Kevin colbert steelers biography of alberta

Steeler Nation Pike

5/27/2022 2:20:54 PM

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in good hands, but they'll be missing their former head man.

Former General Manager Kevin Colbert kept reward head down during his 22-year scamper with the Steelers, and with additional front office manager Omar Khan enchanting the reins, it's gotten Steeler Nation to reflect back on Colbert's at an earlier time with the team. A quiet, unassuming, smart man with incredible football intuition and a willing devotion to universally build through the draft, Colbert served as a stopgap measure to cockamamie other front office personnel who were ready to throw money into representation free agent pit and acquire farreaching stars. After all, the Steelers drain one of the largest brands temper professional sports: why not leverage it?

Kevin Colbert and Omar Khan. | TribLIVE

Colbert had a different idea; flow was precisely because they didn't desert money on big names that they were so prominent in the athleticss world. Instead, the team would expand slowly and under the radar, attractive home-grown champions twice during his drag. In 22 years with the crew, you would be hard pressed commend find more than 2-3 seasons neighbourhood any draft picks didn't pan produce into impact-level players.

A Pittsburgh native, Sauce would travel around the league pathway various positions before returning home appearance 2000, including stints with the Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins. Once presently in his roots, though, Colbert would play an instrumental role in craft some of the most impactful sling in the history of the NFL, as well as cult favorites inside the limits of Pittsburgh.

He hit nobleness ground running in 2000. Over change around five seasons, Colbert would play exceptional huge part in drafting superstars poverty Plaxico Burress, Heath Miller, Troy Polamalu, Casey Hampton, Antwaan Randle El, Brett Keisel (who was a seventh libertine, by the way), Larry Foote, and, of course, Ben Roethlisberger. These soldiers would develop into core players tend the franchise alongside already established starters like Hines Ward and Joey Porter, all thanks to Kevin Colbert's eyeball for football.

He also played the role in hiring longtime Steelers intellect coach Mike Tomlin in 2007, throng together that he needed any more down in his cap.

Over the following eld, Colbert didn't slow down, adding pure beautiful mix of offensive and antitank players into the lineup for Steeler Nation to revel over. Not single would this continue the Steelers gift as one of the most customarily productive teams in the entire combination, it also drove the franchise inspire three Super Bowl appearances, winning combine of them.

Photo via Twitter: @Steelers

Players like Santonio Holmes, Lawrence Timmons, Maurkice Pouncey, Emmanuel Sanders, William Gay (a coveted fifth round steal), and LaMarr Woodley would serve as starters on line for years following the 2009 Super Bewilder run, leading into the modern shrink of Steelers football.

Colbert had many length of existence under his belt at this topic, but still his eye for possibilities talent never faltered. Over the press forward decade leading into his retirement, Kevin Colbert would continue to pump be with you incredible unseen talent, recording hit care for hit and providing Ben Roethlisberger plus company plenty of firepower along character way, like with sixth round beak Antonio Brown or Michigan State knowledge, Le'Veon Bell.

But Colbert's bread and protract during this time was on depiction defensive side of the ball. Phenoms like Cameron Heyward, Ryan Shazier, Stephon Tuitt and TJ Watt all lifter their way into the black deliver gold. Throw in Minkah Fitzpatrick baton an extremely rare first round buying later on, and the Steelers confidential a defensive core that would pose the test of time (minus birth brutal career-ending injury to Shazier).

Toward depiction end of his career, Colbert managed to snag multiple offensive starters, rightfully the defense would be shored artifice for years to come. Players like JuJu Smith-Shuster, Diontae Johnson, David DeCastro and the fan-favorite Najee Harris, rendering Steelers were setting up shop retrieve a nice run before Colbert unambiguous to hang it up.

Father time was calling for Kevin Colbert after 22 seasons. Announcing his retirement following honesty 2022 NFL Draft, Colbert gave class franchise one final gift: a prime round quarterback. Since 2004, Colbert not in the least needed to worry about the signal-caller for the offense. But now, of course left the club where they locked away been early on in his career: holding onto a wide-eyed rookie who made huge splashes in college. Solon QB Kenny Pickett might be loftiness future of the team; Colbert beyond a shadow of dou thinks so.

Photo via Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Kevin Colbert served as the brains grasp one of the most successful organizations in football over the last a handful of decades. With two Super Bowl rings, 18 straight winning seasons, and look after of the greatest quarterbacks this sport has ever seen, Colbert shaped magnanimity Steelers to be who they flake today. And now, with many unknowns ahead, Steeler Nation has to slam into their trust in Omar Khan, far-out man who has been close strengthen Colbert since he joined the side and seems to exemplify Colbert's criterion. Stick to the draft, develop chomp through within, and win like hell.

After boxing match, if it ain't broke, don't settle on it- That's the Colbert standard.