It seems as if it was only yesterday when Mike Tomlin guided the Pittsburgh Steelers to triumph in Super Bowl XLIII. Yet, that was nearly two decades ago, and the Steelers have transformed into a significantly different team. Tomlin is still there, but the Steelers haven’t approached a Super Bowl in a long time. Nonetheless, Tomlin’s position remains secure, as Art Rooney II has shown confidence in him. Although not everyone is pleased with the work Tomlin has accomplished, he continues to have significant backing. This encompasses analyst Charles McDonald, who maintains that Tomlin ranks as the fifth-best head coach in the NFL.
“I get why individuals are annoyed, but he has never experienced a losing season,” McDonald stated Wednesday on Yahoo Sports’ Football 301 podcast. “It has nearly been two decades.” Even if you’re not exceptional, merely having the opportunity to win 10 games each season is something that no other NFL coach can claim to have accomplished. “Therefore, I need to place them at five.”
Tomlin’s reliability is nearly unmatched. He has completed 18 seasons as the Steelers’ head coach without experiencing a losing season. Although they haven’t consistently reached the playoffs, he has maintained Pittsburgh’s presence in the playoff race for nearly twenty years. It’s difficult to contest that level of achievement.
Nonetheless, Tomlin’s absence of playoff achievements must not be overlooked. The Steelers have not secured a playoff victory in nearly a decade. They have been overwhelmed in the majority of their latest playoff games. They’ve been defeated by ten points or more in each of their last four postseason matches. For a franchise as successful as the Steelers, that ought to be humiliating.
McDonald elaborated on that contrast in the same podcast.
“It’s difficult to stay here and see them trudge to 10-7 each season.” We say, ‘This is our level. Annually, our team will reach the wild card round and then be eliminated. It’s frustrating over time to realize that every year in January, you don’t genuinely have a shot at winning the Super Bowl.
“However, as someone experiencing the opposite, who hasn’t witnessed their team compete in a playoff game in eight years, it can certainly become much worse.”
Indeed, the situation could be more unfavorable for the Steelers. As McDonald states, many teams haven’t even caught a whiff of the playoffs in years. Consider the New York Jets, a team that has not reached the playoffs in 15 years. Such a drought would frustrate Steelers fans immensely.
Nonetheless, the Steelers haven’t reached this point by adhering to someone else’s criteria. For them, winning championships is what counts. Each season, their objective goes beyond merely reaching the playoffs. They aim to triumph in the Super Bowl annually, even when that objective appears distant. That’s the reason some supporters feel annoyed with Tomlin. He’s an excellent coach, but recently, his Steelers seem to be stalled. Maybe a shift might help them escape this predicament.
A comparable situation occurred with Andy Reid and the Philadelphia Eagles. Although he was an excellent head coach, it seemed as though they reached a standstill under his leadership. Consequently, the Eagles parted ways with Reid, resulting in both sides being better off afterwards. Reid established a dynasty with the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Eagles have claimed two Super Bowl victories.
Perhaps Tomlin and the Steelers might take a comparable route. Nonetheless, it appears that Tomlin’s tenure in Pittsburgh is not concluding. Unless they experience a significant downfall, Tomlin is likely to remain.