The Steelers signed general manager Kevin Colbert to a one-year contract extension Wednesday, a deal that keeps him with the team through the 2021 draft.
Colbert’s contract was going to expire after this year’s draft at the end of April.
Colbert, who has been with the Steelers since 2000, said in August that he would go “year-to-year” on his contract as he nears retirement.
“It’s hard to quantify how fortunate I am to have been a part of this organization for the past 20 years,” Colbert said in a statement. “I look forward to the challenge of getting our team back into playoff contention while never losing sight of our ultimate goal — winning the Super Bowl.”
Colbert, who turned 63 last month, has overseen the rosters of two Super Bowl championship teams in 2005 and 2008 and the 2010 team that lost in the Super Bowl. The Steelers have earned nine division titles under his watch and made the playoffs 12 times.
Team president Art Rooney II foreshadowed a new deal for Colbert when he spoke with reporters last month and said he was “optimistic” about Colbert returning as general manager.
Colbert said in August “family considerations” were behind waiting to sign a new deal after the season. He said during training camp it was his preference to go “year to year” for the remainder of his career.
“When I did my last extension quite honestly it was with the understanding when we got to the end of that extension that if I was still employed that most likely moving forward we’d approach it year-to-year,” Colbert said during a July interview. “That was a personal request on my part. I’m very grateful that Art is accommodating to that. That’s just where myself and my family are in our lives.
“We want to make those decisions on a year-to-year basis from this point forward. I’m appreciative that Art was accepting of that. It hasn’t changed anything we’re doing from a preparation standpoint. My schedule this year is as busy as it was in any previous year with my college work, games, all that. Nothing has changed along those lines.
“From a personal standpoint that’s where me, my wife and our family are. That’s all there is to it. I still love what I do. As long as I still love what I do I can see myself continuing to do it. But we just want to do it year-to-year.”
The contract extension comes three weeks before the Steelers head to the NFL combine in Indianapolis, where he and his staff will search for players who can help the Steelers return to the playoffs. The Steelers have missed the postseason the past two seasons after qualifying from 2014-17.
Some of Colbert’s shrewdest moves have come in the past year. He was able to get third- and fifth-round picks from the Oakland Raiders in exchange for troubled receiver Antonio Brown, who was released by the Raiders before the season began. Then in September, Colbert traded away this year’s first-round pick to Miami for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick, who is under team control for three more years, earned All-Pro honors last season and helped the Steelers defense return to among the best units in the NFL.
“Kevin continues to play a key role in our success and his dedication to our personnel efforts is unparalleled,” Rooney II said in a statement.” We are pleased he will lead those efforts for at least one more year.”
Colbert, a graduate of North Catholic High School and Robert Morris University, began his scouting career with BLESTO in 1984. He worked for the Miami Dolphins from 1985-89 as a college scout before the Detroit Lions hired him to be their pro scouting director in 1990. He served in that role until 1999.
The Steelers hired him as their director of football operations in 2000. They gave him the title of general manager in 2010.
Ray Fittipaldo: rfittipaldo@post-gazette.com and Twitter @rayfitt1
First Published: February 5, 2020, 8:16 p.m.
Updated: February 5, 2020, 8:36 p.m.