After another disappointing end to the season, the Pittsburgh Steelers are enduring a lot of criticism. Specifically, questions are being raised about if Mike Tomlin still has what it takes to coach the Steelers at a high level. Tomlin has been successful for the most part in the regular season, but down the stretch, the Steelers have wilted under him. Despite the recent failures, it sounds like he still believes in himself.
“I have no response to that,” Tomlin said Tuesday when asked his message to fans who are critical of him via the team’s YouTube channel. “I understand the nature of what it is that we do, the attention and criticism that comes with it. As a matter of fact, I embrace it. I enjoy the urgency that comes with what I do and what we do.
“I don’t make excuses for failure. I own it. But I also feel like I’m capable. As long as I’m afforded an opportunity to do that, I will continue. But I certainly understand their frustrations, and probably more importantly than that, I share it because that’s how I’m wired.”
It isn’t surprising that Tomlin isn’t doubting himself. Although the end of this season wasn’t ideal, the Steelers spent most of it as a success story. Before the year began, most people wrote the Steelers off. Some analysts even believed they’d finish in last place in the AFC North. Tomlin didn’t let any of that rattle him, leading the Steelers to the playoffs.
At this point, many fans are frustrated hearing about Tomlin never having had a losing season. While that shouldn’t excuse his failures, it is an impressive accomplishment. The Steelers have undergone multiple changes on all levels and yet they’ve still remained competitive.
It seems like Steelers ownership agrees with Tomlin as well. Last offseason, he was rewarded with a contract extension, and it doesn’t seem like he’s on the hot seat. Barring a shocking development, he’ll be back with the Steelers in 2025.
Tomlin has expressed in the past how much he loves all aspects of this business. It appears that does include all of the outside noise. It isn’t hard to find someone calling for Tomlin’s job, but it doesn’t seem like any of that is rattling him. He wants to get back to winning in the postseason just as much as anyone else.
With Tomlin getting at least one more season as the Steelers’ head coach, we’ll see if he can change the narrative surrounding him. He has been one of the best coaches in the NFL, but he needs to be better in the playoffs. As he likes to say, the standard is the standard. For the Steelers, that means more than just not having a losing season. Tomlin knows that, and he knows he has to go well beyond that next season.
