Hey Steelers Fans. Welcome to Monday.
The Kickoff
Former Pittsburgh Steelers’ General Manager Kevin Colbert has not said much since leaving his post a few seasons ago. That’s not a surprise because Colbert was never a guy who wanted to get in front of a camera or microphone anyway. This past week he did however appear on 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh and like any true general manager he stuck to his guns regarding past decisions. Oftentimes, your most recent moves are the ones still under the microscope and such was the case in this interview. “We projected Kenny to be a start and win NFL Quarterback, and quite honestly, he lived up to that in his first two seasons with us.” He added, “For us, he was 14-10 and trending in the right direction. So that’s what we thought we had in Kenny.”
I think Colbert made a lot of great decisions during his tenure with the Steelers dating back to 2000, but this wasn’t one of them. I appreciate him sticking to his guns here but the franchise gambled and lost. Was it the ‘Pitt connection’ that many believed it was? The fear of passing yet another local QB as they did in 1983 may have been too much for them to resist. In hindsight, I get why the Steelers took Pickett considering the rest of the draft class. They preferred a ‘start now’ guy versus a ‘needs time to develop guy’ that many believed Malik Willis was. Why? Because Colbert and Mike Tomlin believed they had a good group of veterans and didn’t need to “develop” a QB at the time.
Well, look where Willis is now. He just got a very handsome contract and will be the starter in Miami as the Dolphins begin their rebuild. Pickett is languishing in the NFL with his fifth team, the Carolina Panthers. Hindsight is always 20/20 and it’s easy to go after Colbert. He did what he felt was right for the franchise as he got ready to retire. I appreciate him continuing to defend the pick but at the same time, it might be nice to hear him say “we swung and missed on this one.”
The Latest and Upcoming Podcasts
Episode 479 of the SCB Steelers Podcast presented by DEK Roofing Inc is available! We discussed everything from the Steelers moving out of the city to Brendan Sorsby entering the Supplemental Draft. Casey Kasem made a triumphant return as well! This week we’ll air the show as always at 10pmET but… After the show we will return with ‘SCB Overtime!’ You must be a subscriber to watch and be a part of Overtime and if you aren’t familiar, this is where we discuss literally anything and everything while the US plays Turkey in the World Cup. It’s a great time filled with plenty of laughs.
Unusual
As I’ve said many times, the National Football League is a 365-day-a-year sport but with the World Cup and US Open going on, the NFL has been unusually quiet. Let’s hope it stays that way. Summer is always the most tension-filled time for players because they have more time on their hands than any other point of the year.
Training Camp Previews
It may still be several weeks away but I’ve already started cranking out our Training Camp Previews. Everything on the offensive side is done except for the offensive line. You can check those out here!
On the Fence
NFL Training Camps bring a wide range of feelings for every player. For some, it’s not a big deal. You’re an established veteran with a guaranteed starting spot so Camp is mostly about staying healthy. For guys like Kaleb Johnson, it’s a far different story. Drafted by an entirely different coaching staff, Johnson is currently the team’s third running back but he faces stiff competition. When you’re a recent day two draft pick, there’s usually some safety there but not when there’s a new coaching staff. Johnson is on the fence as to whether he makes this team or not so stay tuned.
Random Reads
Isn’t it nice – whether you watch the World Cup or not – to see Americans put aside their differences and cheer for the same goal? I think it is… I’m biased but Bob Seger is a better songwriter than Bruce Springsteen… Can’t blame Michigan Head Coach Dusty May for taking the Dallas Mavericks’ job. He gets to coach a generational talent in Cooper Flagg… I had my first cigar of the summer this past weekend around the bonfire at the house I grew up in. It was glorious… Credit to Wyndham Clark. He had to fight off opponents, the course and the crowd that clearly didn’t want him to win.
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