Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II has issued a blunt assessment of the team's recent performance, stating that the defensive unit was "not good enough" during the 2025 season, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
In a 1-on-1 interview on Tuesday following the recent hire of head coach Mike McCarthy, Rooney emphasized that the defense's inconsistency was a primary factor in the team's struggles. Rooney noted that while the unit showed improvement late in the year, it ultimately failed to "take over games" in the way the organization expects. The Steelers president signaled that "tough decisions" are ahead for the roster as the team transitions to a new philosophy under McCarthy.
The interview also touched on the future of the quarterback position, with Rooney specifically mentioning the development of Will Howard as the team prepares for the 2026 offseason. The comments come as the Steelers look to rebuild following the departure of long-time head coach Mike Tomlin, marking the franchise's first major coaching change in nearly two decades.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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