The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a bad place right now. It feels like they are a rudderless ship, floating down the waterway of the regular season. In the early stages of the journey the team dodged those waterfalls and rocks, even though things looked dicey at times. But recently? They’ve not just been hitting the rocks along the edges of the water, they’ve been riding in a deluge of rain.

Injuries are a large reason for the team’s inconsistent, and downright poor, play this season, but it is far from the only thing which has caused the team to lose games. This team has been mismanaged for the majority of the season, and it is just now catching up to them. Poor game planning, poor personnel decisions, and poor coaching have all reared their ugly heads to the point where fans around the world want change.

And, no, the change at offensive coordinator wasn’t enough.

The age-old saying of “you made your bed, now you have to lay in it” certainly applies in this setting. The Steelers have fumbled their way on and off the field since the horrible 2017 Divisional Round loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC Playoffs. Players who defied the typical Steelers locker room, coordinators come and gone, and a team which certainly seems to be on the brink of a monumental collapse has made all this come into focus for anyone who has paid close attention to the Steelers over the past few seasons.

When you hear Minkah Fitzpatrick’s comments about the culture currently in the locker room (see video below), it shines a light on what might truly be going on within the organization:

Truer words never spoken. #Steelers pic.twitter.com/73isJbq7qb

— Jeff Hartman (@JHartman_PIT) December 8, 2023

Combine that with this Arthur Maulet quote from 2022, courtesy of Nick Farabaugh, and you get a close glimpse into what truly might be plaguing the Steelers:

In light of recent comments made by Minkah Fitzpatrick, I am reminded of last year when Arthur Maulet called out teammates following their 38-3 loss to the Bills last year. pic.twitter.com/Yqdr1VFd4F

— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) December 9, 2023

For those who can’t see the tweet above, the quote reads:

“You’ve got to love this s–t bro.” Maulet said. “Real s–t, you’re on the sideline and you’ve got guys that are laughing and smiling while on the sidelines? We’ve got guys acting like they don’t give a f–k. It’s 38-3 and people are laughing on the bench. You have to love this game to play this s–t.”

That quote was following the Steelers 38-3 drubbing of the Buffalo Bills in upstate New York, which just happened to be Kenny Pickett’s first start of his professional career.

When you combine everything, you see behind the curtain of all that is plaguing this team currently. It isn’t just one thing, it’s a multitude of things which has come to a head. So, what now? Something has to give, right?

But what is that thing?

Is it firing Mike Tomlin? Many in the fan base would love to see it done.

It is keeping Tomlin, and starting fresh with at least one new coordinator in 2024?

Are the players truly the problem? Are some of the players who don’t love the game the genuine problem?

Is it burning the entire thing down and starting fresh? If so, what would happen to the current front office which was constructed with Omar Khan and Andy Weidl, a pair which is coming off a tremendous offseason and 2023 NFL Draft?

The situation is dire enough where it doesn’t seem like any change would truly appease the masses. But I think we can all say change is necessary. The Steelers don’t have to act now, but they’ll have to act soon. How the team finishes the regular season could be play a large role into what, if any, changes are made.

But, man, something’s gotta give…