A report over the weekend pointed to the expected Steelers coaching scenario — Mike Tomlin returning for a 19th season — taking shape. Nothing has emerged to contradict it, and the veteran HC addressed the matter himself Tuesday.
Regarding any potential trade inquiries HC-needy teams may have, Tomlin told prospective suitors to “save your time” regarding such an effort. Moving closer to Chuck Noll‘s tenure duration in Pittsburgh, Tomlin said he is prepared to continue as Steelers HC in 2025.
Noll lasted 23 years at the helm, while Tomlin has moved past Bill Cowher (15 seasons). Even as Tomlin’s high-floor/low-ceiling routine has irked many Steelers supporters in recent years, he has made the team one of the safest bets in modern sports at avoiding poor seasons. Though, early playoff exits have mounted since the team’s run to the 2016 AFC championship game. And that Patriots matchup is the Steelers’ only conference championship appearance since Super Bowl XLV.
“I don’t make excuses for failure,” Tomlin said, via ESPN.com’s Brooke Pryor. “I own it, but I also feel like I’m capable and so as long as I’m afforded an opportunity to do that, I will continue, but I certainly understand their frustrations and probably more importantly than that, I share it because that’s how I’m wired.”
Rumors about teams considering Tomlin trade offers surfaced in December 2023, and some uncertainty about his 2024 status circulated as well. Tomlin squashed those soon after and received another contract extension — his seventh as Steelers HC — this past summer. Although the Steelers have continued to hit a wall in the wild-card round, after having lost as a No. 2 seed in the 2017 divisional round, Tomlin has shown no indication he is fed up with the situation. That said, he met with ownership and GM Omar Khan on Monday and did indicate Tuesday there will be organizational changes.
While the 52-year-old leader declined to specify where changes were coming, quarterback will be a closely monitored situation in Pittsburgh. Russell Wilson has repeatedly indicated he wants to stay in Pittsburgh, and while the organization has been tied to having the same sentiment, a Monday report suggested the team has cooled on its primary 2024 starter. Not tipping his hand, Tomlin offered neither an endorsement of his QBs nor a firm indication another new group will arrive.
“We don’t have a quarterback under contract. We are certainly open to considering those guys, but we have a lot of work ahead of us,” Tomlin said of Wilson and Justin Fields.
Adding to the uncertainty here, Tomlin did say both QBs can help the Steelers in 2025 and praised both players’ professionalism. The Steelers, however, did not threaten the Ravens in their Saturday wild-card loss. The team has now lost five consecutive playoff games, with its most recent win coming in a 2016 divisional-round matchup in Kansas City.
Tomlin’s streak of .500-or-better seasons reaching 18, however, continues to impede the Steelers when it comes to finding quarterback help in the draft. By virtue of their 10-7 record, the Steelers hold the No. 21 overall pick in this year’s draft — one not viewed as teeming with QB talent. Their last attempt to fill a need through the draft came in a worse draft for QBs, with the Kenny Pickett miss highlighting this shaky period for the organization at the game’s premier position.
Some veteran avenues may be open, but major questions would come with any of the high-profile options. depending on other teams’ actions.
Sam Darnold‘s shaky showings in high-stakes Vikings spots to close the season could certainly impact the team’s desire to use the franchise tag to keep him off the market. That would stand to intrigue a team like the Steelers, though Darnold’s free agency price tag should still be fairly high. Similarly, Kirk Cousins‘ stock dropped late in his season. The Falcons are likely to release the 36-year-old passer, who was part of Wilson’s 2012 draft class, as no trade appears realistic. Aaron Rodgers is still expected to be a Jets cap casualty. Rodgers has not committed to playing in 2025, and PFR readers were not high on a Steelers fit — as interesting as the increasingly outspoken QB pairing with Tomlin would be.
Names like Daniel Jones or even Jimmy Garoppolo could come up as lower-cost choices, but the Steelers would seemingly be more likely to keep Wilson or Fields than take one of those routes. Pittsburgh has been unable to find a high-end quarterback for a while now, with Ben Roethlisberger‘s 2019 elbow injury effectively ending his prime. The team has continued to rely on its defense since, and while that unit should still be formidable in 2025, Tomlin and Co. have several weeks to determine if there is a viable upgrade on the Wilson/Fields setup out there.
I’d also work with another +/-$40m on the books from the team.
and half that in ur wallet
Hall of Fame coach. Hopefully he stays another 18 yrs. You Steelers fans who want him gone are delusional
You must be keeping track of our postseason success then. If you settle for mediocrity, then go find another fan base.
Guy has been keeping the team relevant the last 8 years with an out of shape Big Ben, a nobody, a guy with the nickname Duck, a career backup and the ghost of Russell Wilson. The only fault he has is he’s too good to get you a draft pick good enough to draft your next franchise QB.
@Mad Man and most Steelers fans like him have no clue how good they’ve had it. Making or being near the playoffs basically every year well above average, there are teams that would kill for that. End of the day get a difference maker at QB ask Any Reid and Jim Harbough what a difference an excellent QB makes.
@CoolKid – he doesn’t have stars because the team drafts poorly even in the middling spot they always hold, do enough to hover around .500 but can never beat good teams so they go one and done in the playoffs. A firm lock on mediocrity. They have never hung with the best teams.
Better to lose and get much higher draft picks to improve the team.Thats what Steelers did in 1969 1-13,and got number 1 pick( Joe Green). Penguins also did it twice to get Mario and Crosby
You could be settling for worse than mediocrity if you ditch Mike Tomlin.
I think we just found the Pirates fan…lol.
So you rather be the browns and jets last 18 years madmax?
No sir you are delusional
Tomlin going 9-8 in 2036
There will be 20 regular season games and no pre-season by then.
So, 10 and 10?
Why would Tomlin want to leave. Job security and a big fat paycheck to blather a few cliches at postgame conferences and glide right into the ground each season after securing his “no losing season” victory. And blind supporters who blame anybody but Tomlin for when the team doesn’t make it to AFC title game anymore.
As a fan of a team that has lost 10+ games 7 of the past 8 seasons (NYG) and having had to deal with bouncing from McAdoo to Shurmur to Judge to Daboll to surprisingly not another coach in 2025….you should value your stability along with the fact your team has still been competitive past Halloween EVERY YEAR.
While the Giants have also had 2 SB wins and a third appearance since 2000 and the 2 wins were a bit more recent, it feels longer when you have to suffer through 3-14 seasons. Stitching together 8-10 win seasons with a way past prime Ben or two backups that you didn’t give $40M a year to is a lot better than some teams have done. I’ve almost forgotten how it feels to be engaged in division and playoff races after Thanksgiving!
Would you rather be the Cowboys, have more hype and drama, get the 12 win seasons but never go anywhere in the playoffs then get the down seasons?
This sort of reminds me of the Red Wings in the NHL. They had their 20-something straight playoff appearances but for the last 6-8 years of it, they were basically a 7 or 8 seed and were quickly bounced in the 1st round. As a fan you respect it, but it truly gets to the point where you’re ready to say f**k it and flop to get a high draft choice. But with the Steelers picking between 26 and 30 over the last decade and a half they haven’t been able to get that elite QB. Not a fan of the team but can for sure relate.
OK, but the Wings tore down and have been spinning their wheels for years now and have shown no signs of being any better than OTT or BUF, etc.
Steeler fans think it will go like this…
1) Fire Tomlin
2) Become the next NFL dynasty
This is a cautionary tale. 8-year playoff drought, including a few last place finishes. If the Wings make the playoffs this year, they’ll be a Wildcard team and probably out in 6 games.
For every 1 team that found their elite QB in the 1st round, 5 drafted a QB that was a bust. I’d rather have a competive team on the field every week than one tanking. After Ben, Steelers are suffering the same as many other teams are now. It isn’t just QB they have a problem with, but no WRs or modern NFL OC. Tomlin’s magic wore off by the end of the season, they weren’t getting that key INT or fumble in crunch time as they did earlier in a few games. Tomlin hasn’t proven he can be a QB whisperer either. Do you think he could’ve molded an easily draftable Brock Purdy?
Who cares if a chef can turn chicken **** into chicken salad UNLESS he can turn it into award winning chicken salad? Loser.
If you know Steelers fans you know that they CANNOT accept mediocrity in anything except themselves.
What I find amusing is that most of his local media critics couldn’t sniff mediocrity on their BEST day but cannot tolerate anything less than excellence from Tomlin.
Tim Benz had a radio show here that failed. Went to Boston to do a radio show and failed. Came back to work for DK, FFS. And only remains in his gigs because he works cheap now.
Mark Madden is “number one” which, when you break it down, means he beats a variety of shows that feature Chris Mueller. Stiff competition there. Take a bow. Oh, right, he used to beat Logan, Paulsen and Crow back in the day, too. Give the man his due. Hid out in afternoon drive in a non-top 20 market, finding a pond small enough that he could be the big fish and never dared to leave. “Women of the night” won’t take his money. Lives alone with his long dead mom’s cats. Hairs bands who haven’t died yet, his only joy.
They won’t accept anything short of excellence, you see.
Fair enough.
Madden simply plays a role akin to sports shock jock on air. In fact, he’d tell you as much. Read his columns. What I like most is that he’s not indebted to any sports figure locally, save for Lemieux. He’s not afraid to tell it like it is and risk somehow not being invited to team Christmas parties
I’ve read your continual missives here in defense of an average coach while disparaging fans. Within your cheerleading, the message of “be happy in your mediocrity” rings hollow to anyone who watches games each week. In your way of thinking, the fans are the problem. In fact, the word “fan” is completely lost on you to begin with
Personally, I don’t care what the Steelers do with their coaching but to fail to mention that it is Tomlin who has the biggest say-so in the personnel that play under him via the draft, free agency or waiver wire is ridiculous. To ignore the idea that Tomlin decides who’ll be his assistants and how games will be strategized in all facets is inane.
You’d have readers believe that Tomlin just makes the most of what he is given when it’s he himself who is the guy in full control of all aspects, and you do so in a boorish, insulting manner.
We get it. You love Tomlin. Great. But these screeds you write are examples of self-serving defenses that harbor a great deal of mistruths and faulty logic.
I could care less about Tomlin. Nor do I care if the Steelers win or lose. I just like reality (actually, that’s not true either, but I consciously choose to live in it).
I have never once said “be happy in your mediocrity”. But, yeah, maybe, just maybe understand the actual cause of it.
The “fans” look at the logo and want so very very very very badly to still live in the “City of Champions” rather than the roster and reality when setting their expectations.
So, if you want to be so mindless in your evaluation that you throw the baby out with bathwater, go to town. But, most sane people would think that getting rid of a coach who wins 2 to 3 more games than he should most seasons is probably not going to get you where you want to go.
If you think this team should have beaten the Ravens or Bills or Chiefs or Lions or Eagles, etc. etc., you have Yinzervision glasses on and forgot to take them off.
Also, him having a say in the roster doesn’t change the part where he’s had one (ONE) top ten pick in his entire 18 year tenure…and they had to trade for that one…and that one was Devin Bush.
But, hey, fire him. The only team I care about are the Pens and if the Steelers want to join us in the basement for half a decade or more, cool.
Your first paragraph is on target. Me too. I’m way past caring. Agreed.
And I’m not advocating firing. Or keeping him. Or curtailing his oversight.
But to castigate fans is folly. No, they shouldn’t have beaten any of the teams they played down the stretch. They were dominated
That’s where we part company
Any fan wants championship runs every year. It doesn’t denote entitlement but rather, fandom intself. While you may not literally say “enjoy the mediocrity,” you are intimating as much when the comparison is made to other franchises that don’t do so well on a consistent basis or have revolving doors where head coaches are concerned
You’re right. The Steelers haven’t had many first round picks top 10 picks. Neither have the Ravens and some other consistently good franchises
All kinds of fore mike comments everywhere, why, because of two QB’s that couldn’t produce on other teams?
Send him to Cleveland then..
I forgot my favorite critique…”his message isn’t getting through anymore.”
Yes, his message of “beat teams significantly better than you” just isn’t working for some reason.
The sky isn’t falling, here. The Steelers really don’t need much to be competitive-a solid QB and one or two receivers could really make a world of difference for them. It’s not like they’re about to need a rebuild.
The difference between Pittsburgh and other teams is that in their down years, they make the playoffs. That culture is the reason why, and you lose that culture by tanking and maintain it by competing. Sure, Tomlin could improve, and should hire better staff to compensate for his weaknesses, but for some reason, we hear these calls every year for him that we don’t for others (like his similarly well accomplished rival in Baltimore).
I am not a Steelers fan, but if I may offer a counter-perspective for consideration here, for those who do want a change…being frustrated with the Steelers or Tomlin I can get, but if we removed his name from the equation, and laid his record for consideration, people would probably want an extension. It’s the familiarity that has bred the animosity, in my opinion. I get the argument that Pittsburgh is settling; I do not, however, believe that just being tired of that is enough to throw out what this coach does bring to the table. Fans always believe that rebuilds will work, and the fact is that they usually don’t. Sure, you never know until you try, but what’s the gain-other than alleviating an inch?
There’s also the current circumstances that the team finds itself in. The Steelers play in a tough division, too-perhaps the toughest division in football. A new coach is going to have to maintain the Steelers’ culture, be competitive with some experienced rivals and talented rosters, while also rebuilding his own team in his image. This is especially true in a year where no real generational talent seems to obviously exist in the draft. Who is going to do that right now that seems like a more sure option? Are you firing Tomlin to get better, or to feel better? It might be a simplistic way to put it, but that’s the crux of the issue.
Any pick seems like a real shot in the dark and wishful hoping. That’s the crux of this issue-there are hardly any empirical facts that point to an improvement by ditching an accomplished coach. What would be better is to close the smaller distance necessary to actually compete against the top teams, and that should be done by the GM. There’s still a lot of time for that. It might feel good to fire Tomlin, but that doesn’t actually make circumstances more manageable going forward. Adding a good QB (obviously there doesn’t look like one in this draft, but you’d rather wait a year to get the right one than splurge too early…ala Pickett), and a few receivers would have done wonders for this team, and it’s better to try to improve than to regress for emotions’ sake.
Sorry Ak, that’s not true in the least. This is a middling team that had a great many people fooled when they were 10-3. They simply beat some teams they should have beaten. Their play against the better teams down the stretch was more indicative of who they are. They were manhandled. Dominated. Worst of all, they put up little fight
They need help everywhere. I have to wonder if fans who clamor for a new QB watch the Steelers and then teams like the Eagles or Chiefs. Other than an ultra mobile QB like Lamar, just who could flourish here?
Yes, Russ held the ball too long. But he was often under fire every time he dropped back. Yes, Najee doesn’t have the quick burst first step. Neither did Leveon. But with a horrible o-line, he gets crushed usually about the same time he gets the ball
They have no real threats at wideout. And Freiermuth still drops passes. They have only an aging Cam on the d-line. Watt largely disappeared down the stretch. And other than Elliott, their secondary is horrible.
10-7 with a first round exit is about what they deserve
And with so many holes and the reluctance to make changes, it’s like the Pirates to me. I’m resigned to it. It’s fine.
But they’re nowhere close to the promised land
OK, you got to pick one, though…
Is this a team with as many holes as you list OR should Tomlin have won with this team?
What you call “love” is just me pointing out this obvious flaw in the “fans” logic.
Yeah, but 99% of this roster was hand picked by Tomlin, 66. That’s what you won’t admit
I understand that often times, getting the right fits is like a roll of the dice. Colbert did pretty well for most of his tenure here
But this era where Khan and Tomlin address it very much as a group approach isn’t working so well
And does Weidl, the assistant who constructed a large piece of the Eagles lines while he was in Philly, have any pull here at all?
OK, but here’s what you won’t admit. Still 32 teams.
So, for example, back when Ben was still Ben, Bouchette reported that the Steelers had their eye on a QB who, at that time, was projected to go between 28 and 32 or so. It struck me as odd, because, again, Ben was still Ben, so I thought…they must really like this guy to consider replacing Ben ahead of schedule.
Instead, the Chiefs traded up to get him at 10 or 11. I bet you know his name.
So, yes, he has input into the roster, but this isn’t Madden on easy mode. Other teams play, too. And they get to pick earlier most years.
No doubt there have been busts, but…he (they, but you want to put it on him) found Watt and Heyward at #30, too. Traded for Minkah in his prime. The 3 guys most responsible for the team staying competitive.
So, even there, in that role, picking after almost every other team he’s still managed to do well enough to be better than more than half the league.
He is not being judged on the job he’s done relative to the league he competes against, he’s being judged on the notion that they should just always win. No matter what.
Your last line may be true. That’s a different kind of fan. Even Belichick was thrown under the bus after a couple bad seasons punctuated by a 4-13
You see, I get your reasoning about “some” fans. That’s not germane to what a great many see, however.
You named some good players although I do believe that the Minkah trade was a mistake for a team going nowhere. Would have made much more sense to get a franchise QB like Herbert than making a trade of this kind
Credit where it’s due, where Watt and Cam are concerned. But too many misfires while teams like the Ravens and Eagles, who’ve drafted relatively close to or behind them in recent years, have been more visionary.
Jones has been a bust. Pickett was a huge mistake. I’m going to predict Pickens will be a bad memory in this town. Porter? About the same level as Artie Burns.
And given their positioning in the draft each year, these types of picks are extremely costly
“Would have made much more sense to get a franchise QB like Herbert than making a trade of this kind”
He went #5 overall. The Minkah pick was #18.
Do you want to win or do you want to lose?
I guess you want to win AND get the high picks so you have the whole next winning roster waiting in the garage? Not how it works.
You have selective amnesia
Ben was out
They weren’t going to win with Rudolph
They finished 8-8. Where would they have been had Minkah not come over and perhaps they finished 5-11?
Maybe close enough to trade up a bit
Do I want to win? Sure. I just don’t believe in fool’s gold i.e. winning a few games that equate to very little where the bigger picture is concerned. You see, *that’s* not how it should work
You think a young safety was the difference between 8-8 and 5-11 (3 wins by himself) AND you think getting him was a bad trade?
So, the problem is that this team needs to lose more and Tomlin won’t allow it?
But, also, he should be fired for losing to the Ravens.
It’s utterly incoherent.
Incoherent?
Is reading comprehension your problem, or is it just bending factoids to win arguments?
Again, I get it. You’re a Tomlin fan even though you claim otherwise. And you’re a contrarian who enjoys using pretzel logic and willful misinterpretations to make points
By all accounts, bringing Minkah in inspired the team and defense in particular where “commitment to winning” was concerned.
Maybe you should do some research before embarrassing yourself with more fanboy rants
It’s ridiculous now
You can have the last word. Self-indulgent nonsense seems to be your thing
Should they try to win or should they try to lose?
Yinzers want both. Playoff wins AND Justin Herbert.
Minkah added 3 wins by himself BUT it was a bad trade because they should be tanking but also winning the Super Bowl because we don’t settle for mediocrity.
So, yeah, incoherent.
Oh, and yes, I do admit that with 32 teams, it’s a crap shoot each year. It’s just why having extraordinary scouting is a must. Not as easy to find AB-types than in years past.
“I get the argument that Pittsburgh is settling.”
As you later say, it’s an emotion, not an argument…but that “argument” is based entirely on the idea that winning belongs to them by birthright because they are “THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS” rather than an understanding that 32 teams are trying to win and each victory must be earned AND looking solely at the logo, not the roster.
This was a 7 win team.
And it was a 7 win team thanks to the personnel….who were drafted and/or signed with Tomlin’s oversight
At the end of the draft.
By the normal course of winning cycles, windows, etc. this team should have bottomed out 4 or 5 years ago and been able to reload, but Tomlin won’t lose.
If you want to say that the team must bust out of this cycle and if that means firing a coach who is too good to let you lose, well, that’s an argument.
But this “if not for Tomlin this mediocre team would be the Chiefs because he’s a bum” mentality is delusion. Comical delusion.
Again, constructed as is, I agree
But Tomlin did the building here
Let’s look at Pickens for a minute. The guy is a talent. And he can’t get out of his own way. All the red flags were there with him, coming out of Georgia. Was this a good pick for this team? And yeah, you can use hindsight
How about Broderick Jones?
I’d even submit Porter was a misfire
What’s delusional is thinking Tomlin has nothing to do with personnel. He just coaches who he gets from Khan.
I tend to think coaching is given too much credit at this level for when teams win and too much blame for when they lose.
The trouble here is you have a coach who has way too much authority over all aspects.
Well said Ak185