Former Player Warns Steelers About Firing Mike Tomlin
Even after it's become clear that the Pittsburgh Steelers and head coach Mike Tomlin will remain together heading into the 2025 season, there's been no shortage of pleas from the fan base for the team to renege on that decision and cut ties with him.
ESPN NFL analyst and former Steelers safety Ryan Clark doesn't believe that getting rid of Tomlin is a cut-and-dry resolution that can be based on the team's poor finish to the season and lack of playoff success, however, instead offering a number of factors that Pittsburgh should consider before pulling the plug.
"Is Mike Tomlin overachieving early on in the season, or is he underachieving in the playoffs?" Clark said on NFL Live. "Is this team that always seems prepared in big games during the season that has fell behind by at least 14 [points] in the last five trips not prepared?
"Are they not ready, are they not maintaining the message from the meeting room to the football field? And if you feel like that, then you need to have the conversation, 'Can we have a higher ceiling?' But here is what you're gonna have to deal with: We could also end up being the Jacksonville Jaguars. This team doesn't know what it feels like to only win five games, to be the Las Vegas Raiders this year. And I believe that's a tough decision you have to make when Lombardi Trophies are the most important thing in your life."
Tomlin's résumé speaks for itself, as he's never endured a losing season during his 18 years in Pittsburgh while leading the Steelers to a 183-107-2 record, 12 playoff appearances and a victory in Super Bowl XLIII in 2008.
He's among the most-accomplished head coaches of the 21st century, if not all-time, and he's done a remarkable job of cultivating such a strong culture and standard within the organization.
On the other hand, the Steelers' six-game losing streak in the postseason is unacceptable, and the franchise could benefit from changes at some level.
There's also something to be said about the idea that Tomlin's voice and message could have become stale within Pittsburgh's locker room, which if true would be a valid reason for the two sides to part ways.
Clark cautioned against making a change on those principles, however, as there's no guarantee that a new coach is going to come in and suddenly lead the Steelers to glory. Additionally, the team runs the risk of losing some of its stability should Tomlin walk out the door, and there's certainly a world in which the situation worsens if he's not around anymore.