In what is likely to become an increasingly common take, one former scout thinks it’s time for the Pittsburgh Steelers to move on from Mike Tomlin.
Coming off a Thursday night loss to the New England Patriots and just five days removed from a similar embarrassing defeat to the Arizona Cardinals, the heat is on Mike Tomlin like never before. The Steelers are still 7-6, still in the playoff picture, and there are four games to be played. But Pittsburgh is squandering away a chance to make the playoffs and win its first postseason game since 2016.
Reacting to the Steelers’ loss, former NFL Scout John Middlekauff believes firing Tomlin is the right and necessary move.
“I think Mike Tomlin would have a lot of people very interested in making him their head coach,” Middlekauff said on the 3 & Out podcast via The Volume. “If Mike Tomlin were fired, he would immediately, a lot like Bill [Belichick], he would have a job before you could blink. He would become a head coach instantly. I do think it’s over in Pittsburgh. It’s time for a change.”
With his still successful reputation and leaguewide respect, there’s no question Tomlin would become the most in-demand coach if he were ever on the market. And, hypothetically, if Tomlin was fired by the team this offseason, you could put money on the Carolina Panthers backing up the money truck for him. Owner David Tepper was previously a minority owner of the Steelers and is always looking to take a big swing at head coach and has the means to pay for the opportunity.
Middlekauff acknowledged the reality of Tomlin being fired is different than his opinion. The Rooney family is as patient as any and saw through tough stretches with Tomlin, including a pair of 8-8 seasons in 2012 and 2013. But he used examples of other legendary coaches who eventually moved on, mentioning Phil Jackson, Joe Torre, and what’s likely to occur with New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, widely speculated to be in his final year with the team.
“You can’t lose to the Cardinals and the Patriots in a four-day span and still be taken seriously,” Middlekauff said. “When there were already major question marks. You haven’t won a playoff game in forever.”‘
Tomlin’s Steelers last won a playoff game in 2016 before falling in the AFC title game to the New England Patriots. Since then, they’ve been upset by the Jacksonville Jaguars and Cleveland Browns at home and blown out by the Kansas City Chiefs on the road in the Wild-Card game.
This six-year span without a playoff win is the longest the team’s had since the 1970 merger. The only streak longer encapsulates the beginning of the Steelers’ existence, not winning in the postseason from their 1933 founding until the Immaculate Reception broke the streak in 1972. Even during all of the other ugly periods, the 1980s, the late 1990s, the post-Super Bowl loss early 2010s, Pittsburgh got back on the horse.
Middlekauff is certainly one to voice a loud and hot take, but he at least has the credentials of having been in NFL buildings. He recalled the time he was in Philadelphia when the Eagles moved on from longtime coach Andy Reid. A difficult move at the time but after some trial and error, they found success in Nick Sirianni, turning them into NFC contenders.
“There comes a point in time where we need change,” Middlekauff said. “We need to press the reset button.”
There are still four more games to go this season. Addressing Tomlin’s future won’t truly come into focus until there are no more games left on the calendar. Though it’s a year of firsts, the Steelers canning their first coordinator in the middle of a season, Tomlin is likely to remain the team’s head coach through 2024, the final year of his current deal. But next season could be a true make-or-break for not only QB Kenny Pickett but Tomlin, one last chance to prove they’re the right people to fix this mess.
