If the success is measured by championships, changes need to be made with the Steelers

You hear it all the time, how success in Pittsburgh isn’t measured by a .500 record, winning more than you lose or even a playoff berth. No, success is measured by one thing — championships.

Let’s stop right there for a bit.

With only two teams possessing six Super Bowl victories in NFL history, and two others with five, you immediately realize how difficult it is to win a championship in the NFL. Sure, the New England Patriots made it look really easy over the last decade, but it just isn’t. However, that doesn’t, nor should it, change the expectation in a city like Pittsburgh with the Steelers.

Adding to the trophy case is what matters most, and if this is true and not just lip service by those within the organization every year, then changes need to be made.

No, I don’t think there should be a change at the top of the coaching ranks. There will always be detractors who despise everything about Mike Tomlin, but I am not one of them. To be honest, I don’t think either Keith Butler or Randy Fichtner should be fired heading into 2020. Fichtner gets a one year pass considering what he had to work with this past season.

But these changes aren’t really what I am talking about when it comes to the necessary adjustments to help the team get over the proverbial hump and back in the position of legitimately vying for a Super Bowl title.

If no major coaching changes are happening, what needs to change? Here are a few ideas:

• Offensive approach to the running back position. Running back by committee is okay.
• Think outside the box when it comes to the offseason/free agents.
• Don’t be afraid to make the tough decision when it comes to salary cap savings.
• Understand that change should be purposeful, and not just for the sake of change.

This just to name a few of the ways things need to change for the Steelers to be a better version of themselves in 2020, and get back to the promised land.

There are many who will read this headline, want to fire everyone and start over. But why? Change is necessary, and can have a positive impact on the team, but it doesn’t always mean a head coach or coordinator needs to lose their job for this to take place. There are times when this is considered acceptable, but I don’t feel this is the case for the Steelers at this point.

The Steelers need change, but subtle changes which can lead to big results in the future. Sadly, some of the changes needed are of the complete unknown variety based on the health of one Mr. Ben Roethlisberger. So, what else will change, and what can fans expect this offseason?

Will the team make some tough decisions with players like Vance McDonald, Ramon Foster and Mark Barron? How will they approach the running back position this offseason? What will the offensive line look like in 2020?

I dive into these topics, and others, in the latest episode of the Next Man Up podcast. You can either watch the show, from our YouTube channel, below, or listen in podcast/audio form in the player below.