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Former Steelers GM Kevin Colbert assisting former Pittsburgh players with post-football life

PeterWarrenPhoto2by: Peter Warren03/28/23thepeterwarren
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Joe Sargent via Getty Images.

Former Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert, who stepped down after 22 years after the 2022 NFL Draft, has a new role within the organization. He is the leader of the team’s “Lend a Hand” program.

The program is meant to help Steelers alumni adjust to their post-football playing careers and help them understand the resources that are available to them as former NFL players.

“The real purpose is to help all our retired players transition into life after football,” Colbert told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Mostly it’s for the younger, recently retired guys who are trying to transition into that next phase of life.”

Colbert holds monthly virtual meetings for the program, which recently had 32 players attend.

“We direct guys with specific issues to the possible help they can have, but we’re also trying to show them player opportunities, educational opportunities, financial aid type of opportunities, assistance, family assistance,” Colbert said. “Health and wellness is obviously a big part.”

Kevin Colbert led Pittsburgh to two Super Bowls

Much like with its head coaches, the Steelers find their guy and stick with them for a long haul. That was the case with Kevin Colbert, who was the head of football operations from 2000-2022.

Colbert arrived in 2000 as the director of football operations. After the 2010 season, his title became general manager and then he added a vice president title ahead of the 2016 season.

Pittsburgh won two Super Bowls under Colbert’s leadership: Super Bowl XL and Super Bowl XLIII. The Steelers also won 10 AFC North titles and had just one losing season during his era.

The only head coaches he worked with were Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin.

Colbert is a native of Western Pennsylvania. He was born in Pittsburgh and went to North Catholic High School in the Pittsburgh suburb of Cranberry Township. For college, Colbert stayed in the region at Robert Morris.

He stepped down after the 2022 NFL Draft and was replaced by Omar Khan. Khan had been with the Steelers since 2001, serving in a variety of roles. Those roles included vice president of football & business administration and director of football administration.