PITTSBURGH — Mike Tomlin hasn’t spoken publicly in more than two months despite a couple of things happening with the Pittsburgh Steelers since the end of the season.
It’s not unusual for Tomlin to go to radio silent.
Actually, it’s an annual thing for Tomlin to wait until the NFL owners’ meetings to speak about his team during the AFC coaches’ breakfast on Monday morning — an event that he’s always fashionably late for, seemingly by design.
Tomlin will break his silence on Sunday at the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes in Orlando, Fla., where he will sit down with a handful of outlets and go over in great detail — for the only time this offseason — the direction of the organization since the season ended with yet another first-round playoff loss.
General manager Omar Khan and owner Art Rooney II are also expected to talk, so we should get a good cross section of the what, when and why of the offseason
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Here are 10 things we need to see from the Steelers or hear from Tomlin, Khan and Rooney during the meetings, knowing that legitimate answers will be few and far between. But you have to ask, right?
1. Was going after Russell Wilson always the plan?
I’m sure Tomlin will make it sound like a quarterback the caliber of Wilson being available at such a meager price ($1.2 million) forced them to at least reach out to him, but it should be entertaining to see how he spins the reason why Wilson is now the Steelers’ starting quarterback. Looking back on it now, it makes sense. When Ben Roethlisberger retired two years ago, Tomlin was said not to want to start over with a young quarterback, then the Steelers drafted Kenny Pickett. Having a chance to go with a proven leader and winner with experience has to be at the top of the list of why the Steelers decided to reach out to Wilson in the first place. Surely the price tag was enticing, but that couldn’t have been everything. Tomlin’s face at Wilson’s introductory news conference said more than he will likely say with his words.
Follow-up: What sold you on Wilson, is he the sure-thing Day 1 starter and can you envision an extension looming?
2. What is the long-term plan with Justin Fields?
Fields was acquired for a conditional sixth-round pick a day after the Steelers traded Pickett. He’s owed just over $3 million for this year, and a decision will have to be made about his future with the team within the next six weeks — whether to pick up a fifth-year option that is expected to be around $25 million for 2025, extend him, or let it ride and see what the year brings. Fields is uber-talented but needs some polishing. Do the Steelers view him as the potential franchise quarterback of the future or a cheap option as a backup? Once again, there is a limited possibility that Tomlin and/or Khan will speak in absolutes about Fields other than an opportunity presented itself to get a former first-round quarterback with potential.
Follow-up: What would have to happen for Fields to be the Week 1 starter and could you envision a Fields-specific package in the offense?
3. How did having “full faith” in Kenny Pickett turn into trading him within weeks?
What led to the quick turnaround from Tomlin calling Pickett the No. 1 quarterback heading into the offseason to Khan saying he had “full faith” in Pickett to trading him five days after Wilson tweeted that he was signing with the Steelers? Deep down, Tomlin has to feel betrayed by Pickett. There wasn’t a chance that passed during his first two seasons that Tomlin didn’t speak glowingly of Pickett. From the “football justice” quote to calling him a “winner,” Tomlin loved Pickett. What changed from then until now? Nobody could’ve foreseen Pickett being so angry that he requested a trade after putting together one of the best preseasons in team history a few months earlier.
Follow-up: At what point did Tomlin know something was wrong and Pickett had to be moved?
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