Pittsburgh Steelers Sending Mixed Signals on Standards

The Pittsburgh Steelers organization and fans like to think that they are a step above the rest in the National Football League. Better players, better fans, better character—the Steelers are held to a higher standard.

From the ownership on down, Pittsburgh prides itself on running things the “Steelers Way.” 

The team has had much success this way, winning six Super Bowls, the most in league history.

But as good as the “Steelers Way” sounds, it is not necessarily true.

Pittsburgh does not always avoid taking risks on players with questionable character. After all, they did draft Santonio Holmes.

They do not outright cut those who get in trouble with the law—James Harrison—and they do not remove players who got in trouble while in college from their draft boards. Marvel Smith, anyone?

Now, the team is at a crossroad. They have to make crucial decisions on important players. 

Before we take a look at the present, we must examine the recent past.

In the 2006 offseason, backup offensive tackle Barrett Brooks was arrested after driving recklessly around a police car. This resulted in a chase in which he ran a red light and a stop sign. Brooks said the chase was a result of miscommunication.

Backup running back Najeh Davenport was charged with child endangerment and unlawful restraint in the spring of 2008. He was released in June, but then re-signed with the Steelers after running backs Willie Parker, Rashard Mendenhall, and Carey Davis were all injured.

In 2008, former wide receiver Cedric Wilson was arrested on domestic abuse charges and was released from the team. Harrison was also charged with domestic abuse within a week-and-a-half of Wilson, yet he was not released. 

Why were these two players treated differently?

According to Steelers owner Dan Rooney, it was because of the circumstances.

“I know many are asking the question of (why) we released Wilson and Harrison we kept. The circumstances—I know of the incidents, they are completely different," Rooney said. "In fact, when I say we don’t condone these things, we don’t, but we do have to look at the circumstances that are involved with other players and things like that, so they’re not all the same.”

The bottom line, according to Rooney, was that they will hold the Steelers to high standards.

“I hope that we continue to hold the Steelers, the Steelers organization, and all professional athletes to the same standards we hold ourselves to,” he said.

Flash-forward to Monday, April 12, 2010. 

Holmes was traded to the New York Jets for a fifth-round draft choice. This is on the heels of legal issues stemming from a thrown drink at a woman in an Orlando night club, and news of a four-game suspension issued by the NFL for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

Holmes had apparently reached his breaking point with the Steelers this offseason with these issues, as well as his tweets, which included sending a message to a follower to “kill urself” and a reference to using marijuana, “wake n bake.”

These issues were not the first with Holmes either. He was arrested twice within two months of being drafted in 2006.

First, he was arrested for disorderly conduct and then for domestic violence. He was then cited for possession of marijuana in 2008. This resulted in a one-game suspension.

Another player with some history is kicker Jeff Reed. In February 2009, Reed was charged with disorderly conduct and criminal mischief after he punched a paper towel dispenser at a Sheetz convenience store. He had also harassed store employees. 

Reed was also arrested following a post-game incident this past October, and was charged with resisting arrest, simple assault, disorderly conduct, and public drunkenness. The charges were all dropped, the first two in March and the latter two on Monday after Reed completed the required community service.

Unlike Holmes, Reed was rewarded this offseason with the franchise tag. After signing it today, Reed will get paid $2,814,000 this season and hopes to negotiate a long-term deal with the team.

Then comes Ben Roethlisberger.

He is the face of the team—the $100 million man—and one of the most clutch on-field performers in the league. The same cannot be said for his off-the-field behavior.

Just last year, Roethlisberger was accused in a civil suit by a woman of sexually assaulting her, and Monday he learned that no charges would be filed against him following an incident with a 20-year old woman in Milledgeville, Ga.

After meeting with Roger Goodell today to discuss his actions off the field, there is speculation that Roethlisberger will be suspended for a game or two, minimum. Whether that suspension comes from the league or the Steelers organization remains to be seen.

What also remains in question is how the Steelers should treat these situations.

Since 2006, the Steelers have rid themselves of two wide receivers involved with legal issues, but have kept others, including their superstar outside linebacker and franchise quarterback. They also franchise-tagged their kicker.

How can the players within the organization know what is to be expected if there is no standard of punishment for incidents away from the team?

Does it take four arrests before the team gets rid of you like they did with Holmes?  If not for the trade, the team was prepared to cut him. 

Do you get off without punishment from the team or league just as Harrison and Reed have?

Or are you at risk for a suspension, possibly for multiple games, as they are discussing with Roethlisberger?

Everyone is watching the NFL and Pittsburgh Steelers right now to see what actions will be taken.

But what should be done?

Should players like Reed or Roethlisberger be suspended? I’m not sure, but they do lose game checks and respect in the locker room for letting their team down.

In the end, however, all this is doing is punishing the entire team, not just an individual player. Then again, if you can’t control your players off the field, maybe the entire team needs to be punished.

But wouldn’t a major fine also be a deterrent?

Maybe a more beneficial method of discipline would be to help the players. Both Roethlisberger’s and Reed’s issues have in part stemmed from the consumption of alcohol. This may be a problem that could be addressed with counseling or some form of rehabilitation.

Community service would be another option. Athletes have a lot of power in the community.

To involve themselves in beneficial projects would raise the morale of the community that they live in, and hopefully provide them with some perspective on their place in that community.

Regardless on the decision of what the punishment will be, the NFL and the Steelers need to take quick action to set a standard for the rest of the league.

Anything less will continue to send mixed messages as to what is expected out of the players in this league, particularly those playing in Pittsburgh.