Steelers Top Secret 2023 Draft Board Control Draws Stern Rebuke From Bombastic Radio Host

The Pittsburgh Steelers are moving into the heart of the offseason. The NFL combine starts this week and it is likely the first look at whoever is going to make the biggest impact as a newcomer to the black and gold in 2023. The Steelers have never been a big player in free agency and unless Omar Khan departs radically from the organizational plan, they will not be players for the biggest names on the open market.

The NFL draft is where the Steelers make or break dynasties. On Monday, Andrew Fillipponi on his radio program The PM Team W/Poni & Mueller on 93.7 The Fan, posed the question of who would be in control and have the final say over the draft selections.

“We are going into a draft and Kevin Colbert is gone,” Fillippoini began. “It is going to be Omar Khan’s first draft and whenever we talk about the draft, we staple on Andy Weidl. Fans and media like me want to see him have massive say over what happens and given the success he had in Philadelphia, pretty much run their draft.”

It is well documented that Andy Weidl was the main architect of the Philadelphia Eagles draft philosophy that helped to build the deepest roster in the NFL. Khan pulled off a coup by convincing his main rival to join him under the supposed pretense of formulating the Steelers draft board. No assistant general manager has complete autonomy, but fans have been led to believe that the draft is his responsibility. Fillipponi isn’t completely convinced that will be the case.

“Mike Tomlin was asked in April 2021 around the time they drafted Najee Harris who has the final say in the Steelers draft room,” Fillipponi continued. “Mike Tomlin reportedly replied ‘Mr. Rooney is the boss.’ That makes me wonder. I saw this and both Tomlin and Colbert at the time were saying it’s the owner’s call and that makes me wonder about this draft. I think you can rightly assume that Omar Khan is the general manager because he gets along with Art Rooney. Maybe on big picture things, he does get involved.”

Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk recently called the Pittsburgh Steelers the Dallas Cowboys with an owner who is better at hiding behind the scenes. Jerry Jones publicly made himself the general manager of his football team and the Cowboys are going on a 30-year absence from the NFC Championship game. The Steelers haven’t won an AFC playoff game in seven years and if Mr. Rooney is dabbling in the draft process, it could be a worrisome sign for the Steelers.

Dan Rooney was one of the sharpest minds in NFL history and his son did not follow in his footsteps on the football side of the business. That doesn’t mean he can’t, but up until this point he has not publicly been involved in the day-to-day football operation like Jones in Dallas. It begs the question if he and Colbert came to the conclusion that they needed an outsider like Weidl to take over the process. If so he learned a lesson that Jones is still failing to grasp. 

“The way the Steelers go about their business the next two months is fascinating to me,” Fillipponi concluded. “Mike Tomlin is heavily involved, he is at the combine and he loves meeting players. Then you have an owner maybe who says our running game has been bad the last two years, pick the best running back. He (Khan) is fighting the battle from the outside looking in he’s a number guy, he’s a capologist, and has someone underneath him who draws rave reviews as a college scout. Is that guy going to have immense say, or is he going to say these are my recommendations and we will take it from here?”

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Fillipponi’s point is that too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the soup and he has a salient point. Behind closed doors, someone is in charge and Florio speculated months ago that it is the owner. This draft is vitally important for the Steelers’ future because if they do it right it could be a decade before they have this many selections in the top 50. The hiring of Weidl indicates they are taking the draft seriously and fans will find out in April if another legendary draft class is coming in 2023 or if the Steelers wasted a golden opportunity by squabbling behind closed doors. 

One thing is for sure no matter what happens, Pittsburgh won't reveal who is responsible. It is a team sport and they win or lose together. If nothing else you have to admire that they are the last organization in professional sports that can keep a secret.