Storied franchises stay relevant for a reason. They have history, tradition, and identity. Those factors, while beneficial, can also lead to ego, rigidity, and organizational malpractice. For decades, the Chicago Bears were on the receiving end of jokes about being behind the curve. Today, there is a new target, and they wear Pittsburgh Steelers black and gold.
Losing Touch
In 1985, the Bears went 15-1 and cruised to a Super Bowl win. Walter Payton rushed for over 1,500 yards, but the story was defense and attitude. The defense finished tied for second-best ever (at the time) points per game allowed, and gave up only ten points in their playoff run. That Chicago defense has gone down as arguably the best of all time.
Much like the Bears, the Steelers have been known for defense. The Steel Curtain in the 70’s. James Farrior, Troy Polamalu, James Harrison, and Joey Porter in the 2000’s. Sure, they had all-timers at quarterback with Terry Bradshaw and Ben Roethlisberger, but those Super Bowls were built on defense.
It wasn’t just the Bears defense, however. The team embodied Chicago. It was that tough, gritty Midwestern attitude. They were going to play more physically than other teams. They were going to make teams feel playing the Bears. It’s cold and windy Chicago weather, and they didn’t care. They developed icons, like Mike Ditka wearing the aviators and the sweater vest, and Jim McMahon with his headband. That Super Bowl win ended up defining the Bears as a franchise built with defense and grit.
Both franchises fell into the same trap of chasing what was no longer there. They held onto that identity of running the ball and letting the defense win the game. Coaches were almost exclusively tough, defensive-minded, with attitudes. Drafting followed suit. Premium picks were spent largely on defense, running backs, and offensive linemen. The Bears drafted five quarterbacks in the first round between1986 and 2023, none of whom developed into anything special. The Steelers only drafted Kenny Pickett in 2022 after hanging on to a broken-down Roethlisberger for as long as possible.
Yes, both teams have had some really nice seasons since their last titles. Chicago has won nine division titles and made the Super Bowl in 2007. The Steelers have six division titles and a Super Bowl appearance in 2010. They both became jokes, though. The Bears are the only team never to have a 4,000-yard passer, a recurring stat that shows they have never been able to develop a quarterback. “Da’ Bears” was used more by outsiders to ridicule than by Chicagoans to say their favorite team. Steelers fans have been scarred by “no losing seasons” and first-round exits for over a decade.
Luckily for Bears fans, they decided to join the 21st century, drafting Caleb Williams and hiring a proven offensive mind in Ben Johnson. The same cannot be said about the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Yinz Gotta Let It Go
The Steelers are a marquee franchise. Six Super Bowl wins, a dynasty in the 70’s, and a team bar in every city across the country. Pittsburgh itself is a football town, from high school talent to the NFL greats that have come out of it. It’s a blue-collar city with a blue-collar team. The Rooneys do right by their own. They have built a sense of community within the organization. Unfortunately, that has been their downfall.
Having three head coaches in almost 60 years is a double-edged sword. Yes, it creates stability, shows commitment, and separates the Steelers from the dregs of the league that have constant turnover at the position. It looks like a great model when winning is attached to it. When the winning well dries up, though, it shows flaws. It shows that a team is either unwilling or afraid to change. Compound that with having the most expensive defense every year since 2022 in a league that is more offensive than ever before, and Pittsburgh shows it is completely and utterly tone-deaf.
The Bears, at least, had the decency to bottom out at times with five-win seasons resulting in higher draft picks. The Steelers haven’t had the forward thinking to do the same. Instead, they talked themselves into thinking that nine wins could have been 12 or 13 had they gotten a couple of breaks. In reality, they have been maximizing limited and overpaid rosters. Their ability to sneak into the playoffs and promptly get exposed by better teams hasn’t been a referendum on Mike Tomlin. Those were moments of clarity the organization and fanbase chose to ignore.
Too Many Similarities
These two franchises didn’t fall into that cycle consciously. It is a gradual evolution. Both teams have had compelling seasons since their last championships, and that creates an ego. They started to believe that their “way” wasn’t the issue. They make up scapegoats for their shortcomings. For the Bears, that was Steve Young, Troy Aikman, and Aaron Rodgers. The Steelers had Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.
Neither Pittsburgh nor Chicago showed the ability to look in the mirror. They continued to funnel money into the defense and spend first-round picks on running backs and offensive linemen. They both even developed an incredible knack for identifying wide receiver talent in the draft. None of it mattered, though. Both teams kept up the same routine and swore the next year would be different.
The problem for both franchises was not so much winning a Super Bowl, but the ways they won. The Bears built an all-time defense, and the Steelers beat great quarterbacks on their path. Winning is king, and that feeling will never be taken away. The problem is that it still develops a false sense of security. A good roster beating a better quarterback gives way to believing it will happen again. Historically speaking, it doesn’t.
Bears fans can rest easy now knowing they have a superstar at quarterback and an offensive guru. Williams hasn’t thrown for 4,000 yards yet, but that joke will soon die. The Bears have momentum. They feel like a real contender for as long as Williams and Ben Johnson are together, and have invested in the offense. The Steelers, on the other hand, hired 62-year-old Pittsburgh native Mike McCarthy to appease 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers and have the most expensive defense in the league yet again. It is clear who is still stuck in their old ways.
