dq. Steelers Legend Terry Bradshaw Publicly Criticizes GM Omar Khan for Wasting a $290 Million Salary Cap — One of the Highest in the NFL, Yet Only Met With a Streak of Inconsistent Performance

Steelers legend Terry Bradshaw publicly criticizes GM Omar Khan for wasting a $290 million salary cap — one of the highest in the NFL, yet only met with a streak of inconsistent performance.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – 11/12/2025

Controversy is brewing in Pittsburgh after franchise legend Terry Bradshaw, the four-time Super Bowl champion who defined the Steelers’ golden era, publicly criticized general manager Omar Khan for what he called “reckless spending without direction.” In an exclusive interview with The Athletic, Bradshaw accused Khan of turning one of the NFL’s largest payrolls — $290 million — into “a money machine with no championship soul.”

“This isn’t the team I used to know,” Bradshaw said, his tone heavy with disappointment. “When you spend nearly $300 million on a roster, you don’t get to settle for inconsistency. The Steelers were built on pride and hunger — not spreadsheets and numbers. I look at them now and I have to ask myself: where’s that steel spirit that used to make the entire NFL afraid to walk into Heinz Field?”

His comments serve as a wake-up call for a franchise seemingly losing its identity, as the Steelers continue to show erratic performances despite fielding stars like Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf, and T.J. Watt. Each win feels like a struggle, and every loss reveals cracks in both strategy and locker-room cohesion.

“They’ve got big names but no shared soul,” Bradshaw continued. “In Pittsburgh, players used to fight for honor, for the logo on their helmets — not for the number of zeroes on their contracts.”

According to ESPN, the Steelers currently rank among the top three highest payrolls in the NFL, behind only the Cowboys and Jets. Yet, their record hardly reflects that level of investment. Analysts have criticized Omar Khan’s lack of direction, saying his spending has disrupted the balance between veteran leadership and youthful hunger — the very foundation that once powered Pittsburgh’s championship DNA.

“When you walk into the Steelers locker room, you should feel the history — the responsibility to carry on that legacy,” Bradshaw emphasized. “But now, I don’t feel that anymore. It’s like they’re trying to buy back greatness instead of building it.”

GM Omar Khan has yet to respond publicly. But in a city where football is more religion than sport, Bradshaw’s words carry the weight of gospel.
Because in Pittsburgh, greatness was never about the size of a paycheck — it was about heart, pride, and the unbreakable spirit of those who wear the black and gold.