The Pittsburgh Steelers won’t be getting over their Wild Card loss to the Baltimore Ravens anytime soon.
Of course, the rival Ravens have since been eliminated from the playoffs themselves. However, that doesn’t offer much comfort to Steelers fans who are worried about the direction of their team.
The loss to Baltimore marked the Steelers’ sixth consecutive playoff loss, a streak that has sparked widespread speculation about the future of head coach Mike Tomlin, who has been at the helm for 18 seasons.
Calls for change have grown louder after the team’s dismal performance.
The Steelers not only looked outmatched against Baltimore but also stumbled into the playoffs after losing their final four regular-season games.
Despite Tomlin’s reputation as one of the NFL’s top coaches, the organization hasn’t won a playoff game since 2016, leading some to wonder if it’s time for a new direction.
While his streak of never having a losing season is extremely impressive, there is concern that Tomlin’s voice isn’t resonating with the team as strong as it once did.
Many fans feel that with their current style of play, there is somewhat of a “ceiling” for the Steelers.
Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger shared his perspective on Tomlin’s influential role within the franchise and made one thing clear: Tomlin is the one calling all of the shots.
“Speaking on the situation, I know Omar Khan is the general manager here. Mike Tomlin makes decisions. Now, at the end of the day, Mr. Rooney might end up, he could veto things, obviously, if he chooses to. But Mike Tomlin has decisions and makes most of the decisions in Pittsburgh,” Big Ben said.
“He can say he doesn’t and this, that, and the other. We all know that he’s got a lot of pull. He’s been here for 18 years. You wouldn’t be here that long if you didn’t have pull and say.”
Roethlisberger’s comments underscore Tomlin’s deep integration into the Steelers’ decision-making process.
This entrenched position makes any potential move away from Tomlin a complex and unlikely scenario.
Tomlin has earned a reputation for maximizing his team’s potential, often achieving success with rosters lacking top-tier talent.
Comparisons have been drawn to Andy Reid’s situation in Philadelphia, where a coaching change allowed both Reid and the Eagles to thrive separately.
Some have even floated the idea of the Steelers trading Tomlin to another team in need of a coach – a rare but not unprecedented move.
The Raiders famously traded Jon Gruden to the Buccaneers in 2002, a gamble that resulted in Tampa Bay winning a Super Bowl the following season.
Also, the New Orleans Saints traded Sean Payton to the Denver Broncos. However, the circumstances surrounding that situation were very unique.
It should be noted that Tomlin has a no-trade clause and has made it perfectly clear that he has zero intention of leaving Pittsburgh.
However, there is growing frustration that something significant needs to change in the organization.
Perhaps it’s not the smartest thing in the world that Tomlin has so much power in the decision-making process.
What are your thoughts on Big Ben’s comments?
While Tomlin is undoubtedly one of the top coaches in all of football, would a change be best for all parties???
