There's often a fine line between what's considered an excuse and what's deemed a reason why something went wrong.
And most of the time, there's not a lot of difference between the two. But there is one major factor that cannot be overlooked. That is what your boss or those in charge happen to believe.
Thursday, Steelers president Art Rooney II made it quite clear where he sided when it came to where things went off the rails with the team's 2020 season.
"I came into the season thinking we had a strong roster and a team that could compete for a championship. We started off 11-0 and won our division, so a lot of good things," Rooney said. "But we stumbled at the end, so disappointing in that we thought we had the kind of team that could have and should have gone farther. Some of the factors, I think, that went into some of the negative side of the season was inconsistency on offense and really a lack of a running game that contributed to that inconsistency. It was tough to overcome that at times.
"Obviously, the many schedule changes that we had, it's hard to say what impact that had on us, but I think it did have an impact at one point when we went into that stretch of losing three in a row. And during that stretch, no coincidence that we lost Bud Dupree in that timeframe and losing Bud at that point in the season was a big loss. It's hard to say what all factors were most important, but looking at the playoff game, when you turn the ball over four times in the first half, you're not going to beat very many people. Take nothing away from the Cleveland Browns. They have a good team. But we just didn't give ourselves a chance. Don't need to overanalyze that. We just didn't give ourselves a chance."
Some of those things were beyond the control of the Steelers. The schedule and the injuries can't be managed.
But the lack of a running game? That was clearly something Rooney put at the feet of those involved -- namely offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner and offensive line coach Shaun Sarrett.
"We have to start with a commitment to the running game, and that's something that I'm not sure we've always had," Rooney said. "So, as we look at changes to the coaching staff, I think that'll be part of the mindset. Again, in terms of the people in this building at this point, I think everybody understands we're going to have to be better than that. Again, I think that that contributes to the inconsistency that we saw on offense.
"I think we've already started to make some changes to address that, and there are more to come. I think we obviously are going to have probably some changes on the roster at running back this year with James (Conner) being a free agent. There's no question it's something that we have to address. I think everybody in the building agrees that you can't finish 32nd in the league in running and feel you're going to have a successful season."
Much the same way former offensive coordinator Todd Haley was tasked with keeping Ben Roethlisberger upright following the sack-happy Bruce Arians years, new offensive coordinator Matt Canada has a clear mandate to fix the running game -- and stick with it.
• All of that said, Rooney doesn't sound like someone who puts the blame at the feet of Mike Tomlin when it comes to the team's lack of postseason success.
Depending on the argument you're trying to make, you could look at it and say the Steelers have three playoff wins since 2015, or three playoff wins since their last Super Bowl appearance in 2010.
Rooney looks at the big picture.
"Sometimes you go through stretches and you don't like them. We went through a stretch from 1980 to 2005, a quarter of a century, I guess, between Super Bowl wins at one point," Rooney said. "It doesn't change our mindset that we're going to try to put a team on the field every year that can compete for a championship.
"I went into this season thinking that we had that kind of team, and really if I had my druthers, I'd say if I could have the same roster back going into next year, I'd do it. Obviously, that's not going to be the case, but just in terms of how we're doing things and whether we're doing something right or wrong, I think we had ourselves set up to go into the season and had an 11-0 record at one point, won our division. So, I'm not going to overanalyze what we did over the last 10 years based on that."
Rooney has been around long enough to know that there are things that happen over the course of a season that affect the bottom line. But the Steelers believe in putting a head coach in place who gives their franchise a chance to compete year in and year out. It's why they've only had three head coaches since 1969.
Tomlin has one year and an option year for 2022 remaining on his current contract. And from the sounds of it, there's a good chance he gets that option picked up and another option year added on for 2023.
"We'll address Mike's contract with him as time goes on this off-season. I'll just say I feel comfortable in saying that he'll be our coach into the future," Rooney said. "In terms of the job he did, obviously we didn't finish the way we'd like. The playoff game, again, it's hard to analyze exactly what we did there in terms of just turning the ball over that way. You're not going to win very many games. I don't really see how you attribute that to coaching preparation. I think the team went into that game prepared and felt like we were going to win. We certainly -- it wasn't one of those things where we came out flat or anything like that. You just can't turn the ball over.
"So, in terms of the overall season, you know, we set a franchise record starting out 11-0, won our division, so those are the positives. The way we finished was not one of the positives. I know Mike feels as bad about that as any of us and is determined to do what we need to do to fight to get back into having another opportunity to win the division and move on."
Why not? He's got 145 wins in his 14 seasons. He's never had a losing season in that tenure -- something no other coach has accomplished. And he's taken this team to two Super Bowls.
Andy Reid will lead the Chiefs into the Super Bowl next weekend. He went 10 years -- from 2009 through 2018 -- winning just two playoff games. Think the Chiefs are glad to have him on board?
Are the Saints ready to move on from Sean Payton? In 14 seasons, he's got two fewer wins than Tomlin. He also won just one Super Bowl with Drew Brees at quarterback and has won five playoff games since winning the Super Bowl in 2009.
• Kevin Colbert has gone year-to-year with his contract now that he's in his 60s. But Rooney seems confident the team's general manager since 2000 will return for the 2021 season, as well.
"I kind of feel like Kevin is going to come back, but who knows?" Rooney said.
• So Roethlisberger wants to return and the Steelers want him back. Sounds like Roethlisberger will be the quarterback of the Steelers in 2021.
As Rooney said, it will have to be at the right number.
The Steelers, however, knew that when they restructured his deal last offseason, pushing his cap number to $41.25 million. They knew all along they would have to extend his contract to lower that number and had every intention of doing so.
The Steelers have more than $170 million in salary cap space available to them in 2022. This whole theory that they are "kicking the can down the road" by extending Roethlisberger is silly.
Moving a little bit of that cash into a season in which they have more salary cap space than they've had in the past decade combined makes sense. After all, it's not like they're going to go into next season with all of that cap space and go crazy on in free agency.
They'll spend it on extensions for their own players and maybe make a prudent free agent signing or two. But they're never going to be major players on the open market. They don't believe in it.
• Given Rooney's statement regarding changes -- plural -- to the running back room this year, if I were Benny Snell or Jaylen Samuels, I wouldn't be purchasing a home in the Pittsburgh area this offseason.
Roethlisberger's return will likely be with the caveat that he be intent on helping that running game more, as well. One thing we don't know is how often Roethlisberger was given a run-pass option as a play and simply chose the pass option.
But I'd be willing to bet it was more often than not.
Not that you can necessarily blame him. When given the option of throwing the ball or handing it off to any of backs not named Conner, you'd pick the former, too. After all, Snell, Samuels and Anthony McFarland all averaged 3.4 yards per carry or less, a full yard less than Conner last season.
The Steelers will select a running back in the first two days of the draft and probably supplement the position with an established veteran backup at the right price, as well.
They've had the NFL's lowest-paid running back room the past three years. And you get what you pay for.
