If you’ve been following the Pittsburgh Steelers, it’s no secret what kind of football the team wants to play in the future. After the bye week of the 2022 season, the Steelers pledged to run the ball and stuck with that heir this offseason, like signing multiple offensive linemen and drafting tackle Broderick Jones and tight end Darnell Washington. Simply put, the Steelers will try to bully teams this season.
It’s not just us who think that, deputy chief executive Andy Weidl said today at a press conference. In a tweet from Pittsburgh Tribune-ReviewAccording to Chris Adamski, Weidl said Pittsburgh would try to “break the will” of their opponents.
Courtesy of a transcript from the team, here is Weidl’s full quote.
“We want to be big, we want to be physical, we want to be tough. We want to be able to impose our will on the teams. It’s the Pittsburgh Steelers, right? You will break the other team’s sword in the second half of a match. Go be able to win on the road. This is what we build. That’s what we have here. That’s what they have been in the past, and we want to continue that identity.
Pittsburgh committed to running the ball midway through last season and went 7-2 in its last nine games behind a rushing offense that went over 100 yards in eight of those games.
The moves this offseason confirmed the plan to try to “break the will” of other teams as the Steelers rebuild the offensive line and draft Washington, the best tight block in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Historically, Pittsburgh succeeds when it relies on running. The Steelers of the ’70s were led by their defense and Franco Harris was the driving force on offense. In the 2000s, the Steelers were a first team despite generational quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
With Najee Harris, it would be a mistake not to look into the 2021 first-round pick. After regaining his health last season, he played very well and showed he could carry a team. Quarterback Kenny Pickett has shown that he can lead winning practices and that the combination of the two leads to success.
In a passing league, the Steelers are going old school and wanting to submit the team. It may be old school, but it’s a formula that has made the Steelers one of the most successful franchises in professional sports.
