Steelers Star Cites Serious 'Disconnect' With Coaching Staff

Replacing a beloved coach in the locker room like Mike Tomlin was a hard task for the Pittsburgh Steelers to attempt this offseason, but it appears as though first-year head coach Mike McCarthy and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham are facing an uphill battle to get their players to buy into their system in Week 5 of the regular season.

When speaking to reporters on Friday, cornerback Jalen Ramsey said there was a "disconnect" between what the players want on the field and the coaching staff that is just "throwing a playbook in their (players’) hands," via video posted to X by Blitzburgh. 

Ramsey said the Steelers need to get on the same page. He thinks Pittsburgh needs to be more player-led, since the athletes are the ones dealing with the flow of the game on the field. He thinks that's better than guys "having a playbook stuck in their locker."

Oof. 

That's a rough comment for McCarthy's staff before the 2-2 Steelers are set to play the 2-2 Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. Earlier this week, the head coach explained that the Steelers needed to clean their house this week. 

At the end of the week, there's still a mess.

Following his interview, Ramsey clarified what he meant via a post on X. He claimed to have respect for and "rock wit the coaches." His main beef seems to be the terminology the Steelers use on the field. Ramsey wants a more flexible defense, with players working with each other instead of just focusing on the playbook.

Ramsey, 31, is a key part of the Steelers defense. Following the trade of Joey Porter Jr. and amid Jamel Dean's injury, Pittsburgh needs Ramsey to be a leader on the defense. The fact that Ramsey and Graham aren't on the same page on Oct. 9 is concerning.

McCarthy is a veteran head coach with a Super Bowl on his resume. Graham is in his third stint as a defensive coordinator in the league.

Some veterans on the roster appear to have issues with the new regime. How McCarthy decides to proceed in the next few weeks could be critical both for the remainder of the season and for his future in Pittsburgh.

It probably would have been easier for the Steelers to have brought in a new coach and laid a new foundation with the roster, but Pittsburgh is deciding to take an old-school approach, and that could have dire consequences for the team if a bridge cannot be built between the new coaching staff and veterans on the roster.