There was a lot to discuss and ponder after Mike Tomlin’s season finale at the podium wrapped up on Thursday.

In probably one of his most candid press conferences ever, Tomlin was open and honest about some of the potential changes that need to take place if this team is to get back to competing for Super Bowls.

There’s a decent chunk of the fan base that isn’t happy that Tomlin is still around at all, and definitely won’t be happy that Art Rooney is giving him an extension. For them, I completely understand; no playoff wins in seven years, 3-8 in the last ten, and a middling team that is nowhere near contender level.

But regardless of how you feel towards Tomlin, it doesn’t change the fact that he is still planning to be here for a long time, as does Rooney. With that being said, let’s hope he can reverse fortunes on what have been some pretty bleak hirings on the offensive side of the ball.

Speaking of that, Tomlin was asked on Thursday about the offensive coordinator job. When asked whether either of Mike Sullivan or Eddie Faulkner would assume the role of OC in 2024, Tomlin replied “not at this juncture,” and said the team would be exploring outside hires for that position.

“Obviously, we’ve gotta score more points,” he said. “I want to be able to keep defenses off balance. I want to utilize all the talent that we have at our disposal.”

This is absolutely the right decision. With no disrespect to Faulker, the interim OC, or Sullivan, the interim play caller, the Steelers need to go in another direction next season. The Faulker-Sullivan combo was kilometers better than whatever Matt Canada was doing all this time, but there is still a ton of work left to do on that side of the ball.

I had a bit of a hunch that maybe this would be the case when they oddly split the OC responsibilities between Faulkner and Sullivan, but given this team’s history, that was far from a guarantee. Five of Pittsburgh’s six hires at the position have come from in-house.

That has to change, and especially after the debacle of Canada returning for the start of this year, Tomlin needs to knock it out of the park with his next hire.

It’s refreshing to see the job not just being blindly handed to someone already in the organization. Regardless of why, those hires have not worked out, and it is a noticeable real change that the Steelers look like they are planning on making in 2024.

As for Sullivan and Faulker, their futures are yet to be seen. Either one or both could depart for other gigs if they feel slighted that are not being considered for the full time job.

However, here is where I worry a little.

Tomlin was also asked as a follow up if he wanted his next OC hire to have previous experience in that role, to which he answered with a resounding yes.

Listen, I perfectly understand wanting the guy to have prior experience, especially with one of the youngest offenses in the league and an unstable quarterback position.

I also understand the fear of hiring another person who did not serve as an OC before. Pittsburgh’s last two coordinators, Randy Fichtner and Matt Canada, both were being promoted to OC for the first time during their run with Pittsburgh.

But, I also believe that if you are narrowing it down to coordinators who have prior experience in the seat, you are walking away from plenty of young and talented offensive minds who could be a huge breakthrough for this team.

For me, it’s simple: why limit yourself? I’m perfectly fine with them hiring someone who has previous offensive coordinator experience, but I would also definitely give fair chances to candidates without it. It sounds like candidates without that experience are going to have to really ace an interview to get real consideration.

Another big talking point during the press conference was the quarterback position. Similarly to the OC, Mike Tomlin gave a firm “yes” when asked if he believed the team’s starting quarterback in 2024 is currently on the roster.

Once again, I ask: why limit yourself? Whether or not it’s a believable answer, it suggests that the team won’t seriously consider outside help, whether that be in free agency, trade, or the draft, for the starter’s job.

It doesn’t hurt to look. Not one bit.

Mike Tomlin expressed a hope and desire for Mason Rudolph to return to the team for 2024, but acknowledged that he is a free agent and may very well go elsewhere.

Last year, when he was a free agent, Rudolph was passed on by every other team in the NFL, and had to come back to Pittsburgh with his tail between his legs. “Mediocre Mason” was a punchline in this town, and started the year as the third string quarterback for the Steelers.

What a difference a year makes.

Thanks to an injury to Kenny Pickett and horrible play by backup Mitch Trubisky, Rudolph got his first real chance since 2019 and shined in that role.

He gave the Steelers their best quarterback performance in years, and the decision to wait so long to put him in may have cost Pittsburgh a higher seed in the playoffs, and nearly cost them their spot altogether.

Now, as a free agent for the second time around, teams will take notice and teams will make offers. The question just becomes if Mason wants to stay here.

I wouldn’t blame him for a second if he left. He was maligned by this fan base and regarded as an afterthought by this team for years, and the team only turned to him after their first two options were unplayable. He stepped up in the biggest way possible and is due for a huge raise and a career revival, something that looked impossible at this time last year.

That being said, I do applaud Tomlin for not automatically handing the job to Kenny Pickett. Tomlin said that Pickett will face competition in training camp, a sign that Pickett, in theory, will have to fight for the job.

If Rudolph re-signs, it’s likely him vs Pickett in training camp in 2024.

If Rudolph doesn’t, then the team would be forced to pursue a free agent or perhaps a mid/late round draft pick.

In either case, however, Tomlin’s suggestion that the starter is already here discredits the idea that anyone other than Mason Rudolph could take hold of the job.

And to that I say once again, why limit yourself?

All options should be on the table for this franchise, and the early indications are good. Mike Tomlin seems to genuinely grasp the reality that serious changes need to be made. I just think they should broaden those options a little more.

(Perry Knotts / Getty Images)