Last weekend, the Pittsburgh Steelers pulled a New York Jets when an anonymous player reportedly blasted linebacker LaMarr Woodley for having poor workout habits that led to a number of injuries. The comments were the type we are used to hearing from a team like the Jets, but were highly uncharacteristic of an organization like Pittsburgh’s.
In Hines Ward’s opinion, the anonymous bashing proves the Steelers have a major issue inside their locker room at the moment.
“When you lose so much leadership in the locker room, that’s when things present itself like that,” Ward told NFL Network’s NFL AM on Friday morning, via Around the League. “Guys start finger-pointing, calling out other guys. That is not the Steeler way. We’ve always had a rule: We are a band of brothers. We’ve always collectively kept everything in house. … But there was no finger-pointing and calling each other out. That’s a total disarray, a locker room in disarray.”
It’s tough to argue with Ward, who spent 14 seasons with the team and knows the organization as well as anyone. A lot of things went wrong for the Steelers last season during their 8-8 campaign, but it was not the first disappointing season the team has endured. It is, however, one of the few times we have heard reports of teammates bashing one another.
The Steelers have a younger team than they had when Ward was there, which means someone has to step up and be a leader. I’m sure Mike Tomlin would prefer that Ben Roethlisberger be at least one of the guys to do so next season.
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