2021 Steelers Season Recall: The offseason begins
Steel City Underground presents our 2021 Steelers Recall: a look back at Pittsburgh Steelers games and storylines from last season.
The Steelers 2021 offseason gets underway much in the same way it did last season: with an early exit from the playoffs.
The difference between 2020’s and 2021’s teams is a stark contract, however, based on the fallout from the 2020 Wild Card loss to the Cleveland Browns.
The offseason would kick into gear with the bad taste of Maurkice Pouncey’s high snap over Ben Roethlisberger’s head, as the center would announce his retirement from pro football shortly after the loss.
Big Ben’s first home loss to the Browns sparked speculation as to whether or not the long-time quarterback would also return for 2021. The Steelers were roughly $20 million over the salary cap, which also dipped to a three-year low due to Covid, and had to make some tough decisions on who would stay, and who would go.
The first piece of that puzzle was the addition of former Washington first round draft pick Dwayne Haskins, who signed a futures contract with the Steelers in January. With Mason Rudolph and Haskins both on the roster, it appeared that the Steelers were preparing to move on from Roethlisberger.
Among the other offensive question marks were the impending free agents who may or may not return, including OT Alejandro Villanueva, OG Matt Feiler, RB James Conner, and WR JuJu Smith-Schuster.
However, that wasn’t the only winds of change on the offense, as TE Vance McDonald also retired, and a handful of offensive assistants were shown the door. The highest profile of them, offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner, was rumored to be replaced by quarterbacks coach Matt Canada – an offensive guru brought in from the college ranks during the previous offseason.
The Steelers would end up promoting Canada, while hiring Mike Sullivan as his replacement, Alfredo Roberts as the new tight ends coach, and Adrian Klemm as the offensive line coach. (Replacing Shaun Sarrett, a long-time assistant within the organization.)
The defense would also be facing changes, as LB Bud Dupree and CBs Mike Hilton and Cameron Sutton were also scheduled to hit free agency.
Needless to say, one year ago there was as much, if not more uncertainty, about the Steelers future. The 2022 offseason gets underway with the Steelers still approaching their quarterback of the future, an improved offensive line, and perhaps some changes among their coaching staff too.
