Steelers GM Kevin Colbert Talks Retirement with Ramon Foster

Kevin Colbert said it was the right time for him to retire while speaking with former Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive lineman Ramon Foster on the Ramon Foster Show. Colbert retired from his position of general manager following the conclusion of the 2022 NFL Draft. He has been in that post since 2000 and constructed two Super Bowl winning rosters for the 2005 and 2008 seasons.

Colbert had been hinting at retirement through his contracts the last few years as he signed a year-to-year deal each season since the 2019. Colbert mentioned that those contracts where one year deals because he wasn’t sure when he wanted to leave.

“We’ve been talking about (retirement) the last few years,” said Colbert. “Mr. Rooney has been very cooperative in letting me go about this year-to-year. I think we can only make commitments year-to-year because I wanted to make sure that if I was doing this, it was the right thing for everybody. From a family standpoint it’s the right time to step aside. I feel good about where the franchise is and where they’ll continue to grow from this point. We just thought it was the right time.”

Colbert leaves behind a young team coming off their second-consecutive playoff berth led by a future Pro Football Hall of Fame coach in Mike Tomlin. He helped add to that team prior to leaving by drafting quarterback Kenny Pickett in the first round with the No. 20 overall pick. A potential feather in the cap on his legacy, considering he’s only the second first round quarterback Colbert drafted in his 22 years as general manager with the other being future Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft.

The team is still looking to replace Colbert. They only recently started their second round of interviews a week ago.