Steelers News: Art Rooney II voices displeasure with NFL implementing the Rooney Rule

The Pittsburgh Steelers 2019 season is officially over. After finishing the year 8-8, the Steelers, and their vast fan base, has another long offseason awaiting them. Just because the games are done doesn’t mean we stop providing you with features, commentary and opinions to tide you over throughout the offseason!

Today in the black-and-gold links article we take at how Steelers Team President Art Rooney II is not happy with how the league is implementing the rule named after his late father, Dan Rooney.

Let’s get to the news:

• The Rooney Rule is well known among the NFL landscape, but it has become more of a joke than anything the past few years. Art Rooney II chimes in on the rule named after his late father.

Steelers owner Art Rooney II feels NFL ‘not where we need to be’ with diverse hires among its coaches

By: Brooke Pryor, ESPN

Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II said the NFL will evaluate the hiring process and examine the Rooney Rule after the recent cycle saw the hiring of just one minority head coach.

”I think where we are right now, is not where we want to be, not where we need to be,” Rooney said in an NFL Network interview with Steve Wyche. “We need to take a step back and look at what’s happening with our hiring processes. The first thing we’ll do, as part of our diversity committee, is really review this past season’s hiring cycle and make sure we understand what went on and talk to the people involved both on the owner’s side, management’s side as well as the people that were interviewed.

“The thing I think we have to look at is back when the Rooney Rule was passed and put in effect in 2003, there was a period there where we did see an increase in minority hiring at the head-coaching position. And I think over a period of time there were 10 or 12 minority coaches hired. Since then, that trend seems to reverse itself, particularly in the last few years. We need to study what’s going on and understand better what’s going on and really decide how we improve the situation.”

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• What are some of the Steelers’ biggest needs in 2020? PFF chimes in on their list.

Offseason needs for all 32 NFL teams in 2020

By: Ben Linsey, Pro Football Focus

PITTSBURGH STEELERS: NEW FACES ON THE INTERIOR OFFENSIVE LINE

Secondary needs: edge defender, field-stretching tight end, quarterback

The Steelers have had one of the most stable and consistent offensive lines in the NFL over the last several seasons, but it could be time to inject some new life into the group, particularly on the interior. Ramon Foster is 34 years old and coming off the worst overall PFF grade of his career in 2019. Maurkice Pouncey is also coming off the lowest PFF grade of his career and carries a cap hit of $11 million in both 2020 and 2021. It would behoove the Steelers to start looking toward the future at those positions, especially with backup interior offensive lineman B.J. Finney entering free agency.

As for other needs, the future of the quarterback position became a clear priority with the dismal play of Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges in relief of Ben Roethlisberger. No team had fewer receiving yards from the tight end position than the Steelers, so an upgrade could certainly be in order there to give Roethlisberger another downfield threat. Lastly, edge becomes a priority if Bud Dupree leaves in free agency, something that the Steelers shouldn’t be afraid to allow happen if the price gets too high.

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• At this point, do you feel sort of sorry for Antonio Brown? The man clearly needs some type of help...

Antonio Brown continues to be his own worst enemy

By: Mike Florio, ProFootballTalk

It’s entirely possible that Antonio Brown has a health condition that has caused him to consistently act in bizarre and erratic ways over the course of the last year. If so, someone who can influence him to get the help he needs should do everything in his or her power to make that happen.

If Brown is of sound mind, the only explanation for his endless run of misguided words and deeds is that he’s a selfish, entitled athlete who was never told “no” before Week 17 of the 2018 season, that he has consistently heard “no” since then, and that he isn’t handling it well.

Regardless, the latest AB-being-AB incident is far different than the rest. It went ignored in this space for a day in part because he won’t be relevant to the NFL until the 2020 season, at the earliest, and in part because of AB fatigue. The video that Brown himself posted on social media shows him yelling and screaming profanties at the mother of one or more of his children, with at least two children. Brown also repeatedly berates the police with a profane tirade that seems like it never will end.

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• Social Media Madness