Steelers owner shuts down NFL's potential multi-million dollar change to playoff structure
Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II is opposed to the idea of a potential shift in the playoff format.
After the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals game was canceled due to the horrific incident involving Bills player Damar Hamlin, the league had to decide what to do, given there were huge playoff implications.
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The idea of playing the AFC championship game on a neutral site if both teams managed to get to that stage subsequently arose.
For Rooney, who spoke on 93.7 The Fan, he is against the idea of that being the norm come playoff time.
“I hate the idea," Rooney said. "I don’t like that at all. My sense is that if you put that up for a vote it wouldn’t pass today, but who knows?”
Art Rooney II was pretty blunt on the idea of neutral site conference championship games: “I hate the idea.”
It remains highly unlikely that all 32 NFL teams would vote to have their home stadium advantage wiped away to play confernce championship games at neutral venues. It is that kind of reward that pushes teams to make the best of their season.
Playing conference championship games on neutral fields will certainly eliminate any advantage either team potentially has over the other. But if Rooney's words are anything to go by, we don't have to worry about such a development.
Coach Tomlin oversees another winning season for the Steelers
For the first time in what feels like forever, the Steelers embarked on an NFL season without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in their roster. Instead, Mitch Trubisky and rookie Kenny Pickett where charged with helping the Steelers ride out what many thought would be a bumpy ride.
Starting 1-5, not many had high hopes for the Steelers, but after coach Mike Tomlin made the switch at quarterback and instilled Pickett as the starter, the Steelers showed promise.
Pickett went on to play 13 games, finishing with 2,404 passing yards, seven touchdowns and nine interceptions. While those aren't flattering numbers, Pickett won seven games, including the last four, as Pittsburgh finished with a 9-8 record.
If Pittsburgh ever returns to an AFC championship game with Pickett at the helm, given Rooney's comments, they will be still playing under the current playoff format.