*** 2025 Pittsburgh Steelers: Fire Tomlin chants and Renegade booed during loss to Bills (36 Viewers)

[Dizzy]

The fan base is finally starting to catch up to where a lot of us have been on Tomlin for years now.

How many guys would still have a job if they only have 4 seasons out of 19 with a playoff win? Or 8+ years without a playoff win? Or 3 playoff wins in 15 years?

Ownership has been comfortable because the national media loves him and enough of the fan base supports him that 8, 9, or 10 wins has been enough. Now the national media has started picking up on it and the fans are getting more and more tired of the lack of discipline, declining performance, and lack of adjustments. It's been this way since 2011 after his run with Cowher's team, not just since Ben retired. The goodwill built from 2007 to 2010 is finally starting to wear out.

Losing 3 or 4 of the next 5 would finally start to put some real pressure on the team to change.

When Tomlin took over he did not take over a 3-13 team starting a rebuild.

When he took over they had all the pieces in place including a young franchise QB, and give credit he won with those pieces. That was 16 years ago.

Steelers remind me of the Detroit Red Wings after they won a few Stanley Cups and were on the decline, but still squeaked into the playoffs ever year. All we heard is 25 years in a row making the playoffs. Team did not say the last 10 they were knocked out in the first or second round.

I am sure Tomlin is a good coach but even he looks like he has lost the fire in his belly in Pitt. They will never fire him so he would have to resign. End up in the booth for a year then some team will pay him big to come back.

Really, ^this^ is all that matters. I said it many times... you either have THE quarterback, or you don't... and it's a crap shoot.

Fortunate to have had Big Ben, but also a little unfortunate that there were two better QBs (in the same conference division) during his entire career. I would put Ben on the tier with Philip Rivers (how many Super Bowls did Rivers get to?).

These guys don't grow on trees and for every five (5) "generational talents" coming out of college, it feels like... 2 bust, 2 are good (not great), and 1 actually lives up to the hype. Oh, and you have to be drafting top 10 to get a sniff at one (preferably top 5).

Look at MIN, CLE, and maybe LVR (the latter probably having a QB situation that the other 2 envy)... they have no hope... none. MIN self-inflicted (missed on the QB), CLE feels like they are paying 5-6 QBs on other rosters (or out of football), and LVR have an outdated HC that trusted his old buddy QB.

I would rank the Steelers QB room 4th worst behind these 3 teams. And I don't want to hear about "PIT has failed to develop any QBs" when we all know they haven't been in a position to draft one. If Rogers/Rudolph was part of the "Steelers are ALL IN" plan this off-season? Well, pretty easy to see how that was going to end up. Rudolph is a professional clipboard-holder and Rogers hasn't been Aaron Roger in maybe... 5 years? Combine that with a bunch of old dudes on defense... that's a 0.500 club at best.

If Tomlin gets fired, he's NYG's HC 2 minutes later and PIT is still the same mid-pack, no-QB-having team... like all the others in the NFL looking for the same thing.

edit: fixed per @steelcityman catch.

First off, Tomlin's mediocrity started a full 10 years before Ben retired. And Ben got hurt in 2019 but was still good in 2020. He gets a pass because they haven't had a franchise QB really since 2020, but Tomlin's teams only won 3 total playoff games (all against backup QBs) between 2011 and 2021.

Tomlin can lead top talent to contention and he can lead mediocre talent to 8 to 10 wins. He's a fine coach who benefitted from inherited a ready-made Super Bowl contender. But he's not someone who'll elevate what he has and his lack of any type of coaching tree after 19 years speaks to how well he develops assistants.

If Tomlin would be fired or quit and he ends up somewhere else, all the best to him. But unless he fundamentally changes his style, he can go be mediocre somewhere else and Id rather have the Steelers bring in an offensive mind to help compete in today's NFL.

OK, let's look at your last paragraph there... honest question: is the PIT job even attractive in today's NFL? It's a terrible roster and they're not going to lose enough games (again) to draft a QB. Ownership has not shown that they do not support a rebuild.

Is the fan base ready for a fresh, young first-time head coach out of college to oversee a tank season (or two) just to be in position to get the QB? It's an open air stadium situation in a bad weather zone... tough to build a Star Wars offense in that situation.

It is worse than you are making it out. The ownership is a huge problem. The fans have ridiculous expectations. It is a bad roster and going to be worse.

Fans don't have ridiculous expectations. Fans expect the team to try to contend, not to just be content stagnating at barely above .500 and being an afterthought in the playoffs.

I'd bet most fans would gladly take a year or two of real struggles if they showed even the slightest bit of urgency to make the team a contender again. I'd rather they try and fail than to just sit here hoping for 9 wins and #6 or #7 seed in the playoffs.

9 wins may win the division this year, but that doesn't change anything. It's still the same old Steelers.

So what's the plan? How do the Steelers get into a top-5 draft position? Who's the QB? Who's the coach?

Don't absolutely need a top 5 pick. Just don't select a home town player like Pickett. I'm no friggin expert but he should never have ben thought to be it. (pun intended)

Mahommes - #11
Allen #7
Nix #12

Get a real OC, install an offensive 'style' and go get a QB who can likely execute it. Aren't there like 10 examples of that rn?

Nix - yep
Goff - yep
Daniels - hell yeah
Herbert - it at least looks like it could work
Darnold
Baker

Yes - there are high picks in there - but there are castoffs and lower picks as well.

All though if you think about it - maybe we are tanking .......perhaps unintentionally?

We do need a new head coach - and just stop with the Renegade please

As I mentioned earlier... top-10 for a real shot at a (projected) franchise QB.., top-5 preferred.

Unless you get just plain lucky with a Russell Wilson, Tom Brady, etc.

Interesting thing about your list... Nix, Goff, Daniels, other... none of them have a ring. Goff was closest... on his old team that traded him away for a better option.

Pickett has a ring though (joking).

 

[Steelers4Life]

Tomlin is a good coach but he needs to move on. The problem for us Steelers fans is that even when he moves on Art II will still be here.

Also no coach is going to have any success with the QBs the Steelers have been trotting out there.

They need a new man on top, a completely new coaching staff and a franchise quarterback.

I cannot imagine any new coach being anything but way worse,

Comments like this drive me nuts.

I'd bet heavily that a lot of coaches could've stepped into the situation Tomlin did in 2007, won for a few years, and then had little to no playoff success for the next 15 years. Not all of them, but a lot of them. But only in Pittsburgh is that worthy of unquestioned job safety.,

This idea that Tomlin has done something special is ridiculous. Not having a losing season is nice and all, but considering the talent that he's had to work with, it's not that much of an accomplishment and not nearly enough to outweigh his embarassing failures in the playoffs when his teams have shown up flat and gotten crushed, including and especially the defense.

The Steelers are a team with middling talent. Most of the guys who are talented are in their 30s and on their last legs. Who are the young studs on their roster?

Yes they are. They're a team with middling talent that will have a middling record. Tomlin isn't working any magic here and never really has.

I'm not really talking about the Steelers of today. I'm talking about what the Steelers have been for the most part since 2011. There's nothing about Tomlin's track record that's impressive aside from this meaningless non-losing season streak. He won with a team he inherited for 4 years, which I believe a LOT of coaches could've stepped in and done with a roster like that. He's had next to no playoff success for 15 years since. Ben retired 4 years ago, he was a shell of himself in 2021, and injured in 2019. But we're talking about 15 year stretch with a total of 3 playoff wins.... without those 4 years, he'd be just another decent head coach - a decent motivator and a player's coach with a lot of deficiencies when it comes to development, adjustments, and X's and O's on gameday.

 

[cdclopper]

 

[crushedspirit]

I'll list some meaningful accomplishments since 2011 to help the Tomlin cheerleaders out,

- playoff record is 3-8 in the past 14 seasons, (those wins came against AJ McCarron, Matt Moore, and Alex Smith)
- 5 straight one and done in the past 8 seasons with 3 of those losses by double digits
- team has allowed over 40 points against in the past 4 playoff defeats
- he owns the top 3 rush yards in a game against in franchise history
- in his 18 seasons, Steelers have had 4 seasons in which they won at least one playoff game
- of the 18 coaches who have coached at least 19 playoff games in their career, his winning % is the worst of them all at .421

........there's more but why bother

He had a roster with some all pros led by a future HOF QB for years and still managed one and done playoff exits with it. The excuses don't exist for me, so just continue to cheer for more sports purgatory until he packs his bags with poppa Rooney and walks away.

If getting some playoff participation badges and not stinking every season is the franchise goal, then Tomin is your champ.

 

[crushedspirit]

Anyways he is here to stay if he chooses so for another 2 seasons. Until then we just need to accept what is, and what has been for years.

 

[cdclopper]

Anyways he is here to stay if he chooses so for another 2 seasons. Until then we just need to accept what is, and what has been for years.

So we have to listen to Steelers fans belly-aching another 2 years about it.

 

[crushedspirit]

Anyways he is here to stay if he chooses so for another 2 seasons. Until then we just need to accept what is, and what has been for years.

So we have to listen to Steelers fans belly-aching another 2 years about it.

It's difficult for some of us to accept it even if we have to. He is who he is, and the franchise will continue to be stuck in limbo until they decide to change.

 

[Hu-Tang Clan]

The zero coaching tree is truly remarkable really. How can someone coach this long and not develop any other coaches?

 

[Snotbubbles]

I'll list some meaningful accomplishments since 2011 to help the Tomlin cheerleaders out,

- playoff record is 3-8 in the past 14 seasons, (those wins came against AJ McCarron, Matt Moore, and Alex Smith)
- 5 straight one and done in the past 8 seasons with 3 of those losses by double digits
- team has allowed over 40 points against in the past 4 playoff defeats
- he owns the top 3 rush yards in a game against in franchise history
- in his 18 seasons, Steelers have had 4 seasons in which they won at least one playoff game
- of the 18 coaches who have coached at least 19 playoff games in their career, his winning % is the worst of them all at .421

........there's more but why bother

He had a roster with some all pros led by a future HOF QB for years and still managed one and done playoff exits with it. The excuses don't exist for me, so just continue to cheer for more sports purgatory until he packs his bags with poppa Rooney and walks away.

If getting some playoff participation badges and not stinking every season is the franchise goal, then Tomin is your champ.

Andy Reid had the same lack of playoff success as well. After the Eagles went to the Super Bowl in 2004, Reid's next 13 seasons he won 4 playoff games. His teams missed the playoffs 5 times and he was one and done another 5 times. You think this iteration of the Steelers is bad, wait until your team doesn't make the playoffs for half a decade. That's fun.

 

[crushedspirit]

I'll list some meaningful accomplishments since 2011 to help the Tomlin cheerleaders out,

- playoff record is 3-8 in the past 14 seasons, (those wins came against AJ McCarron, Matt Moore, and Alex Smith)
- 5 straight one and done in the past 8 seasons with 3 of those losses by double digits
- team has allowed over 40 points against in the past 4 playoff defeats
- he owns the top 3 rush yards in a game against in franchise history
- in his 18 seasons, Steelers have had 4 seasons in which they won at least one playoff game
- of the 18 coaches who have coached at least 19 playoff games in their career, his winning % is the worst of them all at .421

........there's more but why bother

He had a roster with some all pros led by a future HOF QB for years and still managed one and done playoff exits with it. The excuses don't exist for me, so just continue to cheer for more sports purgatory until he packs his bags with poppa Rooney and walks away.

If getting some playoff participation badges and not stinking every season is the franchise goal, then Tomin is your champ.

Andy Reid had the same lack of playoff success as well. After the Eagles went to the Super Bowl in 2004, Reid's next 13 seasons he won 4 playoff games. His teams missed the playoffs 5 times and he was one and done another 5 times. You think this iteration of the Steelers is bad, wait until your team doesn't make the playoffs for half a decade. That's fun.

Is that the same Reid who went to 5 NFCC games and a SB game with McNabb as their QB?

If I recall correctly, he had more playoff wins in 14 seasons than Tomlin has in 18. He also finished his career there with 2 one and done games, Tomlin is up to 5 and counting.

He also built two franchises into championship contenders. Reid is honestly in another tier of coaches much higher compared to Tomlin.

 

[Steelers4Life]

I'll list some meaningful accomplishments since 2011 to help the Tomlin cheerleaders out,

- playoff record is 3-8 in the past 14 seasons, (those wins came against AJ McCarron, Matt Moore, and Alex Smith)
- 5 straight one and done in the past 8 seasons with 3 of those losses by double digits
- team has allowed over 40 points against in the past 4 playoff defeats
- he owns the top 3 rush yards in a game against in franchise history
- in his 18 seasons, Steelers have had 4 seasons in which they won at least one playoff game
- of the 18 coaches who have coached at least 19 playoff games in their career, his winning % is the worst of them all at .421

........there's more but why bother

He had a roster with some all pros led by a future HOF QB for years and still managed one and done playoff exits with it. The excuses don't exist for me, so just continue to cheer for more sports purgatory until he packs his bags with poppa Rooney and walks away.

If getting some playoff participation badges and not stinking every season is the franchise goal, then Tomin is your champ.

Andy Reid had the same lack of playoff success as well. After the Eagles went to the Super Bowl in 2004, Reid's next 13 seasons he won 4 playoff games. His teams missed the playoffs 5 times and he was one and done another 5 times. You think this iteration of the Steelers is bad, wait until your team doesn't make the playoffs for half a decade. That's fun.

Not exactly apples to apples, and not entirely accurate either.

Reid had a huge run of success until 2004, and then still won 3 playoff games in the next 8 years in Philly. That's when Philly let him go. They fired him after a stretch of 4 seasons without a playoff win. 2 one and dones, 2 times missing the playoffs, and that was enough despite his previous success. He won a playoff game in only his 3rd season in Kansas City. In fact, his longest drought winning a playoff game is 6 years and that spans two teams.

Tomlin is on a run of 3 playoff wins in 15 years and has a streak of 8 years without a playoff win and 5 straight one and dones. He's already had twice the leash Reid had in Philly, and nobody in their right mind would realistically compare the two.

 

[Snotbubbles]

I'll list some meaningful accomplishments since 2011 to help the Tomlin cheerleaders out,

- playoff record is 3-8 in the past 14 seasons, (those wins came against AJ McCarron, Matt Moore, and Alex Smith)
- 5 straight one and done in the past 8 seasons with 3 of those losses by double digits
- team has allowed over 40 points against in the past 4 playoff defeats
- he owns the top 3 rush yards in a game against in franchise history
- in his 18 seasons, Steelers have had 4 seasons in which they won at least one playoff game
- of the 18 coaches who have coached at least 19 playoff games in their career, his winning % is the worst of them all at .421

........there's more but why bother

He had a roster with some all pros led by a future HOF QB for years and still managed one and done playoff exits with it. The excuses don't exist for me, so just continue to cheer for more sports purgatory until he packs his bags with poppa Rooney and walks away.

If getting some playoff participation badges and not stinking every season is the franchise goal, then Tomin is your champ.

Andy Reid had the same lack of playoff success as well. After the Eagles went to the Super Bowl in 2004, Reid's next 13 seasons he won 4 playoff games. His teams missed the playoffs 5 times and he was one and done another 5 times. You think this iteration of the Steelers is bad, wait until your team doesn't make the playoffs for half a decade. That's fun.

Is that the same Reid who went to 5 NFCC games and a SB game with McNabb as their QB?

Same guy who had that awful stretch. Then won a bunch of Super Bowls AFTER that stretch.

 

[cdclopper]

I'll list some meaningful accomplishments since 2011 to help the Tomlin cheerleaders out,

- playoff record is 3-8 in the past 14 seasons, (those wins came against AJ McCarron, Matt Moore, and Alex Smith)
- 5 straight one and done in the past 8 seasons with 3 of those losses by double digits
- team has allowed over 40 points against in the past 4 playoff defeats
- he owns the top 3 rush yards in a game against in franchise history
- in his 18 seasons, Steelers have had 4 seasons in which they won at least one playoff game
- of the 18 coaches who have coached at least 19 playoff games in their career, his winning % is the worst of them all at .421

........there's more but why bother

He had a roster with some all pros led by a future HOF QB for years and still managed one and done playoff exits with it. The excuses don't exist for me, so just continue to cheer for more sports purgatory until he packs his bags with poppa Rooney and walks away.

If getting some playoff participation badges and not stinking every season is the franchise goal, then Tomin is your champ.

Andy Reid had the same lack of playoff success as well. After the Eagles went to the Super Bowl in 2004, Reid's next 13 seasons he won 4 playoff games. His teams missed the playoffs 5 times and he was one and done another 5 times. You think this iteration of the Steelers is bad, wait until your team doesn't make the playoffs for half a decade. That's fun.

Is that the same Reid who went to 5 NFCC games and a SB game with McNabb as their QB?

Same guy who had that awful stretch. Then won a bunch of Super Bowls AFTER that stretch.

Its almost like having Patrick Mahomes at quarterback helps.

 

[Steelers4Life]

I'll list some meaningful accomplishments since 2011 to help the Tomlin cheerleaders out,

- playoff record is 3-8 in the past 14 seasons, (those wins came against AJ McCarron, Matt Moore, and Alex Smith)
- 5 straight one and done in the past 8 seasons with 3 of those losses by double digits
- team has allowed over 40 points against in the past 4 playoff defeats
- he owns the top 3 rush yards in a game against in franchise history
- in his 18 seasons, Steelers have had 4 seasons in which they won at least one playoff game
- of the 18 coaches who have coached at least 19 playoff games in their career, his winning % is the worst of them all at .421

........there's more but why bother

He had a roster with some all pros led by a future HOF QB for years and still managed one and done playoff exits with it. The excuses don't exist for me, so just continue to cheer for more sports purgatory until he packs his bags with poppa Rooney and walks away.

If getting some playoff participation badges and not stinking every season is the franchise goal, then Tomin is your champ.

Andy Reid had the same lack of playoff success as well. After the Eagles went to the Super Bowl in 2004, Reid's next 13 seasons he won 4 playoff games. His teams missed the playoffs 5 times and he was one and done another 5 times. You think this iteration of the Steelers is bad, wait until your team doesn't make the playoffs for half a decade. That's fun.

By the way, in that "awful" stretch from Reid that was still better than anything Tomlin has done since 2011, he changed teams from Philly to KC.

And in doing that, he went to a team that had records of 2-14, 7-9. 10-6, 4-12, 2-14, and 4-12 in the previous 6 years. It took him 2 years to win a playoff game with that team and Alex Smith as his QB.

It's a bit misleading to spin that stretch as anything similar to what Tomlin has done for the past 15 years.

 

[crushedspirit]

I'll list some meaningful accomplishments since 2011 to help the Tomlin cheerleaders out,

- playoff record is 3-8 in the past 14 seasons, (those wins came against AJ McCarron, Matt Moore, and Alex Smith)
- 5 straight one and done in the past 8 seasons with 3 of those losses by double digits
- team has allowed over 40 points against in the past 4 playoff defeats
- he owns the top 3 rush yards in a game against in franchise history
- in his 18 seasons, Steelers have had 4 seasons in which they won at least one playoff game
- of the 18 coaches who have coached at least 19 playoff games in their career, his winning % is the worst of them all at .421

........there's more but why bother

He had a roster with some all pros led by a future HOF QB for years and still managed one and done playoff exits with it. The excuses don't exist for me, so just continue to cheer for more sports purgatory until he packs his bags with poppa Rooney and walks away.

If getting some playoff participation badges and not stinking every season is the franchise goal, then Tomin is your champ.

Andy Reid had the same lack of playoff success as well. After the Eagles went to the Super Bowl in 2004, Reid's next 13 seasons he won 4 playoff games. His teams missed the playoffs 5 times and he was one and done another 5 times. You think this iteration of the Steelers is bad, wait until your team doesn't make the playoffs for half a decade. That's fun.

Is that the same Reid who went to 5 NFCC games and a SB game with McNabb as their QB?

Same guy who had that awful stretch. Then won a bunch of Super Bowls AFTER that stretch.

He guided them to 5 NFCC games in 14 seasons with a QB he drafted. One of them was even during his last 5 season with the team.

Tomlin's been to 3 AFCC games in 18 seasons with a team someone else built. He hasn't been to one in the last 8 seasons and counting.

 

[crushedspirit]

I'll list some meaningful accomplishments since 2011 to help the Tomlin cheerleaders out,

- playoff record is 3-8 in the past 14 seasons, (those wins came against AJ McCarron, Matt Moore, and Alex Smith)
- 5 straight one and done in the past 8 seasons with 3 of those losses by double digits
- team has allowed over 40 points against in the past 4 playoff defeats
- he owns the top 3 rush yards in a game against in franchise history
- in his 18 seasons, Steelers have had 4 seasons in which they won at least one playoff game
- of the 18 coaches who have coached at least 19 playoff games in their career, his winning % is the worst of them all at .421

........there's more but why bother

He had a roster with some all pros led by a future HOF QB for years and still managed one and done playoff exits with it. The excuses don't exist for me, so just continue to cheer for more sports purgatory until he packs his bags with poppa Rooney and walks away.

If getting some playoff participation badges and not stinking every season is the franchise goal, then Tomin is your champ.

Andy Reid had the same lack of playoff success as well. After the Eagles went to the Super Bowl in 2004, Reid's next 13 seasons he won 4 playoff games. His teams missed the playoffs 5 times and he was one and done another 5 times. You think this iteration of the Steelers is bad, wait until your team doesn't make the playoffs for half a decade. That's fun.

Is that the same Reid who went to 5 NFCC games and a SB game with McNabb as their QB?

Same guy who had that awful stretch. Then won a bunch of Super Bowls AFTER that stretch.

Its almost like having Patrick Mahomes at quarterback helps.

Use his Phi stint as your gauge and he's still miles better as a HC.

 

[Steelers4Life]

I'll list some meaningful accomplishments since 2011 to help the Tomlin cheerleaders out,

- playoff record is 3-8 in the past 14 seasons, (those wins came against AJ McCarron, Matt Moore, and Alex Smith)
- 5 straight one and done in the past 8 seasons with 3 of those losses by double digits
- team has allowed over 40 points against in the past 4 playoff defeats
- he owns the top 3 rush yards in a game against in franchise history
- in his 18 seasons, Steelers have had 4 seasons in which they won at least one playoff game
- of the 18 coaches who have coached at least 19 playoff games in their career, his winning % is the worst of them all at .421

........there's more but why bother

He had a roster with some all pros led by a future HOF QB for years and still managed one and done playoff exits with it. The excuses don't exist for me, so just continue to cheer for more sports purgatory until he packs his bags with poppa Rooney and walks away.

If getting some playoff participation badges and not stinking every season is the franchise goal, then Tomin is your champ.

Andy Reid had the same lack of playoff success as well. After the Eagles went to the Super Bowl in 2004, Reid's next 13 seasons he won 4 playoff games. His teams missed the playoffs 5 times and he was one and done another 5 times. You think this iteration of the Steelers is bad, wait until your team doesn't make the playoffs for half a decade. That's fun.

Is that the same Reid who went to 5 NFCC games and a SB game with McNabb as their QB?

Same guy who had that awful stretch. Then won a bunch of Super Bowls AFTER that stretch.

Its almost like having Patrick Mahomes at quarterback helps.

Pre-Reid, the Chiefs won 29 games in the 6 previous seasions, 10 in one of them.

He won a playoff game after only 2 years there. With Alex Smith, not Patrick Mahomes.

Reid built what he had in Philly, and he built what he has in KC.

Tomlin inherited what he had success with in Pittsburgh, and the team has been irrelevant come playoff time for most of the past 15 years.

Apples and oranges,

 

[Steelers4Life]

I'll list some meaningful accomplishments since 2011 to help the Tomlin cheerleaders out,

- playoff record is 3-8 in the past 14 seasons, (those wins came against AJ McCarron, Matt Moore, and Alex Smith)
- 5 straight one and done in the past 8 seasons with 3 of those losses by double digits
- team has allowed over 40 points against in the past 4 playoff defeats
- he owns the top 3 rush yards in a game against in franchise history
- in his 18 seasons, Steelers have had 4 seasons in which they won at least one playoff game
- of the 18 coaches who have coached at least 19 playoff games in their career, his winning % is the worst of them all at .421

........there's more but why bother

He had a roster with some all pros led by a future HOF QB for years and still managed one and done playoff exits with it. The excuses don't exist for me, so just continue to cheer for more sports purgatory until he packs his bags with poppa Rooney and walks away.

If getting some playoff participation badges and not stinking every season is the franchise goal, then Tomin is your champ.

Andy Reid had the same lack of playoff success as well. After the Eagles went to the Super Bowl in 2004, Reid's next 13 seasons he won 4 playoff games. His teams missed the playoffs 5 times and he was one and done another 5 times. You think this iteration of the Steelers is bad, wait until your team doesn't make the playoffs for half a decade. That's fun.

Is that the same Reid who went to 5 NFCC games and a SB game with McNabb as their QB?

Same guy who had that awful stretch. Then won a bunch of Super Bowls AFTER that stretch.

Something even funnier?

The Eagles fired Reid after a stretch of 4 years where he missed the playoffs twice and he had two one and dones. They looked past his early success and moved on, and it worked out great for both parties.

If the Steelers had done that with Tomlin, he'd have been fired after the 2014 season. And in the 10 years since, it's not like Tomlin has shown any ability to adjust, to hire assistants, or to rebuild, yet here we are.

I don't think anyone anywhere would be confident that Tomlin could go into a situation like Reid took over in Kansas City and win a playoff game after two years, much less turn it into a powerhouse.

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

regarding 2025 QB -- my understanding is that they wanted to bring Fields back, but were also pursuing a trade for Stafford, that was close that Stafford eventually nixed. They also apparently made an offer to Darnold, but it was too little too late.

 

[Snotbubbles]

I'll list some meaningful accomplishments since 2011 to help the Tomlin cheerleaders out,

- playoff record is 3-8 in the past 14 seasons, (those wins came against AJ McCarron, Matt Moore, and Alex Smith)
- 5 straight one and done in the past 8 seasons with 3 of those losses by double digits
- team has allowed over 40 points against in the past 4 playoff defeats
- he owns the top 3 rush yards in a game against in franchise history
- in his 18 seasons, Steelers have had 4 seasons in which they won at least one playoff game
- of the 18 coaches who have coached at least 19 playoff games in their career, his winning % is the worst of them all at .421

........there's more but why bother

He had a roster with some all pros led by a future HOF QB for years and still managed one and done playoff exits with it. The excuses don't exist for me, so just continue to cheer for more sports purgatory until he packs his bags with poppa Rooney and walks away.

If getting some playoff participation badges and not stinking every season is the franchise goal, then Tomin is your champ.

Andy Reid had the same lack of playoff success as well. After the Eagles went to the Super Bowl in 2004, Reid's next 13 seasons he won 4 playoff games. His teams missed the playoffs 5 times and he was one and done another 5 times. You think this iteration of the Steelers is bad, wait until your team doesn't make the playoffs for half a decade. That's fun.

Is that the same Reid who went to 5 NFCC games and a SB game with McNabb as their QB?

Same guy who had that awful stretch. Then won a bunch of Super Bowls AFTER that stretch.

Something even funnier?

The Eagles fired Reid after a stretch of 4 years where he missed the playoffs twice and he had two one and dones. They looked past his early success and moved on, and it worked out great for both parties.

If the Steelers had done that with Tomlin, he'd have been fired after the 2014 season. And in the 10 years since, it's not like Tomlin has shown any ability to adjust, to hire assistants, or to rebuild, yet here we are.

I don't think anyone anywhere would be confident that Tomlin could go into a situation like Reid took over in Kansas City and win a playoff game after two years, much less turn it into a powerhouse.

It's not easy finding a franchise QB in the 20s. Reid built his early success on McNabb at #2. He's not getting him at 15 or 20. The Eagles success after Reid left was built on Wentz at #2. Maybe the Steelers should have traded multiple firsts to try and go from the 20s to the 10s. That's a risky proposition if your player doesn't hit.

 

[Godsbrother]

Just wondering if this thread is just going to be about Tomlin and how much he sucks for the rest of the season?

If so i may bail because he isn’t getting fired and there is still 1/3 of the season remaining.

 

[infantsam]

The fan base is finally starting to catch up to where a lot of us have been on Tomlin for years now.

How many guys would still have a job if they only have 4 seasons out of 19 with a playoff win? Or 8+ years without a playoff win? Or 3 playoff wins in 15 years?

Ownership has been comfortable because the national media loves him and enough of the fan base supports him that 8, 9, or 10 wins has been enough. Now the national media has started picking up on it and the fans are getting more and more tired of the lack of discipline, declining performance, and lack of adjustments. It's been this way since 2011 after his run with Cowher's team, not just since Ben retired. The goodwill built from 2007 to 2010 is finally starting to wear out.

Losing 3 or 4 of the next 5 would finally start to put some real pressure on the team to change.

When Tomlin took over he did not take over a 3-13 team starting a rebuild.

When he took over they had all the pieces in place including a young franchise QB, and give credit he won with those pieces. That was 16 years ago.

Steelers remind me of the Detroit Red Wings after they won a few Stanley Cups and were on the decline, but still squeaked into the playoffs ever year. All we heard is 25 years in a row making the playoffs. Team did not say the last 10 they were knocked out in the first or second round.

I am sure Tomlin is a good coach but even he looks like he has lost the fire in his belly in Pitt. They will never fire him so he would have to resign. End up in the booth for a year then some team will pay him big to come back.

Really, ^this^ is all that matters. I said it many times... you either have THE quarterback, or you don't... and it's a crap shoot.

Fortunate to have had Big Ben, but also a little unfortunate that there were two better QBs (in the same conference division) during his entire career. I would put Ben on the tier with Philip Rivers (how many Super Bowls did Rivers get to?).

These guys don't grow on trees and for every five (5) "generational talents" coming out of college, it feels like... 2 bust, 2 are good (not great), and 1 actually lives up to the hype. Oh, and you have to be drafting top 10 to get a sniff at one (preferably top 5).

Look at MIN, CLE, and maybe LVR (the latter probably having a QB situation that the other 2 envy)... they have no hope... none. MIN self-inflicted (missed on the QB), CLE feels like they are paying 5-6 QBs on other rosters (or out of football), and LVR have an outdated HC that trusted his old buddy QB.

I would rank the Steelers QB room 4th worst behind these 3 teams. And I don't want to hear about "PIT has failed to develop any QBs" when we all know they haven't been in a position to draft one. If Rogers/Rudolph was part of the "Steelers are ALL IN" plan this off-season? Well, pretty easy to see how that was going to end up. Rudolph is a professional clipboard-holder and Rogers hasn't been Aaron Roger in maybe... 5 years? Combine that with a bunch of old dudes on defense... that's a 0.500 club at best.

If Tomlin gets fired, he's NYG's HC 2 minutes later and PIT is still the same mid-pack, no-QB-having team... like all the others in the NFL looking for the same thing.

edit: fixed per @steelcityman catch.

First off, Tomlin's mediocrity started a full 10 years before Ben retired. And Ben got hurt in 2019 but was still good in 2020. He gets a pass because they haven't had a franchise QB really since 2020, but Tomlin's teams only won 3 total playoff games (all against backup QBs) between 2011 and 2021.

Tomlin can lead top talent to contention and he can lead mediocre talent to 8 to 10 wins. He's a fine coach who benefitted from inherited a ready-made Super Bowl contender. But he's not someone who'll elevate what he has and his lack of any type of coaching tree after 19 years speaks to how well he develops assistants.

If Tomlin would be fired or quit and he ends up somewhere else, all the best to him. But unless he fundamentally changes his style, he can go be mediocre somewhere else and Id rather have the Steelers bring in an offensive mind to help compete in today's NFL.

OK, let's look at your last paragraph there... honest question: is the PIT job even attractive in today's NFL? It's a terrible roster and they're not going to lose enough games (again) to draft a QB. Ownership has not shown that they do not support a rebuild.

Is the fan base ready for a fresh, young first-time head coach out of college to oversee a tank season (or two) just to be in position to get the QB? It's an open air stadium situation in a bad weather zone... tough to build a Star Wars offense in that situation.

It is worse than you are making it out. The ownership is a huge problem. The fans have ridiculous expectations. It is a bad roster and going to be worse.

Fans don't have ridiculous expectations. Fans expect the team to try to contend, not to just be content stagnating at barely above .500 and being an afterthought in the playoffs.

I'd bet most fans would gladly take a year or two of real struggles if they showed even the slightest bit of urgency to make the team a contender again. I'd rather they try and fail than to just sit here hoping for 9 wins and #6 or #7 seed in the playoffs.

9 wins may win the division this year, but that doesn't change anything. It's still the same old Steelers.

So what's the plan? How do the Steelers get into a top-5 draft position? Who's the QB? Who's the coach?

Don't absolutely need a top 5 pick. Just don't select a home town player like Pickett. I'm no friggin expert but he should never have ben thought to be it. (pun intended)

Mahommes - #11
Allen #7
Nix #12

Get a real OC, install an offensive 'style' and go get a QB who can likely execute it. Aren't there like 10 examples of that rn?

Nix - yep
Goff - yep
Daniels - hell yeah
Herbert - it at least looks like it could work
Darnold
Baker

Yes - there are high picks in there - but there are castoffs and lower picks as well.

All though if you think about it - maybe we are tanking .......perhaps unintentionally?

We do need a new head coach - and just stop with the Renegade please

As I mentioned earlier... top-10 for a real shot at a (projected) franchise QB.., top-5 preferred.

Unless you get just plain lucky with a Russell Wilson, Tom Brady, etc.

Interesting thing about your list... Nix, Goff, Daniels, other... none of them have a ring. Goff was closest... on his old team that traded him away for a better option.

Pickett has a ring though (joking).

Friggin Kenny pickett!

Take the Goff example though

That team was well built around his good but not super star play. They were in the running and nearly the favorites for at least 2 years and didn’t miss by much. That milk is spoiling fast though. We don’t even have a path to the conversation much less be in it.

 

[infantsam]

Just wondering if this thread is just going to be about Tomlin and how much he sucks for the rest of the season?

If so i may bail because he isn’t getting fired and there is still 1/3 of the season remaining.

Aight, srry let’s move on

New topic

Is Herbig ousting Highsmith as starting OLB. I see him holding the edge at times.

 

[Terpman22]

Slay getting released

Seems like things are not going great

 

[Godsbrother]

Steelers claimed WR Adam Thelein, release CB Darius Slay and sign CB Asante Samuel Jr to active roster.

Does Theien have anything left? What ever happened to MVS?

Glad to see Slay out the door.

 

[cdclopper]

Slay released? That's wild.

 

[travdogg]

Slay getting released

Seems like things are not going great

Wouldn't be shocked if he ended up back in Philly.

 

[Terpman22]

Slay released? That's wild.

I could be wrong, but doesn't Pitt play a heavy man scheme (I have to believe this bc Ramsey hates zone so much)

Seems like it was not a great fit from the get-go

 

[steelers1080]

Cut Slay and sign Thielen. Slay hasn't been playing well, but Thielen seemed super cooked. At least they recognize that the WR room is lacking.

 

[crushedspirit]

Slay was a big miss by the Kahn for the scheme they run

Thielen is cooked and it's still an upgrade, go figure

 

[3C's]

I thought thielen wanted to retire...

Guess he just wanted to retire from the Vikings putrid offense. Then the Steelers claimed him. Whoopsie!

 

[sm8680]

I'd like to see the Steelers give Will Howard a genuine opportunity. I'm not suggesting he's the franchise savior, but if the postseason becomes unlikely, the team should use the remainder of the season to test him in live action evaluate how he handles pressure, how the offense responds, and whether he could be part of the team's future

 

[irish eyes]

Cut Slay and sign Thielen. Slay hasn't been playing well, but Thielen seemed super cooked. At least they recognize that the WR room is lacking.

Can't help but laugh at this point. Absolute trainwreck of an organization. Art Rooney the founder must be rolling over in his grave.

 

[fred_1_15301]

I'd like to see the Steelers give Will Howard a genuine opportunity. I'm not suggesting he's the franchise savior, but if the postseason becomes unlikely, the team should use the remainder of the season to test him in live action evaluate how he handles pressure, how the offense responds, and whether he could be part of the team's future

If Rodgers is healthy, I just can’t see Tomlin moving away from him this year out of professional respect. I would think there is a strong probability that Rodgers retires at the end of the year and Tomlin won’t let him go out on the bench IMO.

 

[fred_1_15301]

With that said Howard will get every shot in the world to win the job next year. The problem is that the team has so many damn holes that I’m not sure how he could possibly be put in a position to succeed.

 

[5-ish Finkle]

Just wondering if this thread is just going to be about Tomlin and how much he sucks for the rest of the season?

If so i may bail because he isn’t getting fired and there is still 1/3 of the season remaining.

Aight, srry let’s move on

New topic

Is Herbig ousting Highsmith as starting OLB. I see him holding the edge at times.

Highsmith isnt really one of the guys who is the issue vs. the run tho.

 

[5-ish Finkle]

Wonder what James Jones and Donald Driver are doin' these days?

 

[infantsam]

Just wondering if this thread is just going to be about Tomlin and how much he sucks for the rest of the season?

If so i may bail because he isn’t getting fired and there is still 1/3 of the season remaining.

Aight, srry let’s move on

New topic

Is Herbig ousting Highsmith as starting OLB. I see him holding the edge at times.

Highsmith isnt really one of the guys who is the issue vs. the run tho.

Right

Just trying to gauge what we spend at OLB, with Watt and Highsmith how much can we actually pay Herbig and/or which of the other 2 we keep? Herbig is exceptional value at 1.x mil, Highsmith at 17 mil not so much.

 

[5-ish Finkle]

Just wondering if this thread is just going to be about Tomlin and how much he sucks for the rest of the season?

If so i may bail because he isn’t getting fired and there is still 1/3 of the season remaining.

Aight, srry let’s move on

New topic

Is Herbig ousting Highsmith as starting OLB. I see him holding the edge at times.

Highsmith isnt really one of the guys who is the issue vs. the run tho.

Highsmith at 17 mil not so much.

Fair.

TJ at 40+ million not looking great either.

 

[Dizzy]

Just wondering if this thread is just going to be about Tomlin and how much he sucks for the rest of the season?

If so i may bail because he isn’t getting fired and there is still 1/3 of the season remaining.

Aight, srry let’s move on

New topic

Is Herbig ousting Highsmith as starting OLB. I see him holding the edge at times.

Highsmith isnt really one of the guys who is the issue vs. the run tho.

Highsmith at 17 mil not so much.

Fair.

TJ at 40+ million not looking great either.

Agreed. Just matching those defensive salaries to the age of some of these guys... it's like the PIT way is to pay guys for services rendered as opposed to future potential.

 

[Godsbrother]

Cut Slay and sign Thielen. Slay hasn't been playing well, but Thielen seemed super cooked. At least they recognize that the WR room is lacking.

Can't help but laugh at this point. Absolute trainwreck of an organization. Art Rooney the founder must be rolling over in his grave.

The Chief was an awesome guy but the football operations under his leadership was an even bigger train wreck for 40 years.

It wasn’t until Dan took over that things turned around.

It makes me wonder if history isn’t repeating itself with Art II and things will get better if/when Danny Rooney takes over.

 

[Snotbubbles]

Slay getting released

Seems like things are not going great

Wouldn't be shocked if he ended up back in Philly.

John Clark reporting mutual interest between Slay and Philly if he clears waivers. Seems like a perfect fit for them and he's better than Adoree Jackson.

 

[Steelers4Life]

Just wondering if this thread is just going to be about Tomlin and how much he sucks for the rest of the season?

If so i may bail because he isn’t getting fired and there is still 1/3 of the season remaining.

Aight, srry let’s move on

New topic

Is Herbig ousting Highsmith as starting OLB. I see him holding the edge at times.

Highsmith isnt really one of the guys who is the issue vs. the run tho.

Highsmith at 17 mil not so much.

Fair.

TJ at 40+ million not looking great either.

That was a mistake the second it was offered. If TJ wanted that money at his age, the Steelers should have thanked him for everything he did and moved him. Maybe he'd have been worth Garrett money if he was Garrett's age, but that contract is going to be a problem for several years.

 

[5-ish Finkle]

The Chief was an awesome guy but the football operations under his leadership was an even bigger train wreck for 40 years.

It wasn’t until Dan took over that things turned around.

It makes me wonder if history isn’t repeating itself with Art II and things will get better if/when Danny Rooney takes over.

It's a tale nearly as old as time, basically: Father creates business, son makes business great, grandson manages to somehow muck it up (to whatever varying degree).

Art II hasn't "destroyed" anything, per se, but he's certainly shepherded morphing the brand into something it wasn't (oddly enough, mostly by being fairly resistant to change and trying to maintain status quo).

 

[The_Man]

Harbaugh and Tomlin face each other for the 39th time, including playoffs, on Sunday (Tomlin leads 21-17). The only coaches to face each other more in NFL history are George Halas and Curly Lambeau, who went against each other in 49 games between 1921 and 1953

As a Ravens fan, one thing I think we can all agree on is that we don't want to see either of these guys on the sidelines in a Ravens-Steelers game after this season

 

[Max55]

Harbaugh and Tomlin face each other for the 39th time, including playoffs, on Sunday (Tomlin leads 21-17). The only coaches to face each other more in NFL history are George Halas and Curly Lambeau, who went against each other in 49 games between 1921 and 1953

As a Ravens fan, one thing I think we can all agree on is that we don't want to see either of these guys on the sidelines in a Ravens-Steelers game after this season

As a Steelers fan I’d be happy to see Harbaugh on the Ravens sideline next season.

Tomlin, not so much.

 

[cdclopper]

Now ppl want Harbs fired too. That's wild to me.

 

[Dizzy]

Now ppl want Harbs fired too. That's wild to me.

Yeah, I've heard this on some of the NFL talk shows lately. Many feel that Harbaugh could be coaching to save his job ROS. If BAL misses the playoffs or has a 1st round exit... he's in trouble.

Maybe too many years as the "team with the best roster in the AFC" and everyone's darling Super Bowl pick and no (recent) trophies to show for it.

 

[The_Man]

Now ppl want Harbs fired too. That's wild to me.

Yeah, I've heard this on some of the NFL talk shows lately. Many feel that Harbaugh could be coaching to save his job ROS. If BAL misses the playoffs or has a 1st round exit... he's in trouble.

Maybe too many years as the "team with the best roster in the AFC" and everyone's darling Super Bowl pick and no (recent) trophies to show for it.

1-5 in the Divisional Round/Conference Championship Round since the 2012 Super Bowl, they followed up the only Divisional win in the last 12 years with the AFC Championship game where they gave the ball to Running Backs 8 times all game despite having one of the best rushing attacks in NFL history

He has overseen the creation of a roster filled with nice, good citizen guys who have absolutely no dog among them and continually come up small in the biggest moments. They started this season 1-5 and only got back to .500 by beating the Bears, Dolphins, Vikings, Browns, and Jets, before getting shredded by the Bengals on Thanksgiving. Getting to 1 Championship Game in 12 years with a continually outstanding roster, including 2 MVP seasons by your QB, that both ended with home playoff losses is not the stuff of legends

 

[3C's]

Nice offense you got there...

https://x.com/danorlovsky7/status/1995601824393601513