Stephen A. Smith blames Ben Roethlisberger for Mike Tomlin’s current problems

Mike Tomlin's Pittsburgh Steelers have had better years. Despite holding onto a 7-6 record, the team is in a state of turmoil. At quarterback, Kenny Pickett and Mitchell Trubisky have failed to elevate the offense. Meanwhile, the defense has yet to live up to the standard of the Terrible Towels.

Speaking on "First Take" on Wednesday, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith didn't blame anyone more for the team's offensive woes than former franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger:

"If you're Big Ben Roethlisberger, I thought you stayed a couple of years too long, and I thought you sort of curtailed or stymied the transition so the era would continue [on offense]. ... I thought he stayed around too long and I didn't think that he was a person that should have been around."

Smith continued, blaming Ben Roethlisberger's inability to get out of the way for holding back the Steelers:

"Because he was [remaining] around, the offense was dissipating before our very eyes year after year. As a result, we sort of grew accustomed to it because we can rely on the defense, and lo and behold, now you can’t."

In other words, Mike Tomlin's tough defense wouldn't last forever. Instead of handing over the reins earlier to another pair of hands with more gas in the tank, he allowed himself to erode on the team's watch. As the offense tries to mend itself, linebacker TJ Watt's side of the ball is eroding.

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How long could a rebuild take for Mike Tomlin?

Mike Tomlin at New England Patriots vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

To remain a dominant force, teams need to plan years in the future, as both aspects of the field often have staggered lifespans. With only so many resources to spend every year, teams, including the Pittsburgh Steelers, usually only have enough ammunition to fix one side of the ball completely at a time.

For example, if a team builds up the offense first, that will begin to sag over the years while it turns its attention to the defense. The hope is that at some point, the offense and defense can have an overlap period where both are near their primes. That's how Super Bowl windows open.

But sometimes, teams find themselves chasing holes on the roster. Those franchises often remain in the dumps for years and even decades. The Denver Broncos experienced an offense collapse in the mid-2010s, but they continued to have a strong defense.

However, with the offense perhaps turning the corner (at least situationally) nearly ten seasons later, the defense has taken a step back from its prime.

Can Mike Tomlin skip a potential decades-long rebuild?

If any of the above quotes are used, credit "First Take" and H/T Sportskeeda.