Kevin Colbert has never been one to seek the spotlight.
The genial Pittsburgh Steelers general manager has always been content to stay in the background and allow coach Mike Tomlin and the players get credit for the organization’s success.
So, it was not a surprise that the Steelers announced Friday without fanfare that the 65-year-old Colbert will be stepping down at the conclusion of the NFL Draft in April. The team would like Colbert to remain in the organization in an advisory role.
The announcement was not unexpected. News that Colbert would be taking a step back broke Jan. 16 hours before the Steelers lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 42-21 in an AFC wild card playoff game to finish a 9-8-1 season.,
Colbert had also turned down multi-year contract extension offers in recent years. He had preferred to go one season at a time with an eye on moving into at least semi-retirement.
Colbert’s decision to step away came one day after quarterback Ben Roethlisberger officially announced his retirement after spending his entire 18-year career with the Steelers.
The Steelers have two strong in-house candidates to replace Colbert in vice president of football and business administration Omar Khan and pro scouting coordinator Brandon Hunt. Both have already interviewed for the GM opening.
Steelers team president Art Rooney II told reporters Friday the organization will also look at candidates from outside the organization. However, Khan and Hunt are well regarded around the NFL, and both have interviewed for GM vacancies with other franchises.
The possibility exists the Steelers could promote both Khan and Hunt in a co-GM scenario. In that scenario, Khan would oversee the business side of football operations while Hunt would handle player personnel decisions.
“A GM has a lot of responsibility these days,” Rooney said. “We’ll be hiring somebody who can fill those responsibilities, which include, No. 1, being a talent evaluator and putting our draft together, and everything else that goes into being an NFL GM today.
“We’re looking for someone who fits with the way we’re structured and our culture. We’re not planning to change our culture here. Someone would have to be able to fit that culture and that role.”
A Pittsburgh native, Colbert was hired from the Detroit Lions in 2000 to oversee football operations and replace Tom Donahoe.
The Steelers reached the playoffs 13 times in Colbert’s 21 seasons while winning 10 division titles. They also won two Super Bowls and appeared in a third.
However, they have gone 11 years without an appearance in the Super Bowl and have not won a playoff game since 2016.
The Steelers barely got into the playoffs this season, needing to beat the Baltimore Ravens in overtime on the last day of the regular season while the Jacksonville Jaguars upset heavily favored Indianapolis Colts.
