Steelers GM Kevin Colbert has been working, by his own request, on a series of year-to-year contracts in order to leave open the possibility of retirement. After 22 years in the Pittsburgh front office, that day may have finally come, as Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com report that Colbert will step down after the 2022 draft.
As Aditi Kinkhabwala of the NFL Network reminds us (via Twitter), Colbert has repeatedly stated that he would remain in his post as long as Ben Roethlisberger was the Steelers’ quarterback. Roethlisberger is set to retire at season’s end, so Colbert is staying true to his word. He may stay with the organization in an advisory capacity to assist whomever the Steelers hire to replace him, but the 65-year-old is expected to retire sooner rather than later.
He will leave behind an extraordinary legacy. Colbert, who became Pittsburgh’s director of football operations in 2000 before assuming the general manager title in 2010, has compiled a 225-124-3 record during his time in charge of the club’s personnel. That includes two Super Bowl titles with two different coaches, along with a third Super Bowl appearance.
In all of that time, the Steelers only had one losing season, which came way back in 2003. Following the arrival of Roethlisberger one year later, Pittsburgh has been a model of consistency, and the fact that the storied franchise remains one of the NFL’s most respected and has served as a template that other teams try to emulate is thanks in no small part to Colbert’s efforts.
Vice president of football and business administration, Omar Khan, would appear to be on the short list of potential replacements. Khan has been with the Steelers almost as long as Colbert, having been hired as the football administration coordinator in 2001. He has been a popular GM candidate for other teams in recent years, and he was reportedly offered the Texans’ GM gig last year before Houston pivoted to Nick Caserio.
Rapoport and Pelissero also name pro scouting coordinator Brandon Hunt as a candidate.
Heck of a career sir, enjoy retirement!
Gotta be impressed by anyone who can retain some hair after being in the league that long.
Well, the Steelers have a lot of changes coming. Colbert has done an amazing job, and it’s going to be extremely difficult to replicate that consistency.
They’ll still be able to point to the Pirates and say “We’re better than those bums”.
Very Quiet and overly successful GM
Colbert has done an incredible job in drafts, finding late round hidden gems. Omar Khan will easily be the logical guy to step in, and he’s the cap space genius, so Steelers should be in gods hands for years to come.
Is there a gm in history with that many hall of famers in a 20 year span? Ward, Ben, Troy, Harrison, cowher, faneca, AB, tomlin, Watt is on his way, maybe Cam? Not even counting Bettis or Najee.
Bill Polian…
Yeah, that’s still elite company.
As a NY Giant fan I totally respect the Steelers and how they run their organization. Total class and consistency. In the old days I always felt the Giants were sort of similar in how they handled business (also since the Mara’s and Rooney’s are linked), but of course this last decade has shown the Giants are just a mess and a laughing stock. I do hope one day they can return to being a respected organization. I have a lot of admiration for the Steelers, and hats off to their GM and entire front office.
If Omar Khan doesn’t get the internal promotion, I’m curious what that would mean for Mike Tomlin and an outside GM.
That’s a good question. Honestly, the way the Steelers usually do things, someone will be promoted from within or multiple guys will share the role. And I’m honestly not sure Tomlin would want to coach in Pittsburgh under a new , outside GM. He’s not old but he’s not going to coach forever, and he’s got the perfect role model for getting out on top and early in Bill Cowher.