(Screenshot via Steelers.com)
It seemed like many in the media thought Steelers pro scouting coordinator Brandon Hunt would be Kevin Colbert's replacement. I mean, Hunt was alongside Colbert and Mike Tomlin at numerous pro days prior to the draft. It appeared that the Steelers wanted someone with a scouting background to become the next general manager, Hunt was viewed as a Colbert 2.0.
The Steelers decided to go in a different direction, however, and hired Omar Khan as the organization's new general manager. Khan's been in the Steelers' front office since 2001 and is highly regarded for his ability to maneuver the salary cap.
There's a perception that Khan is just a "numbers guy," but he spent time as a talent evaluator when he was with the Saints from 1997-2000. He's also learned a ton from Colbert over the last 21 years. Khan, 45, has been passed on by numerous teams over the years for general manager positions, so there were some doubts that the Steelers would go with him as the general manager. There was a belief that Hunt would be named general manager and Khan would be the assistant general manager and handle all the cap stuff.
Instead, Khan got the job over Hunt and the Steelers went outside the organization and hired Eagles’ vice president of player personnel Andy Weidl, who's from Mount Lebanon and was a player personnel assistant with the Steelers in 1998-1999. Hunt and Weidl were two of the six candidates who received second interviews for the Steelers general manager job.
So, Hunt was the odd man out in the equation and has reportedly accepted a high position in the Eagles’ front office. Hunt previously interviewed for a front-office position with the Eagles in 2016, but the job was given to Joe Douglas. He also interviewed for the Raiders general manager position in January but didn't get it. Earlier this month, Hunt interviewed for the Bills' assistant general manager position.
With Hunt leaving, Khan has hired Sheldon White as the Steelers' director of pro scouting. White previously worked in the Lions’ front office for 19 seasons before moving on to Michigan State and to the Commanders last season as a scout. Khan also promoted Kevin Colbert's, Dan, to director of college scouting. He is in his 12th season with the team, working as a player personnel intern and a college and pro scout.
Of course, the general manager job can go to only just one person. And Khan is certainly deserving of it after paying his dues and working 21 years under Colbert. But it seems like Hunt got the short end of the stick, as he was even passed on for the assistant general manager position. Hunt was highly respected in the Steelers' front office, too. It just shows how tough business can be sometimes, especially in the NFL.