ORLANDO, Fla. -- A lot has transpired since Mike Tomlin last addressed the media in mid-January: The Steelers hired a new offensive coordinator and completely overhauled his quarterback room, among other moves such as signing a top-of-the-market linebacker.
But, when Tomlin took a break from the first day of the NFL annual meeting to sit on a covered patio of the Ritz-Carlton Sunday afternoon with a handful of reporters, two words stood out regarding his new offense:
"Stay tuned."
It's obvious that Tomlin had to answer for a dramatic shakeup at quarterback. What started as searching for competition for Kenny Pickett turned into signing Russell Wilson, trading Pickett to the Eagles and acquiring Justin Fields for a conditional 2025 sixth-round pick.
While the shakeup was dramatic, the reasons for the changes weren't, at least from Tomlin's perspective.
"I don't know that dramatic things happened, from a perception standpoint," Tomlin said. "We had one quarterback on our roster the last time we talked. We knew obviously we had to acquire some talent at the position. So we just studied the field and levels of availability among some of the candidates in the field. We got zeroed in on Russell and Justin among them. Obviously, probably the goal was to get one guy initially, but through conversation and work -- and I can't give Omar (Khan) enough credit -- we were able to acquire both guys."
While Tomlin didn't shy away from those questions, it's clear that he was far more interested in the Steelers' future rather than combing through events of the past few weeks. The overhaul at quarterback is in the rearview mirror to Tomlin, and now it's time to start sorting things out for 2024.
With Wilson and Fields now in the quarterbacks room, the first thing Tomlin wanted to do was remove any and all notions of a quarterback controversy. When team activities begin, Wilson will be the starting quarterback.
"We've been very transparent about the pecking order, at least to start. I just think that provides clarity for all parties involved," Tomlin said. "Russell is a veteran, man. He's got a proven process of readiness. He's been in this league a long time. He's capable of rallying troops, receivers, tight ends, running backs, etc. He's just got a lot of experience in terms of what it takes to be the guy over the course of a 12-month calendar. I just think that that's something that a younger guy like Justin could learn from."
The Steelers could surely benefit from having a veteran quarterback. With Arthur Smith as coordinator, the Steelers will be implementing a new offense. Having a guy that's won a Super Bowl and been to nine Pro Bowls could help provide some stability and consistency as the Steelers prepare for change on the offensive side of the ball.
However, Fields is still only 25 years old and has a very high ceiling. He's got superstar-type tools, but had his fair share of growing pains during his first three NFL seasons with the Bears, including 41 turnovers in 40 career games. While Tomlin "certainly" feels Wilson has plenty left in the tank, it doesn't hurt the Steelers to have a guy with high upside pushing Wilson.
"Rest assured, when it's time to compete, Justin will be given an opportunity to compete and we'll allow those guys to sort themselves out," Tomlin said. "But I thought it was appropriate to describe it in the way that I described it in terms of how we get started. Russell's in pole position, I think his body of work justifies that. And just from my conversations with Justin, I know he is excited about working alongside Russell, and maybe learning some of those veteran tricks of the trade and things that he's picked up from being in this league for over a decade."
The quarterback position obviously gets a lot of attention. It's the most important position in the game, and the AFC is loaded with talented quarterbacks. But, the Steelers are in the process of installing a new offense, and the quarterback position is ultimately just one piece to the puzzle. The Steelers are coming off three seasons in which Matt Canada's offense ranked 21st, 26th and 28th in scoring, respectively. The quarterback play isn't the only reason for that underwhelming output.
In hiring Smith, Tomlin identified a coach that aligns with what the Steelers envision and value on offense.
"I respect his approach to ball," Tomlin said. "His values are very evident. Looking at his tape, they are aligned with things that we value -- controlling the game through our bigs and building from there."
There are still some questions for how everything will shake out for the Steelers in several ways. Tomlin confirmed the obvious -- that they value controlling the game through their bigs. But the center position is, as Tomlin put it, a "work in progress." There's still some uncertainty about Broderick Jones' position in 2024, which maintains offensive tackle as a position that can still be upgraded via free agency, trade or the draft. And, the Steelers still have to add to the receiver room after trading away Diontae Johnson to fill a hole at cornerback.
But, in talking with Tomlin, it's clear he, Khan, Andy Weidl and others all have a plan in place to establish a new identity on offense -- one that needs to better complement the defensive side of the ball. We just still have yet to see what that identity is.
"It doesn't benefit me to drop stakes down, man, and be very black and white about our intentions as we sit here," Tomlin said. "But rest assured, we have a definitive plan. We've acquired coaching and playing talent to make that plan reality. We can't wait to get started with the process."
Tomlin's not been in this position very often. He's faced with the challenge of trying to improve the quarterback room while also installing a new offense with a guy who's recently been a head coach elsewhere in the NFL. But, Tomlin hopes the uncertainty that lies ahead creates the urgency that was initially set by Art Rooney II back in January -- an innate, collective desire to put an end to seasons of disappointment.
"I'm just excited about being uncomfortable. I think there's growth in that," Tomlin said. "I think whether it's individuals or collective, it's good to be on edge. It is good to have that anxiety or that urgency that's associated with not knowing. That's the benefit that you get sometimes when you bring in someone new with new ideas from the outside. ... I pride myself in creating discomfort for myself and others. I'm fundamentally against comfort."
