Lost in the hoopla regarding Antonio Brown during Mike Tomlin's press conference on Wednesday was the coach's admission that changes will be blowing through Pittsburgh this winter.
"Change is a part of this, particularly when you are having press conferences like today," Tomlin said, via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "Our staff doesn't run away from that. I'm acknowledging that change is a part of where we're headed. And I'm open to it because I'm not interested in doing this [again next year]."
Despite entering the season with Super Bowl aspirations and as much talent on the roster as any team in the NFL, the Steelers sit at home this January.
Last season, Pittsburgh parted with Todd Haley and elevated Randy Fichtner to offensive coordinator. Tomlin also tinkered with the positional assistants on the defensive side.
A bigger overhaul could come on D this time around. Keith Butler, in his fourth seasons replacing the legendary Dick LeBeau, has garnered the ire of Steeler fans for guiding a unit that got perennially worse and suffered far too many breakdowns on the back end, despite the yearly investment made to the unit.
The Steelers could also see offensive line coach Mike Munchak, one of the best at the job, swiped for a head-coaching position.
Tomlin and the team brass have several personnel decisions as well heading into 2019, from possible negotiations with Bud Dupree, to the future of first-rounder Artie Burns, to queries over the possibility of slapping the transition tag on Le'Veon Bell, to what to do about Antonio Brown.
"Yes, change will be a part of it moving forward," Tomlin said. "We're plotting our course. We're not going to be resistant to change or accountability or taking ownership of what's transpired. We will do that at the appropriate time."
