Mike Tomlin

[toobfreak]

This issue with Mike Tomlin stretches beyond just this one season. It defines an entire era under him. The Steelers reach the playoffs. They rarely advance. They fail to adjust, they fail under pressure, and Tomlin’s defense collapses. Playoff football exposes weaknesses. The Steelers continue to show the same ones. Poor discipline. Slow starts. Missed opportunities. Those flaws reflect coaching. Not luck. The standard in Pittsburgh demands more, and fans seem to want change regardless of whether they win a playoff game this season or not.

Speculation has moved beyond fan frustration. League insiders now acknowledge the possibility of change. It is in the realm of possibility that Tomlin leaves the Steelers with a loss this Sunday to Baltimore. He mentioned television as an option for next season. He also noted Tomlin could coach elsewhere in 2026. That type of report carries weight. Insiders do not speculate publicly without reason. The league senses a shift. The most frustrating part of the Tomlin era comes in games that the Steelers must win. Last week offered a perfect example. Pittsburgh faced the Browns; a win would have positioned the Steelers to not only win the division, but rest their starters in week 18. That loss looks worse every day. It fits a disturbing pattern. The Steelers struggle against bad teams when the stakes favor them.

Pittsburgh is winless at 0-4 and 1 in its last five games against teams entering eight games below .500. That ties the longest such streak in NFL history, once, twice in the same season. Elite teams do not do this. Championship coaches do not allow it.

This can very well be Mike Tomlin’s last game as the Steelers head coach, a loss to Baltimore would eliminate Pittsburgh and cost them the division. The Hall of Fame resume will remain impressive, but the results no longer justify the job. The Steelers face a choice. Protect stability or chase greatness. Sunday night may force their answer.

 

[Gabe Lackmann]

Yeah. Coaches get older, they get set in their ways, don't innovate, fade, and retire.

Happens to every one of them.

I really like Tomlin, but, yeah.

 

[Polishprince]

Tomlin was hired by Pittsburgh in 2007, because the management there saw the Super Bowl that year between Chicago and Indianapolis. Both of those teams were coached by black guys, and they saw this as the wave of the future.

 

[toobfreak]

Tomlin was hired by Pittsburgh in 2007, because the management there saw the Super Bowl that year between Chicago and Indianapolis. Both of those teams were coached by black guys, and they saw this as the wave of the future.

Well, any video of Tomlin I ever see, I sure just don't see any fire, any anger in him, even with an embarrassing loss like to the Browns. Instead, he makes excuses, rationalizes, justifies, and suggests all is on an even keel with no waves there in Pittsburgh.

 

[Fiero425]

Well, any video of Tomlin I ever see, I sure just don't see any fire, any anger in him, even with an embarrassing loss like to the Browns. Instead, he makes excuses, rationalizes, justifies, and suggests all is on an even keel with no waves there in Pittsburgh.

That's how he's keeping the job; avoiding any controversy & just letting things blow over!

 

[egp320i]

That's how he's keeping the job; avoiding any controversy & just letting things blow over!

not to defend but they were missing Watt and Metcalf, two of their best players vs the browns or they likely win

the TE washington their tank broke his forearm in that game and did not return

all 3 are in, they win, they are in the playoffs

just shitty timing, one self inflicted with a childish stunt

 

[candycorn]

Well, any video of Tomlin I ever see, I sure just don't see any fire, any anger in him, even with an embarrassing loss like to the Browns. Instead, he makes excuses, rationalizes, justifies, and suggests all is on an even keel with no waves there in Pittsburgh.

Oh bullshit.

 

[candycorn]

Pittsburgh won. Crazy game....

 

[egp320i]

Pittsburgh won. Crazy game....

top 10 of most goofy game I have watched, this drama generally does not happen like this

 

[Delldude]

So where we at with Mike McCarthy?

 

[Blaster]

The Steelers struck gold when they hired Mike McCarthy.

 

[Delldude]

The Steelers struck gold when they hired Mike McCarthy.

I think so too. His presser was great. Guy has emotion for Pittsburgh.

I was on the ' hire a young OC' thing at first, Rooney put it all in perspective when he acknowledged that mindset then said we are interested in hiring someone who can win....cool.

He's only kept three previous coaches and he's bringing in people he's worked with over the years.

And he seems interested in Howard too.

 

[Montrovant]

I think so too. His presser was great. Guy has emotion for Pittsburgh.

I was on the ' hire a young OC' thing at first, Rooney put it all in perspective when he acknowledged that mindset then said we are interested in hiring someone who can win....cool.

He's only kept three previous coaches and he's bringing in people he's worked with over the years.

And he seems interested in Howard too.

I don't know. McCarthy definitely has experience and has been a winning coach. However, when he loses a team, he seems to lose it quickly and totally. The Cowboys disintegrated fast, and if I remember right things went bad in a hurry at the end of his GB tenure, as well. That's worrisome.
There's his age and the question of if he's going to be innovative enough (or at least not too predictable) to be successful. Maybe the most important thing is wondering if the Rooneys look at this as a long-term hire. The Steelers are not a team that looks like they can compete for a Super Bowl in 2026-27. How much leash will McCarthy be on and will he just be another Tomlin for a few years; get to the playoffs and one-and-done?

I'm curious to see how it unfolds.

 

[Delldude]

I don't know. McCarthy definitely has experience and has been a winning coach. However, when he loses a team, he seems to lose it quickly and totally. The Cowboys disintegrated fast, and if I remember right things went bad in a hurry at the end of his GB tenure, as well. That's worrisome.
There's his age and the question of if he's going to be innovative enough (or at least not too predictable) to be successful. Maybe the most important thing is wondering if the Rooneys look at this as a long-term hire. The Steelers are not a team that looks like they can compete for a Super Bowl in 2026-27. How much leash will McCarthy be on and will he just be another Tomlin for a few years; get to the playoffs and one-and-done?

I'm curious to see how it unfolds.

He said something about immediate expectations. we'll have to wait and see now.

 

[toobfreak]

I don't know. McCarthy definitely has experience and has been a winning coach. However, when he loses a team, he seems to lose it quickly and totally. The Cowboys disintegrated fast, and if I remember right things went bad in a hurry at the end of his GB tenure, as well. That's worrisome.
There's his age and the question of if he's going to be innovative enough (or at least not too predictable) to be successful. Maybe the most important thing is wondering if the Rooneys look at this as a long-term hire. The Steelers are not a team that looks like they can compete for a Super Bowl in 2026-27. How much leash will McCarthy be on and will he just be another Tomlin for a few years; get to the playoffs and one-and-done?

I'm curious to see how it unfolds.

McCarthy is obviously not a long term hire, the guy is already 63. Tomlin just retired ten years younger. That makes McCarthy a short-term patch, who will try to bring his old' GB buddy Rodgers back as another short-term solution. Or they will take their untried, untested rookie who has never played and throw him to the meat grinder.

Meanwhile, the rest of the team is aging, under-productive and grossly-overpaid. So the Steelers will limp along for yet another year since at least 2017 of supposed "rebuilding" in another year of mediocre play and moderate success, probably another 10-7 season, no good draft picks, and another one and done playoff dropout.

But I expect there to be some highlights as well, some spark, after all, they have finally replaced the one person they have never blamed, so if we see another year of slow starts, unpreparedness, predictable, shallow offenses and grossly befuddled zone defenses, the only person left to blame in Pittsburgh will be Art Rooney Junior.