The Pittsburgh Steelers are at a crossroads this season in more ways than one. Not only are they teetering on the precipice of the end of an era, they are also in a precarious position in terms of their longitudinal profile. They haven’t won a playoff game since 2016. And they know that they won’t have their franchise quarterback for much longer.
In fact, it’s quite possible that this is Ben Roethlisberger’s final season, a fact of which everybody in the building is well aware. Earlier today, owner Art Rooney II acknowledged those circumstances, but also said that there is always urgency to win, and to not take any season for granted, regardless of the specifics.