Although he’s never had a losing season, Pittsburgh Steelers fans aren’t always happy with Mike Tomlin. One of the biggest criticisms of him is his lack of recent playoff success. The Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since 2016, and that fact has irritated the fan base. However, it seems like the team is in a good position to change that this year. Former NFL corner Domonique Foxworth believes the Steelers need to win a playoff game or their fans will have a legitimate reason to be upset.
“In the AFC, I think they have a good shot, considering how well Russ [Wilson] has been managing the games and how incredible that defense has been,” Foxworth said Wednesday on ESPN’s Get Up. “They got a good situation, would be a real disappointment [if they lost].
“I think the narrative around Mike Tomlin, those unappreciative Steelers fans, they will have something to be really upset about if they don’t have a respectable run this year.”
It’s debatable whether Foxworth is correct to call Steelers fans unappreciative, but he’s not wrong to assume they’d be frustrated if the Steelers went one and done in the playoffs this season. This is arguably the best team they’ve had since before Ben Roethlisberger suffered his major elbow injury in 2019. What kind of message would it send if they got bounced instantly in the postseason?
Also, at the moment, the Steelers are the third seed in the AFC. If that holds up, they’ll host a playoff game. There would be even fewer excuses if they lost in the first round in Pittsburgh.
If the playoffs started today, the Steelers would host the Denver Broncos in the first round. Things are probably going to change with a few games left to play, but that just goes to show the caliber of opponent the Steelers could face. They already beat the Broncos this year, and that was a road game. If that’s their playoff matchup, losing would be a massive disappointment.
Fans aren’t wrong to be upset about the Steelers’ lack of playoff success. The franchise standard is championships. It is true that many other teams would kill to even get close to the playoffs, but the Steelers aren’t included in that group. They have bigger aspirations.
Going into this season, expectations might have been lower, but at this point, making a deep playoff run isn’t out of play. Wilson has elevated the Steelers’ offense to a point where it isn’t a liability. With their defense and special teams making plays, they should win a playoff game.
Things could always change though. Injuries could really change the Steelers’ situation. That’s why it’s tough to definitively say the Steelers will win a playoff game. Not every scenario that results in a Steelers loss should be met with pitchforks and torches. We’ve still got a few weeks to see how things shake out.
