Mike Tomlin has had a successful 18-season tenure in Pittsburgh.
However, Steeler fans and even former players have been frustrated by the lack of Tomlin’s postseason success, especially after they were defeated by the Ravens 28-14 in the wild-card game.
Despite speculation from NFL pundits and media members, the Steelers are not expected to move on from Tomlin, according to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Nor should the Steelers fire or trade Tomlin, who has a no-trade clause and would have to approve any possible move to another team.
During his 18 years as Steelers coach, Tomlin has a record of 183-107-2, including a Super Bowl title in 2008. Since he became the team’s head coach in 2007, the Steelers have never had a losing record.
Tomlin, 52, has an 8-11 postseason record and one Super Bowl championship in 2008. Saturday was the sixth consecutive playoff game the Steelers lost under Tomlin’s watch.
The Steelers defense looked lifeless during most of Saturday’s loss to the Ravens, allowing 299 rushing yards on 50 carries. Baltimore beat Pittsburgh in its own game and out-physical the team at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.
Pittsburgh’s defense was among the best during the first half of the season. The Steelers allowed 14.8 points and 306 yards per game during their first eight games. However, they allowed 25.6 points and 353.6 yards in their final 10 games, including the playoff loss against the Ravens.
“The defense was horrible, couldn’t stop the run, couldn’t stop the pass, couldn’t do anything right last night,” Steelers legend Terry Bradshaw said during the Fox NFL Sunday pregame. “This doesn’t look anything like the Steeler teams we’ve seen.”
Changes are expected to be made to the Steelers’ coaching staff, including defensive coordinator Teryl Austin. Former Jets coach Robert Saleh, who was fired during the season, will interview for both coaching and defensive coordinator jobs this offseason.
If the Steelers move on from Austin, Saleh should receive a call from Tomlin for a defensive coordinator interview. It’s probably not the move Pittsburgh fans want to hear, but the grass is not always greener on the other side.
“There were times we weren’t in our games, there were times we didn’t tackle well,” Steelers defensive tackle Cam Heyward said via the team’s website. “Props to them. Between 22 [Henry] and 8 [Jackson], they had a lot of success.
“I wish we had a better outcome. Guys fought, but you start the game 21-0, didn’t really do ourselves any favors.”
Tomlin has gotten the most from some lackluster rosters during the last few seasons. In 2023, in what many thought would be a down season, Tomlin guided the Steelers to a 10-7 record and a wild-card berth. However, Buffalo quickly extinguished Pittsburgh from postseason play.
Many expected the Steelers to miss the playoffs in 2024, as they were in a division with the Ravens and Browns, who both made the playoffs the previous season and a Bengals team that got Joe Burrow back from injury. But in typical Tomlin fashion, Pittsburgh finished second in the AFC North and made the playoffs, finishing 10-7 once again.
The Steelers did lose five straight games (including the playoffs) to end the season. However, context is essential when discussing whether a team should move on from a coach.
As previously mentioned, Pittsburgh wasn’t considered a contender. Some analysts predicted the Steelers would miss the playoffs and have their first losing record since 2003, when they finished 6-10 under previous coach Bill Cowher. Two years later, Cowher led the Steelers to a championship in Super Bowl XL in 2005.
The reality in the AFC is this: If you do not have a top quarterback, it’s nearly impossible to beat the Chiefs, Bills, or Ravens because all three have elite signal callers (Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Lamar Jackson). Pittsburgh went to the playoffs the last two years with Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph, and an aging Russell Wilson under center. That’s the equivalent of going into a gunfight at the O.K. Corral with just a water pistol.
Wilson passed for 270 yards and two touchdowns against the Ravens. However, both touchdowns came in the third quarter, when Pittsburgh was down by two scores or more.
During the Steelers’ final four regular-season games, Wilson averaged 174.5 passing yards per game, threw four touchdowns, and committed four turnovers.
Considering the upcoming free-agent class, there is no reason to be optimistic unless the Steelers can sign the best quarterback available.
Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold will be a free agent in March. In 17 games, Darnold passed for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions after leading the Vikings to a 14-3 record and a wild-card berth this season.
Darnold is likely the only opportunity for the Steelers to truly upgrade the quarterback in 2025. Aaron Rodgers could be available if the Jets decide to release him with a new regime and likely significant roster changes coming to Florham Park.
Pittsburgh could also use a top receiver option for whoever will be under center next season. If they were to acquire Rodgers, his friend and Jets teammate Davante Adams would also come to the Steelers.
Adams is under contract with the Jets for the 2025 and 2026 seasons, but his $76.7 million is non-guaranteed, and he will have to renegotiate his contract if he stays. On locker clean-out day last week, Adams told reporters he could consider staying with the Jets if Rodgers didn’t return. However, Adams will wait to see what happens with Rodgers before determining whether he wants to return.
This season, Adams registered 85 receptions for 1,063 yards and eight touchdowns for both the Raiders and Jets.
“I don’t know what his plans are yet and where that’s headed,” Adams said. “But I would imagine that would have something to do with it.”
Tomlin has a famous catchphrase, “The standard is the standard.” If the Steelers want to regain that standard of competing for championships, they must make both roster and coaching changes.
However, those changes should not include Tomlin, who, year after year, finds a way to get the most out of the Steelers roster.