James Harrison. Mike Wallace. Rashard Mendenhall. Keenan Lewis. Willie Colon.
Just some of the names out the door in Pittsburgh, leaving fans to wonder if the Steelers -- on the heels of a disappointing 8-8 season -- are in trouble.
Free agency brought no relief. Instead of restocking the shelf, general manager Kevin Colbert issued radio silence. This well-respected and typically Teflon organization is suddenly drawing heat from critics. As Ron Cook of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote Sunday, "It's hard to see the plan. Plenty of people who watch the Steelers are worried."
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is not one of them -- at least, that's what he said Thursday in an interview with KDKA-FM in Pittsburgh.
"I'm fine with people saying that we're going to be terrible and, 'Let's overlook them,' because that means our opponents are doing the same thing. I like that. I like being the hunter."
It's April, people. Let's pump the brakes on burial rites for an organization that hasn't suffered a losing season since 2003.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
