The Pittsburgh Steelers are a proud franchise. Their fan base follows suit. Therefore, you can imagine how painful it is to hear NFL talking heads talk about how the Steelers aren’t contenders, just mere pretenders.
When you look at the logistics, you can’t blame those narratives from being discussed. Just look at the last five seasons for the Steelers:
2022: 9-8
2021: 9-7-1 *
2020: 12-4 *
2019: 8-8
2018: 8-6-1
*- Playoff Appearance
Looking back at those seasons, the years which ended in a playoff berth were a one-and-done scenario. Even the 2020 season, which started with an 11-0 record, ended in a dud with a 12-4 finish.