PITTSBURGH — Days before Mike Tomlin spoke repeatedly of looming changes on the subject of his coaching staff, two Steelers heavily supported the head coach, and others.

Both Ramon Foster and Bud Dupree get that fans keep their keyboard knives unsheathed, and that more legitimate criticism comes out when their team doesn’t make the playoffs.

“And I respect them for it. Because guess why? Here in this city it’s all about winning and winning when you’re supposed to, winning championships when you have that opportunity to and — we haven’t," Foster said. "I wanted a ring. That’s still my ambition, so. And the city deserves it. There’s too much talent, you still have a Hall of Fame quarterback.

“Look at it. What kind of changes do you want? One of the best head coach. Who? Who can do it better?”

Foster is out of a contract. He’s played in Pittsburgh since making the team as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2009. Dupree was a first-round pick in 2015. The Steelers activated the fifth-year option for Dupree ahead of this past season. Pittsburgh can revoke option – due to pay Dupree $9.2 million in 2019 salary – for any reason other than injury.

Dupree backed Tomlin along similar lines as Foster.

“No, Coach Tomlin is one of the best coaches in the league. That’s numbers-wise and by players-wise,” he said. "People talk about him and the guy before us and numbers-wise as well. So, like, when people say something about his coaching, if you want a new coach for the Steelers, who you gonna get, Belichick?

“Like, you know what I’m saying? There’s really nobody else who can fill his void.”

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The fourth-year outside linebacker said the team’s failures are not on coaches, or their schemes, but execution across all three units.

And on his unit, Dupree said, defensive coordinator Keith Butler deserves support.

“People don’t really know about how great of a coach Buts is because he never really — people know the way he talk, the way he act, it kind of throws you off. Like ‘He don’t know what the [expletive] he talking about.’ But, Buts really know what’s going on,” Dupree said. “Buts really knows the linebacker position, he knows the DB position, he knows the defensive line, he knows the coverages, the schemes, he knows what players are gonna do. It’s just, the way his persona is, it’s just different.”

Dupree said he feels similarly misunderstood. He said he knows fans don’t want him in Pittsburgh, but he’ll be back, and hopes Butler is there with him.

Foster further touted Tomlin in simple terms: Others, he said, don’t know what happens at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex and if they did they would know few other than Tomlin could handle what does.

“I don’t think they understand the ins and outs of this job, how to handle the people in this place,” Foster said. "I don’t know if any other coach could do that. I’m being completely honest.

"If they came in that building for two weeks, I think they’d change their hwole mindset about what they think about him and this organization.”

Tomlin would go on to echo a preface of Foster’s. He’s paid well for his work, which includes managing the absurdities of others.

“I don’t want to say unfairly because he’s compensated properly,” Foster said of Tomlin’s treatment. "You know? That’s the first thing they’re gonna say. ‘Well hell, we do this, we pay your salary, we do this.’ It’s — you guys are around. I know I got to say it in order for you guys to throw it out there, but I’m not gonna say it. You guys know how it goes. You guys know.

“You understand the underlining of everything that goes on. And that — he is one of the best at managing it. And sometimes the ropes get pulled a little bit farther.”

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