“The Steeler Way” has long been synonymous with hard-nosed, physical football.
But does it even exist anymore? According to former Steeler and Super Bowl champion Willie Colon, it’s now just a memory.
Willie Colon Says ‘The Steeler Way’ No Longer Exists
Appearing on “The Ryen Russillo Podcast,” Colon gave an honest assessment of the current Steelers organization and its culture. He suggested that head coach Mike Tomlin might struggle with the personalities in his locker room after the team traded for DK Metcalf. Upon hearing that, Russillo jokingly asked if Steelers ownership hated its head coach.
“I don’t think they hate him, but I think they’re ready to turn the page,” Colon said before suggesting that the fanbase had grown tired of the “mediocrity” of the team’s results in recent years.
He then went on to say that “The Steeler Way” is a thing of the past, citing conversations with former teammates during Super Bowl week earlier this year.
“I was at the Super Bowl, and I ran into a lot of my old teammates because everybody was kind of w****** themselves around media row and trying to shake hands, kiss babies type thing, and find a door so they can walk through with their media career.” Colon’s humor was a constant throughout what turned into an engaging interview.
“We were talking about the culture of the Steelers. At one point, it meant something. And now, it feels like it’s something that you just say, and it doesn’t have as much weight as it once did. Some of the stories I was hearing coming out of the locker room were interesting. I got the feeling that the old way and what I was brought into doesn’t exist anymore. That was disheartening.”
Colon’s story reflects a broader shift in the NFL, not just within the Steelers organization. As a younger generation of players enters the league, balancing culture, tradition, and adaptation is becoming increasingly difficult. From Caleb Williams publicly crying in his mother’s arms after a loss to active NFL players hosting their own podcasts, today’s NFL player is just different.
After 14 years without a Super Bowl appearance and a negative point differential in four of the last six seasons, something needs to change in Pittsburgh. Whether the issue is the fading of old-school values or an unwillingness to evolve is something the organization needs to figure out sooner rather than later.