The Pittsburgh Steelers represent the last of a dying art form in professional sports, but unlike the NBA’s mid-range jumper, the argument that every team should be run like Pittsburgh is still compelling.
It’s the age of “What have you done for me lately?” And it goes beyond sports. Don’t like the first episode of a TV show? Netflix has hundreds to try. Didn’t fall in love at first sight on a first date? Well, Tinder and Hinge always have endless options for you to swipe through.
But Pittsburgh sticks to the old school. They aren’t afraid to watch a second episode of a TV show, even if the first one didn’t wow them. Cameron Hayward, who has been with the team since 2011, vouched for the effectiveness of continuity within the organization and shared his thoughts. Appeared on The Jim Rome Show with Jim Rome Earlier this week.
“I think it comes down to relationships,” Hayward said. “It has to flow from the top down. It starts with the Rooney family of the world. Mr. Rooney has done an incredible job and that family has been so important to Pittsburgh and the NFL. It’s just consistency. You don’t expect something different the next day. When you look at teams like this, they bring in a coach and fire him the next year, and it’s hard for players to relate to what the coach is saying because the message changes every year.”
I don’t think all 32 NFL teams would have kept Mike Tomlin for this long. And there would at least be an argument for it. If you don’t win the Super Bowl, what’s the point? How long would you tolerate not having playoff success?
But think about the other side of the coin. There are so many teams that change coaches every two or three years and change everything to get to 10-7. Doesn’t that sound horrible? If you don’t have a culture and identity, it’s like running on a treadmill.
Think about how few teams in the league have a brand. A style of play that they maintain year after year. Too often, teams are built around players, and players are not recruited to fit the team’s philosophy. Pittsburgh has bucked that trend, for better or worse. I think that’s what makes a team attractive to play for, even if it’s not a “real” contender. It makes sense, especially for the Steelers, not just NFL players. It’s important to the team, the city, and the players. It’s really refreshing to see in this day and age.
