Steelers expected to name Omar Khan as next general manager as team enters post-Ben Roethlisberger era

Omar Khan, the Steelers vice president of football and business administration, is expected to be named the team’s next general manager, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and confirmed by CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora. Khan will replace Kevin Colbert, who steps down following a highly successful 22-year run. 

Khan was one of six candidates the Steelers brought back for second interviews. The other five were Steelers pro scouting coordinator Brandon Hunt, Titans VP of player personnel Ryan Cowden, Buccaneers VP of personnel John Spytek, former Bills GM and Steelers executive Doug Whaley, and Eagles VP of player personnel Andy Weidl. Weidl is expected to be named as the Steelers’ new assistant GM, according to Aditi Kinkhabwala.

Khan, 44, has been with the Steelers since 2001 after breaking into the NFL with the Saints in 1997. He initially served as Pittsburgh’s football administration coordinator before he was elected to director of football administration in 2011. Khan was promoted to his recent position of VP of football and business administration in 2016. The Steelers have won two Super Bowls and three AFC titles during Khan’s 21-year run with the franchise. 

Khan will follow in the footsteps of a legend in Colbert, who helped build rosters that won two Super Bowls, three AFC championships, and 10 division titles. The Steelers made the playoffs 14 times in Colbert’s 22 years in Pittsburgh. They had just one losing season, as their streak of 18 consecutive non-losing seasons is the longest in the NFL. 

The Steelers are coming off a 2021 season that saw them make the playoffs after compiling a 9-7-1 regular season record. Pittsburgh’s offseason has included the free agent signing of Mitchell Trubisky and the selection of former Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett with the 20th overall pick. Both quarterbacks will compete with Mason Rudolph to be the team’s Week 1 starter.