The opinions found in Asked and Answered do not reflect the views of the Steelers organization.
Let's get to it:
BRAD SMITH FROM SILVER SPRING, MD: Mr. Rooney's statement announcing the Mike McCarthy hiring was unclear regarding what the organization's approach will be over the next few seasons. Has the team accepted that it needs to rebuild, which means probably having a losing season or two, in order to position itself for another Super Bowl run? I know you enjoy putting the fans in their place for being rash and uninformed, but every fellow fan I know is ready to swallow the short-term pain in order to move on from being good to being great again.
ANSWER: You write that "every fellow fan I know is ready to swallow the short-term pain in order to move on from being good to being great again," but I believe that's a load of hooey. I don't dispute that many of your fellow fans might have expressed the opinion to you, but that kind of a grace period usually lasts about 15 minutes. My experience is that fans want what they want, and they want it immediately if not sooner. Next, I will remind you that the Seattle won Super Bowl LX in dominant fashion, and in the time between losing the Super Bowl in 2014 and winning it in 2025, the Seahawks had only 1 losing season. "Tear it down before it can be rebuilt" is more of a lazy narrative than a rule.
And this is what Steelers President Art Rooney II said in a news conference on Jan. 14 that was called in response to Mike Tomlin's decision to step away after 19 seasons as the team's coach:
"I'm not sure why you waste a year of your life not trying to contend," said Rooney. "Obviously your roster is what it is every year. It changes every year, so you deal with what you have every year and try to put yourself in position to compete every year. Sometimes you have the horses, sometimes you don't. But I think you try every year.
"The standard is try to compete to win a championship every year."
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DAVID FECICH FROM NORTH CANTON, OH: Is L.C. Greenwood still eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame? Does his eligibility ever expire?
ANSWER: L.C. Greenwood remains eligible in the Seniors Category for induction, and as long as he's nominated each year his eligibility has no expiration date. But he has to start the whole process over from the start, and there are a lot of rounds of voting in a category that is constantly growing because when the 25-year clock expires on Modern Era candidates they're bumped into the Seniors Category.
RICK SHARP FROM CEDAR FALLS, IA: Do you think that this year's HOF class was the last best shot for L.C. Greenwood to get inducted?
ANSWER: As I explained in the above answer, it was very disappointing that L.C. Greenwood advanced through the rounds of voting to be 1 of 3 Seniors Candidates but then didn't get the minimum 80 percent from the 50 voters that's needed for induction. If the procedure for voting for the Pro Football Hall of Fame remains the same, I believe it will be very difficult for Greenwood to be elected.
KEITH WIMER FROM YOUNGSTOWN, OH: There already is much trade speculation surrounding the Steelers this offseason, most of which I'm confident is click-bait fodder. What are the NFL regulations regarding offseason trades?
ANSWER: The trading period for 2026 begins at 4 p.m. on March 11, because that will mark the official start of the new league year, which means players whose contracts expired at the end of the 2025 season will become unrestricted free agents. Teams are only allowed to trade players who are under contract.
STEVE WIENCEK FROM WASHINGTON, PA: What are your thoughts on bringing Justin Fields back as a "slash" player? He's very athletic and should certainly be affordable.
ANSWER: My thoughts? I have absolutely no interest in that.
DENNIS SLEEGER FROM YORK, PA: In the Super Bowl era, how many players were starters on teams that won four Super Bowls like L.C. Greenwood?
ANSWER: A lot. Too many for me to list here, especially when the number of Green Bay Packers who won 5 championships – NFL Championships in the seasons immediately preceding the invention of the Super Bowl in 1966 – are added. Just among Greenwood's teammates, there is Rocky Bleier, Larry Brown, Sam Davis, Jon Kolb, Gerry Mullins, and Dwight White.
SCOTT RANDALL FROM CONWAY, SC: Do you know if Isaac Seamalu is under contract beyond the 2025 season, and do you think they will re-sign him or go with the young group?
ANSWER: Isaac Seumalo will become an unrestricted free agent on March 11. I think the Steelers will talk to him, and then it will come down to whether the sides can agree on a contract.
GEORGE TAYLOR FROM IRWIN, PA: With a new coaching staff does the Collective Bargaining Agreement allow the team any additional time with the players? I believe I have heard it's two additional weeks. If so when would these weeks be?
ANSWER: A team with a new head coach is permitted to start its offseason program on April 6. A team with a returning head coach is permitted to start its offseason program on April 20. The Steelers can have an early start to what's known on the offseason calendar as Phase I. There is no on-field football activity permitted during Phase I. From a physical standpoint, think of Phase I as open gym, where you can go in and lift and run and generally use the machines in the weight room.
HOWARD ASHCRAFT FROM LANSING, MI: When are the compensatory picks announced? And which rounds are they in?
ANSWER: The timeframe for the announcement is early-to-mid-March. Those picks come at the end of third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh rounds of the draft.
HANS KOLLER FROM FREDONIA, PA: With Mike Tomlin leaving, how does it affect the players the Steelers are scouting for the draft? They can't possibly scout every player in college, and players they've spent months scouting may not have the skill-set Coach Mike McCarthy wants.
ANSWER: Actually, they already do scout the vast majority of college football players who fall anywhere between first-round talent and not draftable. In 2025, there were 339 players invited to the NFL Combine, and there were 257 picks made in the 7 rounds of the draft. In the early portions of what is a year-long process, scouts are more interested in casting a wide net for overall football athletic ability than they are looking for specific skill-sets within a certain position. There will be time during the weeding out process for the coaching staff to contribute to the evaluation of the individual player.
ANDY BALDONADO FROM ANNA, OH: With all the chatter about the Steelers only having had 3 head coaches since 1969, it got me thinking about general managers. How many GMs have the Steelers had since 1969?
ANSWER: The only two men to hold the title of General Manager for a franchise that was founded in 1933 by Art Rooney Sr. are Kevin Colbert and Omar Kahn. The title did not exist for the Steelers until 2010, and throughout the franchise's 93 years in the NFL the hiring and firing never was done by anyone whose surname was not Rooney.
DAVID WALK FROM MINNEAPOLIS, MN: I'm writing to express my gratitude for Mike Tomlin's professionalism and public demeanor. We don't see the private interactions of public figures, so I don't know what it would be like to work for him. But from what I have seen publicly from Coach Tomlin and his players over the years, he appears to be respectful of others, a mentor to those he leads, and a man of integrity. I recall his support after the murders in Squirrel Hill at the Tree of Life Synagogue. I recall his unambiguous public response when a young player made bad choices. I've appreciated that he reminds us of a player's "body of work" when they've had a bad day and describes the team's wins and losses as a representation of the collective. I love to see the Steelers win championships, but more important is to see public figures who model mature behavior. Thank you, Coach T.
ANSWER: Thanks for sharing.
JAMES PRICE FROM OLIVEHURST, CA: No question. I just want to thank Coach Tomlin for being a positive influence in my life for the last 19 years. Reading your interviews with him before every game day taught me about football and even more about accountability. It was a privilege to have this opportunity to watch him for all these years. He will be missed.
ANSWER: And thank you for sharing as well.
