Of course it's a big change for the franchise that has been so used to the NFL icon who led them to not just one but two Super Bowl titles.

Tomlin emphasized that they'll no longer have another quarterback like Roethlisberger, but he's embracing the challenge that comes with it. The Steelers' tactician is also confident they have more than enough tools to succeed in the new era of Pittsburgh football.

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“First of all, the dude's talent. When you watch somebody do something at a certain level for so long, it messes up your perception of what's regular and what's not. The dude's arm talent was so special for so long. When you see special stuff every day, you get used to it. I've enjoyed that comfort, we've all enjoyed that comfort. I'm excited about being uncomfortable,” Tomlin said on The Pivot podcast, via NFL.com.

“Yeah, we might not have the type of quarterback play that we've had, we might not have the special talent that we've had, but we got capable dudes. And we've got a team.”

The Steelers have Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph fighting for the QB1 spot to replace Ben Roethlisberger, and while they have yet to prove they can fill the void left by the former NFL superstar, there is every reason to be excited about their future.

As Mike Tomlin said it, what the Steelers need to do is to develop that culture and continuity that will help them become the best team in the NFL.

“I'm looking forward to the anxiety associated with that uncertainty. To have to stand and deliver, to live out what we believe in. The standard is the standard. It's like McDonald's. You know what a No. 1 is. It don't matter where you go, what corner of the globe, a No. 1 is a No. 1, and that's what I want Pittsburgh Steelers football to be. So it doesn't matter who puts their hands underneath the center as far as I'm concerned. But, all that cool stuff being said — It's scary, but exciting,” Tomlin shared.