The head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers is known for keeping his cards hidden and playing mind games when it comes to trades or drafts. And just before the trade deadline, Mike Tomlin proved it again! When asked about adding a new wide receiver before the NFL trade deadline, he straight-up said, “I like shopping.” 

Yet, as the clock ticked down, no moves were made by the Black and Gold. Well, some close to the locker room say they saw it coming from a mile away. 

On the Not Just Football podcast, Hayden Walsh asked Cam Heyward, “Were you surprised you guys didn’t make a [trade] move today? Just yes or no on that?”

Cam gave a single-word answer: “NO.” Hayden, sensing something, shot back, “Okay. Interesting. And you would know something, so I would agree.”

Trade buzz circled the Steelers for weeks. After sending wide receiver George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys in the offseason, the Steelers faced a gaping hole at the position. Names like Raiders’ Jakobi Meyers and Saints’ Rashid Shaheed floated in and out of speculation.

Meyers eventually landed with the Jacksonville Jaguars after they traded fourth- and sixth-round picks. While Shaheed was snapped up by the Seattle Seahawks for fourth and fifth-round draft picks. Despite the chatter, Pittsburgh stuck to its guns.

Their only real in-season trade was acquiring safety Kyle Dugger from the New England Patriots in a late-round pick swap. Well, there could be several reasons why they didn’t jump into the pool. But only one of them seems too real and believable: the stakes were just too high.

Look at the Colts; they gave up their first-round picks for Sauce Gardner. However, Tomlin explained that’s just how teams behave before the trade deadline.

“I just know that if you’re trending in the right direction…usually you’re open to adding talent that can assist you…that’s something that I think some of the competitive teams are interested in year in and year out. It’s just a natural component of this thing,” Tomlin said.

In short, Tomlin and company were not interested in overpaying, prioritizing smart value over panic moves. Long-term goals, not short-term bandages. The Steelers are setting their sights on the future. But why?

Mike Tomlin’s future strategy and draft plans

The Steelers are betting on their draft capital, believing that next year’s picks will be their most valuable assets to rebuild and compete for championships. And Heyward echoed the same sentiment.

“Some teams are just kind of folding it in and planning them for the draft here in Pittsburgh. Going to have some fun there,” Cam said.

Pittsburgh is keeping its valuable draft picks safe and sound for the 2026 NFL Draft, which will be hosted at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Steelers hold their original first, third, and fourth-round picks. And they could utilize them to secure some key players.

Their quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, is aging, and the team knows they need a quarterback who can build and lead for years. This strategy gives them the flexibility to make a big move up the draft board and secure a franchise quarterback or a premium wide receiver to complement DK Metcalf.

So, Tomlin’s strategy of keeping his cards close to his chest has always paid off. It hits the right notes in this market. But those inside the locker room still know what’s really going on. For now, the Steelers are in it for the long haul.