A Letter From the Editor: It’s put up or shut up time for the 2022 Steelers

The first week of training camp for the 2022 Pittsburgh Steelers is in the books, and I, for one, am thankful. Not only does the news coming out of Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA give us here at BTSC something to write/talk about, but it also starts the process of putting storylines and narratives to bed.

You know, the narratives which never seem to die throughout the offseason?

Before going any further, let it be known how not all of these narratives or storylines are negative. They just grew tiresome during the lengthy NFL offseason.

What are some of the storylines/narratives which will be either solidified or dispelled in the coming weeks? Let’s take a look at some...

New Faces (FAs and Draft picks)

Whether you are talking about the signings of Mitch Trubisky, James Daniels, Myles Jack or Levi Wallace. Or if you are talking about one of the seven 2022 NFL Draft picks. It is now time for the Steelers to go out and show fans what they can do. No more talking about potential rosters along the offensive line. No more wondering about a player’s ability to adjust to a new scheme. We finally get to see it first-hand.

Tomlin on Pivot podcast

When Mike Tomlin went on Ryan Clark’s Pivot Podcast, it made waves, and rightfully so. Tomlin spoke truthfully, and honestly. To be candid, when he speaks in a setting like that, it can be mesmerizing. But the one thing which stood out was how Tomlin doesn’t cling to his non-losing season streak. He doesn’t sit back in awe of any accomplishments. I liked that, but I really hope his players respond and perform at a high level. Tomlin is a wordsmith, but it doesn’t make his job any easier.

Speculation on position battles

The position battle talk is never ending during the lead up to training camp. Who will be QB1? What about RB2? What about WR3?! This is the time of the year when the players decide this, not fans debating and discussing different aspects of the depth chart.

Matt Canada

Of course Matt Canada would make a list for storylines and narratives which never die. All offseason Canada was compared to the sub-par 2021 offense, and why his 2022 unit will be more of the same. On the flip side, there were plenty of people who stuck up for Canada, suggesting getting players who fit his scheme would change the outcome of the offense dramatically.

As I said earlier, not all of these narratives/storylines were negative, and I didn’t come close to listing them all. However, the one thing which is best about this time of the year is it isn’t speculation anymore. It isn’t what we think should happen. The players go out on the field and have to prove it. Tomlin and company have to do the same.

Monday the pads go on and the live hitting begins. This will provide even more information for fans to glean and start to differentiate how the current team is taking shape, or lack thereof. In the meantime, it is time for the 2022 Steelers to either put up, or shut up. Either way, I’m here for it.

(Note: The Letter From the Editor article runs every Sunday during the Pittsburgh Steelers offseason.)