Mike Tomlin is a head coach that fits the Pittsburgh identity like a glove. No-nonsense, but also appeals to his players better than most other coaches. He won’t give up on his team, no matter how meek things appear to be. He’s dealt with extremely volatile personalities (you know who), yet he still keeps his team focused on the big picture. You can guarantee that if Mike Tomlin is coaching your team, you will be playing games with playoff implications deep in December.
Tomlin’s coaching record depicts just how well he has led the Steelers throughout his tenure. In his 16th NFL season, he has yet to finish a single year with a losing record. Currently his regular season record sits at 161-93-2 (63.3%). As for the postseason, his record is 8-9 (47.1%). The Steelers play hard for Mike Tomlin year in and year out, regardless of who is on the roster.
Yet for some reason, a growing number of fans have been asking the Steelers to fire him in the more recent years. Why is this the case?
Why Some Fans Want Mike Tomlin Fired
It seems like there are Steelers fans that feel like they are stuck in NFL purgatory; good enough to always compete, but not good enough to get over the hump. They have a right to be upset at Pittsburgh’s lack of postseason success ever since their last Super Bowl appearance in 2010. Some Steelers fans feel like with Tomlin around, they will only continue to tread water.
I’m not advocating firing Mike Tomlin.
— Colin Dunlap (@colin_dunlap) September 23, 2022
But these are facts:
– No playoff Ws since ’16 season
– Missed playoffs 4x since last SB
– 3-7 playoff record since last SB
I’m not advocating firing him. I’m just saying the national “great” narrative isn’t built on recent results. https://t.co/KrAAVAp7lg
Despite having impressive campaigns in 2017 and 2020, the lingering feeling of disappointment remains from how those years ended. Tomlin’s naysayers seem to believe those two campaigns are the best Pittsburgh will get out of him from here on out.
Another core argument brought forth is that Mike Tomlin struggles to keep good assistants on his staff.
On the offensive side of the ball, Mike Canada is the current OC. Canada has come under scrutiny for the job he’s done since joining the staff in 2021. The offense looked stagnant and dull in 2021 during Ben Roethlisberger’s final season as QB. It didn’t help that the beginning of this year’s campaign looked just as rough. Things are moving in a better direction now, but some fans are left with more to be desired offensively.
Defensively, Pittsburgh has mostly maintained their hard-nosed reputation. However, we’ve seen some dents in the armor over the past two seasons. Teryl Austin has taken over as DC starting this year and is off to a rocky start. The defense has tightened up as the year progressed, but we saw some horrible performances during the team’s 2-6 start to this season.
The last complaint involves Tomlin and his struggle to build a complete roster.
Offensively, Pittsburgh has been unable to find replacements on the level of Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell. The offensive line has been looking to rebuild ever since losing Alejandro Villanueva, David DeCastro and Maurkice Pouncey. Defensively, it seems like everything always hits the fan once TJ Watt gets injured.
However, despite all of these factors playing into effect, Mike Tomlin still finds a way to keep the Steelers fighting hard throughout every season.
Has 2022 Affected His Job Security?
No matter how Pittsburgh finishes this season, it’s safe to say that Mike Tomlin isn’t going anywhere. By no means is this current Pittsburgh roster one of the most talented rosters in the NFL; yet, they still compete. Yet, they still find themselves in the playoff picture heading into 2023.
You can argue about the lack of Super Bowls, you can even argue about the current state of the team and staff right now. But what you can’t argue, is that Mike Tomlin is a leader amongst men. Almost every time a current or former Steeler talks about Tomlin, they remind you of who he is as a motivator.
The Steelers head into week 17 as one of the more underwhelming teams on paper still in the playoff race. Kenny Pickett and this Steelers offense continue to seek for their true identity. The defense continues to scrap, despite their year-long battle with the injury bug. No matter how improbable their playoff chances look, this team will fight tooth and nail.
The fact that Mike Tomlin still has this team fighting, through hell or high water, says a lot about the type of leader he is. He deserves to stay as head coach, and the fact that this even needs to be discussed is outrageous.
I would like to thank you for taking your time to read through this article. For more sports-related content, head over to Belly Up Sports. We have articles, op-eds, and podcasts available on our website. Disagree with anything? Think I’m crazy? Want to continue this discussion? You can find me on Twitter @RevKoka.
