AFC Notes: Orlando Brown, Art Rooney, Mike Tomlin, Bengals, Steelers

• Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic notes that the Bengals’ potential cuts to veteran salaries are not as clear as they have been in previous seasons.
• Dehner lists LT Orlando Brown Jr. as a potential candidate, potentially saving the team $14 million; however, he doesn’t think Brown Jr. he will be cut and the Bengals will draft tackle with their first three picks to back up Brown.
• Other candidates mentioned by Dehner include defense TJ Slaton again BJ HillOL Cody Fordand LB Oren Burks.

The Texans were the last team to face the Steelers under the former HC Mike Tomlin in the AFC Wild Card Round. Houston HC DeMeco Ryans reflected on Tomlin’s decision to leave Pittsburgh, and said he was glad the coach was able to walk away.

“You see a guy who won a lot and did it at a high level for 19 seasons so he didn’t have a losing record,” Ryans said, via NFL.com. “Part of me is happy that he was able to put down his goals, a tough job, one of the hardest jobs.”

Ryans added that he respects Tomlin more than any coach in the NFL and thinks he always gets things done “the right way.”

“Everybody has all the answers, but nobody really knows all the work, all the sacrifices that go in, all the sleepless nights, all the long hours you put in, all the time away from the family. There’s a lot that goes into it and everybody just jumps, ‘This guy’s got to be fired. He’s got to be fired. Get him out, get him out,'” Ryans said. “I think the Steelers have benefited from having a great coach for 19 years and you see continued success when you can stick with a guy, you really believe in a guy who’s a good leader of the organization. He did it at a high level, he won a Super Bowl, he did it with class and respect. There’s no other coach I respect more than Mike. He was able to deliver his goals.”

Owner of the Steelers Art Rooney he said the team will not waste a year rebuilding and said the plan is to continue competing in 2026.

“I’m not going to say, ‘Well, we’re going to take a few years to figure this out and then we’re going to try to compete,’” Rooney said, via ESPN.I think he tries every year. Some years you have horses that really get there. Some years you don’t, but you try every year, in my opinion.”

Rooney admitted that the team is frustrated by not making the postseason but plans to return to the playoffs next year.

“It’s been a winning season,” he said.Always in contention. So I think if you start with that, you have a chance to take the next step. I can’t describe the kind of recent history there. It’s hard to explain considering the entire record of the song. It’s frustrating for all of us, especially for Mike, but all in all, I’ll take being in contention year after year and get a shot at it.“