Where does your franchise stand heading into 2019? Adam Rank will set the table by providing a State of the Franchise look at all 32 teams over the next few weeks, zeroing in on the key figures to watch and setting the stakes for the season to come.
Members of the Pittsburgh Steelers organization, fans of the team and those who realize that fries belong on the sandwich:
This is a time of tremendous change in Pittsburgh. For many generations, the Steelers have stood as one of the model franchises in the NFL. The Rooney family built a culture of stability that has filtered down to the football field. Only three teams (the Packers, Bears and Giants) have more NFL championships than the Steelers, who were the first team in league history to capture six Super Bowls. And while Pittsburgh continues to win, lately the team has created more of a stir with off-the-field drama than anything it's accomplished on the field.
How the Steelers got here
Let's take a quick look at the ups and downs of 2018:
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In closing
I feel like there will be no middle ground with this team. Either they will fold in horrific fashion -- maybe win five games or something -- or go completely the other way: Roethlisberger throws 60 touchdowns and JuJu catches 30 of them as the team wins a seventh Super Bowl. It feels like one or the other. Because it would be disappointing (even a little sad) if they just meander around again for another season. At least make it exciting and newsworthy.
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