Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said Thursday he would like to have Mason Rudolph back to compete with Kenny Pickett for the team's starting quarterback job in 2024. But who will be coordinating that offensive scheme remains to be seen.
Speaking at his season-ending press conference Thursday at the UPMC-Rooney Sports Complex, Tomlin said he expects to look outside the organization for a new offensive coordinator for 2024.
Running backs coach Eddie Faulkner filled the coordinator position on an interim basis, while quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan served as the play caller on game day after Tomlin relieved coordinator Matt Canada of his duties following a Week 11 loss at Cleveland.
"I'm looking at outside candidates," Tomlin acknowledged, "and lining up a pecking order there. I am appreciative of their efforts in terms of what they did for us down the stretch, but I'm looking at outside candidates at this juncture."
That would be a shift from his past two offensive coordinators, Canada and Randy Fichtner. Tomlin also is looking for someone who has previous experience calling plays at the NFL level, as well, something neither Canada nor Fichtner had when Tomlin elevated them to the position.
The key, however, is producing better results for an offense that finished 25th in total offense, averaging just over 304 yards per game, while finishing tied at 27th in the league in scoring at 17.9 points per game.
"I want us to be versatile and dynamic," Tomlin said. "Obviously, we've got to score more points. I want to be able to keep defenses off balance. I want to utilize all the talent that we have at our disposal. I'm excited about this process and in the talent pool out there and based on what I've seen thus far.
"I'm really open to learning through this process and seeing what people have to say about their visions, and so I certainly have a vision of what it looks like but I'm open to learning through this process."
A big key to any new hire will be how that individual will deal with the team's quarterback situation.
Tomlin said he still believes in Kenny Pickett as the team's starting quarterback but does want there to be competition for that role, whether that be from Rudolph, who is a pending free agent, or elsewhere.
"There will be competition there," Tomlin said. "There's always competition in this thing. We don't anoint anyone. I'm appreciative of his efforts and where he is and excited about continuing to work with him. But certainly, he will be challenged from a competition perspective. Moving forward. competition brings the best out in all of us."
In his second season after the Steelers selected him with the 20th pick in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Pickett completed 62 percent of his passes in 12 starts, throwing for 2,070 yards with six touchdown passes and four interceptions. The Steelers went 7-5 in games he started and he led three fourth-quarter comebacks, giving him six in just 24 career starts.
But Pickett suffered a severe ankle sprain just before halftime in a Week 13 loss to the Cardinals and did not play again in 2023.
Veteran Mitch Trubisky replaced him for two games, with the Steelers losing both, before Rudolph took over in Week 16 in a win over the Bengals and led the team to a 3-0 record.
Pickett was healthy enough to return by season's end, but Tomlin chose to stick with Rudolph in the team's season-ending 34-17 loss at Buffalo last weekend in the opening round of the playoffs.
Rudolph, who had been the team's No. 3 quarterback the past two seasons, completed 68.1 percent of his passes for 945 yards with five touchdowns and one interception in his four starts, including the loss to the Bills.
Tomlin admitted that Rudolph, who has been with the Steelers since being selected in the third round of the 2018 draft, changed some perceptions of his ability with his play.
"Certainly. I don't think that any of us can deny what we've seen over the last month or so," Tomlin said. "I cannot underscore how impressive it is to be ready. Forget performance. I mean about being ready to deliver. And he was prepared. So certainly, we're less speculative about his capabilities because there's evidence of it in tough circumstances."
What that means moving forward remains to be seen with Rudolph slated to be a free agent when the new league year begins March 13. Rudolph could certainly choose to test the market.
"Oftentimes I say there's a fine line between being a pro bowler and a backup and our business and it is, and so I'm not surprised by anything," Tomlin said. "He is very capable. They all are across positions. I just think that when you get to the top of the food chain, that's how it is and it's our job as professionals, to be ready to let our talent show. He did those things."
Regardless of whether Pickett is pushed by Rudolph or someone else, Tomlin acknowledged that 2024 will be a big season for the third-year quarterback.
Tomlin still has confidence in Pickett because of what he's seen him do. But there also needs to be a next step taken.
"(I'm) extremely confident and I feel stronger about some of the intangible things than I did when we first started doing business with him because I have evidence of it," Tomlin said. "He's highly competitive and professional. He doesn't run from challenges he runs to challenges. I think that's evident in the way he plays, particularly in close football games. He's got a good framework to work with and for a young guy. He's mature. beyond his years. I'm so excited about that.
"But certainly it is a big year for him. We met this morning. It is a huge year for him. But I'm also excited about just watching him wear that component of it because I know how he's wired and built."
Tomlin plans on returning: Coach Mike Tomlin made it clear during his season ending press conference on Thursday.
He plans to be back in 2024.
Tomlin has one year remaining on his current contract and said he and team President Art Rooney II are in continual communication about such topics.
"Yes, I expect to be back," said Tomlin. "I'd imagine those contract things are going to run their course. Art and I have a really good, transparent relationship. We communicate continually. I don't imagine it's going to be an issue and I imagine it's going to get done in a timely manner at the appropriate time.
"My mindset is to coach this football team, certainly."
Tomlin said the decisions he makes regarding his career haven't changed over the course of it, as it's simply something he loves.
"I coach football, that's what I do," said Tomlin. "I'm respectful of the position as a whole. I have no sense of entitlement in terms of what I do. I just got a high level of respect for what we all do in this space, and I try to earn it daily. That's just my mentality. I don't ponder a lot of things. I'm appreciative of things daily. And I try to work with urgency daily. And I don't know that that has changed. It probably hasn't from my perspective. I'm always on go.
"I just like coming to work. My card key works. I'm going to keep doing so. I don't spend a lot of time from a big picture perspective. I just don't."
The last few days players have talked about the desire to have Tomlin back, including defensive tackle Cameron Heyward and linebacker T.J. Watt who both made it clear they wanted to play for Tomlin.
Tomlin said he didn't hear their comments but knows the importance of relationships in this business.
"You can not have unique results without unique relationships," said Tomlin. "What we seek is unique. So, what we give better be unique. And I better be at the front of that line. And I am a willing participant in that way."
Tomlin was initially asked about his contract following the loss to the Bills in the Wild Card game and walked away without answering. On Thursday, he apologized for walking away, but also made it clear that he didn't feel it was the appropriate venue to ask the question.
"I certainly could have handled that situation better than I did," said Tomlin. "But I'll also say this. I just believe there's a time and place for everything. And post-game press conferences are probably not the place to address contract issues and things of that nature."
