Kevin

Colbert

Rooney also said the “door is open” for Colbert to stay on in a reduced role after the draft but that seems unlikely. The 64-year-old has been Pittsburgh’s general manager since 2000, adding Vice President to his (successful) title in 2016. Mike Tomlin’s role will reportedly stay the same between his responsibilities as coach and GM over personnel no matter Colbert’s decision. The Steelers already interviewed Omar Khan and Brandon Hunt for the role and will continue to talk with outside candidates as well.

Colbert’s contract runs through the upcoming draft and he is expected to stay on as GM through the event. He will then retire shortly after the draft concludes. Colbert has been signing one-year extensions for a few seasons with most believing that he was waiting to retire at the same time as Ben Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger is also expected to be out of Pittsburgh at the end of the year so the two will be riding off into the sunset together. If this is the end for Colbert, he’ll end his tenure in Pittsburgh with 225-124-3 before adding the outcome of the team’s Week 18 game versus Baltimore.

The 64-year-old has been the general manager since 2000 and added Vice President to his title in 2016. The Steelers are 217-117-2 (.649) with 15 playoff wins since Colbert was hired. There’s speculation that Colbert will retire when Ben Roethlisberger does, so the 2021 campaign very well could be his last. He’s been signing one-year extensions for some time now.

Shoot your shot. The league’s lack of available private workouts and visits to team facilities have obviously thrown some organizations for a loop, forcing much displeasure behind closed doors. While Colbert’s suggestion that a 10-round draft would widen any margin for error isn’t exactly false, it emphasizes some front office’s prehistoric thought processes and pre-draft preparation when forced to evaluate outside the box. April’s draft — a “fully virtual” experience — will undoubtedly result in multiple late-round and undrafted players being impacted by the entire process.

Colbert’s current contract was set to expire after the NFL Draft. “Kevin continues to play a key role in our success and his dedication to our personnel efforts is unparalleled,” said Steelers President Art Rooney II. “We are pleased he will lead those efforts for at least one more year.” Colbert initially joined the Steelers in February 2000 as their director of football operations and is set to enter his 21st season with the organization, including his 10th as the team’s general manager. This new deal takes his services through the 2021 NFL draft.

“I’m optimistic about Kevin being back next year,” Rooney said. “We have to get something done. The sooner, the better.” Prior to the year, Colbert quietly turned down an extension and stated he would only be working on one-year contracts moving forward. 2020 will be Colbert’s 21st season with the organization and it doesn’t sound like he’ll be walking away anytime soon.

“When I did the last extension it was under the understanding that the end of this one that I would like to do year-to-year,” Colbert said Saturday. “I still love what I do and as long as I still love what I do I can see myself continuing to do it.” One of the most successful GMs of the 21st century, Colbert is headed into his 20th season at the helm of the Steelers’ front office.

The Steelers’ general manager since 2000, Colbert’s job appeared to be a bit on the brink before back-to-back playoff appearances the past two seasons. His job is unlikely to come under threat again as long as Ben Roethlisberger is around.

In the position since 2000, the Steelers have a 175-96-1 record with two Super Bowl victories during Colbert’s tenure. While it has not always been smooth on the defensive side of the ball, he has built one of the most consistently good teams of this millennium and is one of the best in the business. Pittsburgh also signed coach Mike Tomlin to an extension earlier this month.

Colbert’s deal was set to expire after the 2016 season. The Steelers have now locked up both Colbert and coach Mike Tomlin through 2018. Colbert is technically headed into just his fifth year as Pittsburgh’s GM, but he’s held the job in a de facto capacity since 2000. The talent level on Colbert’s roster has waned in recent years, though it rebounded for an 11-5 campaign last season. Colbert’s main task remains retooling Pittsburgh’s once-fearsome defense.