The time may have come.

Get ready for some lean years, Pittsburgh sports fans. We are rather overdue in that regard, are we not?

All Pirate jokes aside, they did give us a run of three successive wild-card home playoff games, including the win over Cincinnati at PNC Park in 2013 that ranks as the most memorable night in that ballpark’s history.

Now the new management team is on the ground floor of a rebuild that is likely going to take a while.

The Steelers were 11-0 at one point this year and still have not endured a losing season under Mike Tomlin. Yet after three successive late-season collapses, Steeler Nation has grown quite restless. Much of that nation would welcome some changes at the top.

Some assistant coaches — including the offensive coordinator — are already gone. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger may soon follow.

Personally, I believe the guy can still play. I don’t believe he’ll be back.

With the Steelers facing salary cap woes and with only 35 players presently under contract, this roster is in for an overhaul. If the Steelers cannot field a Super Bowl contender next year — which is probably the case — why would Roethlisberger want to come back?

And with the Steelers owing him $41 million if he does, why would the organization want him back?

The Big Ben era is ending — as is this proud franchise’s run of being an annual contender to win the AFC North. Baltimore and Cleveland aren’t going away in terms of fielding quality teams and Cincinnati has one of the brightest young quarterbacks in the game.

Only four years ago, the Penguins were hoisting their second successive Stanley Cup and whispers of a dynasty could be heard throughout the NHL.

Since then, the Pens were bounced by Washington in the second round of the playoffs, were swept by the Islanders in the first round and spent only a few days in the “bubble” last year in Toronto, getting bounced in embarrassing fashion by Montreal in a preliminary series.

The Canadiens would not have qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs had the NHL’s regular season been completed. The Penguins’ run of consecutive playoff appearances — dating back to 2004 — is in serious jeopardy.

They are in the same division as Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, the Islanders, Rangers, New Jersey and Buffalo. Only the top four teams will qualify for postseason play.

That looks to be a tall order for a Penguin team that appears to have little depth on defense and is still trying to piece together an effective third-line.

The Penguins’ stars are getting older. And they are nowhere near as deep as those Cup-winning teams.

Let’s appreciate the championship memories we have, Pittsburgh sports fans.

It may be a while before we add to them.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle