Many people praise Mike Tomlin’s streak of non-losing seasons as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. It’s an incredible streak of resiliency, tenacity, and steadiness. However, detractors are quick to point out the playoff struggles under Tomlin. After all, the Steelers are 8-10 in the playoffs under Tomlin and are on a five-game losing streak. The last time they won in the playoffs was in 2016.
Despite losing to the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card Round to end the 2023 season, the Steelers continu to stand behind Tomlin. When Steelers team president Art Rooney II met with reporters on Monday to recap the season, he spoke about his unwavering support of Tomlin but the need to start producing in the playoffs.
“We had enough of this,” Rooney said via The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly. “It’s time to take the next steps.”
Steelers.com editor Bob Labriola provided a fuller quote of Rooney’s commentary, noting the urgency for the Steelers to succeed in the playoffs.
Later, 93.7 The Fan shared Rooney’s entire interview. Here’s his direct and complete quote.
“We’ve had enough of this. It’s time to get some wind. It’s time to take these next steps. I think there’s some urgency here, for sure.”
A lot was made of reported uncertainty regarding Tomlin during the 2023 season, namely because of the three-game losing streak when the team was 7-4. However, Tomlin helped lead his team to a three-game winning streak (and got some help) to secure the seventh seed in the AFC playoff field.
Shortly after the season ended in Buffalo, Rooney himself said that the Steelers wanted to extend Tomlin. Evidently, as of Jan. 29, that sentiment has not changed.
What seemingly has changed is a mandate from Rooney that the lack of playoff success is unacceptable. Plenty of people, media and otherwise, have bemoaned and/or made fun of the concept of the Steelers Standard. The end-of-year celebration has been limited to the continued non-losing seasons under Tomlin while it’s been seven seasons since the Steelers have even won a playoff game much less contended for a title.
So what will these next steps be? Will Rooney put pressure on Tomlin to make a big-time offensive coordinator hire? Will the Steelers be aggressive in pursuing a new quarterback? Or does Rooney expect that the new offensive coordinator will be able to make Kenny Pickett a successful quarterback? Only time will tell, but it is a comfort to Steelers fans that the team president is willing to go on record as saying the organization’s playoff fortunes need to change. And it’s clear Rooney doesn’t want the Steelers’ playoff drought to continue.
