Steelers focus in on finalists for their open GM job

Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)

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The Pittsburgh Steelers have turned their attention to finalists for the general manager job.

With the 2022 NFL Draft firmly in the rearview mirror, the Pittsburgh Steelers will be replacing long-time general manager Kevin Colbert this offseason.

The Steelers will be conducting a second round of interviews. Mike Garafolo, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of The NFL Network reported two candidates for the job include Ryan Cowden of the Tennessee Titans and John Spytek of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The NFL Network trio of elite news breakers anticipate there will be other candidates who will get second interviews, too.

Whoever replaces Colbert will be the other face of the Steelers franchise, alongside long-time head coach Mike Tomlin.

Ryan Cowden, John Spytek among finalists for Pittsburgh Steelers GM opening

Cowden is the vice president of player personnel for the Titans. He has had this role since 2018, having initially come aboard in Nashville as the director or player personnel six years ago. Spytek is also a vice president of player personnel for his franchise. As with Cowden, he came aboard in Tampa Bay six years ago with the Buccaneers initially serving as their director of player personnel.

It should be noted that the Steelers interviewed two candidates from within in the lead-up to their general manager search process in Brandon Hunt and Omar Khan. Hunt is the pro director of scouting and could still be a candidate, but could be pried by a team in need of a front office executive like the Philadelphia Eagles. Khan may not get the job, but he is a Steelers mainstay.

Ultimately, there will be huge shoes to fill in replacing Colbert. He had been a front-office institution in Pittsburgh for decades. They won two Super Bowls under his watch throughout the Ben Roethlisberger era under center. Now with Kenny Pickett expected to take the torch from Big Ben, it will be interesting to see if the Steelers remain playoff-viable with a new general manager.

Look for the Steelers to have a new general manager before the start of next football season.