Steelers Owner Calls Out Player Over Practice Complaints: “Funny How No One Mentions the Millions”

In a rare and pointed statement, Steelers president Art Rooney II addressed growing concerns inside the locker room about the team’s offseason workload — and he didn’t hold back.

While Rooney didn’t name the player directly, insiders suggest the comment was aimed squarely at a veteran who recently expressed frustration over Pittsburgh’s “grueling” minicamp and OTA schedule. The reaction from the front office? Not sympathetic.

“Players always mention the heavy workload — but when it comes to those million-dollar paychecks, suddenly no one’s talking,” Rooney reportedly told a team executive.

The quote, first reported anonymously, has since gone viral among Steelers fans, with many applauding the owner for reinforcing the team’s long-standing “no excuses” culture. Others on social media have already begun speculating about which player Rooney was referring to.

Though the name hasn’t been confirmed, some believe it could be connected to recent quiet frustrations voiced by unnamed players following the team’s revamped training format under new strength staff. But from Rooney’s perspective, the message is clear: you’re being paid like pros — train like it.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin declined to comment on Rooney’s remark, but several veterans have reportedly backed the president’s stance behind closed doors. One player said bluntly, “You either buy into the standard, or you don’t belong here.”

In an organization built on toughness, tradition, and accountability, this kind of friction isn’t new. But when it comes from the top, it hits differently.

Rooney’s words weren’t just directed at one player — they were aimed at preserving the Steelers identity. And judging by the locker room buzz, that identity just got a little sharper.