- The Pittsburgh Steelers lost in the NFL wild-card round for the fourth time in five years, leading some to speculate about the future of head coach Mike Tomlin.
- In his season-ending press conference, Tomlin shut down rumors of any team trading for him, and he signed a three-year extension last summer.
- The Steelers have other issues to deal with, such as their starting-quarterback situation.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the storied franchises in the NFL, tying New England for the most wins in Super Bowl history with six. They’re also perennially good, going to the playoffs in 12 of 18 seasons under head coach Mike Tomlin.
But the Steelers lost another wild-card game, this time to the rival Baltimore Ravens. Tomlin has told teams not to waste their time trying to trade for him, as he wants to stay with the Steelers.
Tomlin Has Never Had a Losing Season, But Can He Get Steelers Over the Hump?
The Steelers got off to a hot start this season, winning 10 of their first 13 games. But they lost their last four games of the regular season, and then Pittsburgh fell 28-14 in Baltimore in the wild-card round. However, Tomlin wasn’t interested in his job security, and told other teams to “save your time” if they were considering a trade for him.
Tomlin said, in terms of his job security:
"I have no response to that. I understand the nature of what it is that we do. The attention and criticism that comes with that. As a matter of fact, I embrace it. I enjoy the urgency that comes with what I do and what we do. I don't make excuses for failure. I own it. But I also feel like I'm capable.
As long as I'm afforded the opportunity to do that, I will continue. But I certainly understand the frustrations, and probably more importantly than that, I share it. Because that's how I'm wired. I'm not a big-time comfort seeker, and particularly in circumstances such as this, I don't view myself as a comfort provider because words are hollow. It's about what we do and less about what we say."
Tomlin has been the Steelers’ head coach since 2007, and he has never had a season below .500. However, some Pittsburgh fans would like the team to take the next step, and Tomlin has just one Super Bowl win, back in 2008 in his second season. He was also around the top of the NFL Coach of the Year odds this season as the Steelers still overachieved with a 10-7 record with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields as their starting quarterbacks.
Tomlin also signed a three-year extension last June, so it doesn’t seem like he’s going anywhere. Regarding a trade, many teams have likely reached out to the Steelers about the possibility.
What Else do the Steelers Need to Do in the Offseason?
The frustration of Steelers’ fans is understandable, but they have to sort out some other issues before they get rid of Tomlin.
Do they bring back Wilson for another season after he took over for Fields in Week 7? Are they going to turn over the reins to Fields, who is going into his fifth NFL season? Or do they scour the free-agent market for someone like Sam Darnold, who had a great season in Minnesota, despite how it ended?
The defense also struggled in the second half of the season, and they gave up 299 rushing yards against the Ravens in their wild-card loss. They won’t be an option in NFL Same Game Parlay contests this season, but the Steelers can turn things around with some roster moves in 2025.
