The Pittsburgh Steelers 2021 football season could very well be the last with three names we’ve all come to know and (mostly) love for more than a decade. The contracts of general manager Kevin Colbert, head coach Mike Tomlin and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger all expire at the end of next season.
Kevin Colbert
The Pittsburgh native joined the Steelers organization in 2000 as director of football operations and has managed the duties that a typical GM would. When he was named general manager in 2011, he became the first in Steelers history to officially hold that title.
Colbert was given a contract extension in February on the condition that it was only for one year. He told the Pittsburgh media that he wanted extensions to be year-to-year going forward.
He has also said that he would never leave the Steelers unprepared. Hopefully, that means that he plans to select a potential successor to Roethlisberger in the 2021 NFL draft. We all know that a team is only as good as its quarterback.
Speaking of successors, it has been reported that the favorite to be named the Steelers next GM is Brandon Hunt, the team’s pro scouting coordinator. Hunt has been with the Steelers for 11 seasons.
Pittsburgh has won two Super Bowls and three AFC championships since Colbert joined the organization. The team also has nine division titles and has made the playoffs 12 times.
Colbert is responsible for drafting 158 players so far, including Hall of Fame safety Troy Polamalu, and future Hall of Famer Roethlisberger. He also has an eye for spotting diamonds in the rough — linebacker James Harrison, running back Willie Parker, and safety Ryan Clark were all undrafted players the Steelers signed to contracts.
Colbert, 63, is one of the NFL’s longest-tenured GMs. There’s no doubt he’s eyeing retirement.
Ben Roethlisberger
It would be a surprise to most everyone if Roethlisberger doesn’t retire at the end of his contract, and an even bigger surprise if the Steelers extend him.
Entering his 17th season, Roethlisberger has amassed many team and league records and has two Super Bowl victories to his name. His storied career will forever have him in the history books.
Record-wise, the quarterback’s best season came during his rookie year with a record of 13-0. With a record of 144-71-1, he’s come close to that 13-win mark six seasons since. Roethlisberger enjoyed his best year just two seasons ago in 2018 when he threw for career-highs in yardage (5,129) and touchdowns (34).
Mike Tomlin
Tomlin is heading into his 14th season as head coach. The Steelers typically extend their coach when he has two years left — almost always before training camp starts — and they did so in 2019. His current contract keeps him in Pittsburgh through the 2021 season.
Should he retire at the end of next season, he’ll have coached as many seasons as predecessor Bill Cowher. It’s almost hard to believe, isn’t it?
Cowher was hired as the Steelers coach at age 35, as was Tomlin. Cowher retired at 49 after 15 seasons with the black and gold.
At 36, Tomlin became the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl when the Steelers beat the Arizona Cardinals in 2009.
His current record as head coach is 133-74-1.
It’s wild, yet not unrealistic, to think that Tomlin, Colbert, and Roethlisberger could all retire in 2021 and ride off into the sunset together.
Will it happen? I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. One thing is for certain, the Steelers would not be where they are today without the three of them.
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