Mike Tomlin’s job isn’t at risk even after a pitiful Wild Card showing against the Baltimore Ravens. Sharing the sentiment ESPN’s Adam Schefter relayed Sunday morning, the PPG’s Gerry Dulac reports that Tomlin is expected to remain the Pittsburgh Steelers’ head coach for 2025.
“The Steelers are not planning to make any move involving coach Mike Tomlin, according to team sources,” Dulac wrote Sunday for the Post-Gazette.
Given that Tomlin signed a multi-year extension this past offseason that made him one of the highest-paid coaches in American sports, not just the NFL, the odds of a Tomlin firing were always remote. But frustration over the job he’s done failing to lead Pittsburgh to a single playoff win since 2016 has reached its peak.
Team president Art Rooney II has the sole authority to dismiss Tomlin and frustration last year over the team’s lack of progress was evident in his public comments. But it evidently hasn’t boiled over enough to cause him to fire a coach, something he’s never had to do and something the franchise hasn’t done since December 1968 when Bill Austin was dismissed following three seasons.
Instead, Dulac hints other coaching changes will be made with Tomlin safe at the helm.
“Changes among the coaching staff are likely to be expected, but the defense is basically devised and managed by Tomlin even though Teryl Austin is the defensive coordinator,” he wrote.
Dulac doesn’t go into additional detail over which coaches are in danger of being let go. Offensive line coach Pat Meyer seems like the most likely name to be dismissed after his third year with the Steelers. Pittsburgh’s yet to nail an o-line hire since losing Mike Munchak after the 2018 season and it’s hurt the development and play of the front five and by extension, the rest of the offense.
Defensive changes could also occur, perhaps with d-line coach Karl Dunbar after Pittsburgh allowed 299 rushing yards to Baltimore. Austin could also be on the chopping block but is under contract through 2025 and with Tomlin de facto coordinating the defense, the impact feels muted.
Tomlin and the Steelers will figure out a new approach for 2025. But they’ve yet to convince anyone their changes will create different results, ending up in virtually the same place over the last eight years.
