Madden Monday: AFC and NFC title games show how much of a 'fraud' the Steelers have become

In Sunday’s NFC Championship game, the Philadelphia Eagles routed the Washington Commanders, 55-23.

In the AFC Championship, the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills stood at the 50-yard line and exchanged haymakers for three hours before the Chiefs emerged with a 32-29 victory.

That’s 139 total points in the two games for an average of 34.7 points per team. As Mark Madden said on this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, it’s a stark reminder that the Steelers aren’t close to being on the level of Philly, K.C. or Buffalo.

“The two (games) we saw Sunday, make you realize how far the Steelers are from being serious contenders. They’re so far away, it’s a joke,” Madden said. “When you start 10-3 and lose your last five, including your playoff game, it means you’re not getting any better. Other teams, such as the ones who beat you (Philadelphia, Baltimore twice, Kansas City and Cincinnati), are getting better. The Steelers are just a joke from top to bottom. I think they are worthy of every criticism they get and more. From the owner to the ball boy, they’re a fraud.”

Madden says the Steelers would be best served if they attempted to trade away some of their star players and head coach Mike Tomlin.

“Trading Tomlin to get a first-round pick or two is the right move,” Madden said. “Trading T.J. Watt for a first-round pick or two is the right move. Trying to trade Minkah (Fitzpatrick) for even a second-round pick is the right move. They need to do what Washington did, and have a 4-13 year and get a clean break from what’s been failing.”

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But Madden also knows the organization is never going to go in that direction.

“All these things we talk about, they’re just not going to do because they don’t have any problem with what just happened,” Madden continued. “They don’t have any problem with just being in the mix, even if they never win a playoff game. The Steelers’ biggest problem has long been that they very rarely see when there’s a problem.”

One potential decision that might take care of itself now is what to do with quarterback Russell Wilson. Given that his former coach in Seattle, Pete Carroll, just got hired to coach the QB-needy Las Vegas Raiders, Madden sees it as just about a foregone conclusion that Wilson will wind up out there instead of re-signing with the Steelers.

Whether they wanted to keep Wilson or not.

“I’ll be surprised if it doesn’t happen,” Madden said of Wilson potentially landing in Vegas. “Not only can I see that happening, that’s what I predict is going to happen. I think Russ’ best, and first, option now is Las Vegas.”

Also, in the podcast, we talk about Justin Fields’ future, the Chiefs-Eagles Super Bowl matchup and the struggles of the Pittsburgh Penguins.