Rocky Bleier is ‘done’ with the Steelers and suggests ‘maybe Keith Butler has to go’

If the Pittsburgh Steelers latest loss to the Oakland Raiders is still bothering you, rest assured you are not alone. As unhappy as fans were with the team’s performance in Oakland on Sunday, it would appear that a number of former players were equally as upset by the manner in which the Steelers lost their Week 14 matchup against the Raiders.

However, while names like Jerome Bettis limited themselves to just a few words on Twitter, iconic running back Rocky Bleier was still so disturbed by the game on Monday afternoon that he felt the need to take to Facebook to share his thoughts about his former team.

Despite his dulcet tones, Bleier pulled no punches when he called out Chris Boswell, Keith Butler and Mike Tomlin. Suggesting changes might need to made at kicker, defensive coordinator and perhaps even head coach if the season did not end well, the four-time Super Bowl Champion voiced opinions that are sure to resonate with many fans.

“Here’s my take on the Steelers. I’m done, I mean they’ve ripped my heart out. With the talent that they have, how can they lose three out of their last four games, and in the manner that they did?”

“Boswell. Now the purpose of a kicker is just to put his team in a position to win. If you can’t do that, then maybe you need to go.”

“Simple premise, if an opponent cannot score, well then you cannot lose a game. If you have an offense that can come from behind, put you in a position to win, then as a defense, you cannot let your opponent march down the field and strip you of your dignity. This season that has happened too often. Something has to be done, and if you’re pointing fingers, well maybe Keith Butler has to go.”

“With three games remaining, the Steelers’ destiny lies in their hands, but it is shakey with the Patriots, Saints and Bengals on the horizon. How they fare will dictate the team’s future, and it may be without Tomlin.”

While Bleier is active as a public speaker, he is not known for talking negatively about the Steelers and is rarely heard of in the media beyond sharing anecdotes about his former team. Although the younger players on the roster are unlikely to be too concerned by his comments, they cannot have sat well with the likes of Art Rooney.

It is hard to argue that Bleier is wrong in his assessment about who is responsible for many of the recent failures, and as painful as it might be for some to acknowledge, changes do need to be made. As he correctly points out, these last three games could be the make or break of several careers in Pittsburgh and new leadership at the top might not be out of the question.