The Steelers made several drastic improvements to their team this offseason, most notably at quarterback and along the offensive line, but they still have several glaring holes on their roster. The wide receiver and cornerback rooms are two areas that the team could still add to, but they aren’t the only areas of concern. One former NFL quarterback believes that the biggest question mark for the Steelers actually involves maybe the most consistent part of their team over the past few years in head coach Mike Tomlin.
Brady Quinn played quarterback in the NFL for several years, being selected by the Browns in the first round of the 2007 draft. Much like many Browns quarterbacks, he quickly flamed out and bounced around the league as a backup for several more years. Now, he is an analyst for CBS Sports, and on a recent broadcast, he talked about how the lack of job security for Tomlin is the biggest question the Steelers need to answer.
“I think after last year, a team that competed the way it has, Mike Tomlin’s never faced a losing season, there’s still questions about his job security. Has he signed that [contract] extension yet? Is this a make-or-break year for Mike Tomlin?” Quinn said. “One of the best head coaches in the NFL, and it’s shocking to think that the Steelers, depending on how this season goes, could move on.”
Quinn can ask that question about this year being make or break for Tomlin, but the answer is an easy no. Looking at how dreadful the quarterback play was last year, and the Steelers still somehow made the playoffs, Tomlin’s job is probably as secure as it’s ever been. GM Omar Khan was effusive in his praise of Tomlin Wednesday while appearing on The Jim Rome Show, saying he “wouldn’t trade him for anyone.”
There are numerous reasons that Tomlin may not have signed an extension yet, but any talk of that matter would purely be speculative. It’s more than likely that a deal will get ironed out sometime before the season starts, with more pressing matters like free agency and the draft probably leaving a Tomlin contract extension on the back burner.
The bottom line is that Tomlin will coach this team until he doesn’t want to anymore. The Rooney family has always practiced patience when it comes to coaches, with both Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher delivering several underwhelming seasons during their time with the Steelers and not being fired. Tomlin has had seasons that ended in failure, but no team can win the Super Bowl every year. Even if the Steelers lost every game in 2024, the Rooneys would bring Tomlin back next year. It just isn’t their style to overreact and fire someone, especially a coach who has been one of the best in the league for years. Unless he wants to retire, Tomlin will remain a Steeler.
