Every Pittsburgh Steelers fan was disappointed by the way the 2024 season ended. Many still feel fed up, feeling that the franchise is too stuck in its own ways and unwilling to adapt. That mindset, they argue, is the reason Pittsburgh can’t find a way to advance in the playoffs anymore. Mike Tomlin’s done a tremendous job in Pittsburgh, but it’s a hurdle he’s been unable to jump past during the last decade.
Given that, it was surprising when the Steelers made the splash trade for DK Metcalf. Their interest in Aaron Rodgers, seemingly led by Tomlin, has also turned some heads. Mike Florio thinks it’s an example of Tomlin and the Steelers attempting to delay the inevitable.
“It just feels like we’re getting close to something happening between Tomlin and the Steelers if they can’t win a playoff game,” Florio said on Pro Football Talk on Tuesday. “Whether that’s Art Rooney [II], reaches the end of his rope and breaks from the tradition of three coaches… Or whether it’s Tomlin saying, I need a fresh start, I need to go somewhere else. It just feels like we’re getting closer to ‘boom’. And I feel like this move is a desperate attempt to delay the ‘boom’ that is coming in Pittsburgh.”
There are so many ways to read Tomlin’s situation in Pittsburgh and so many variables to consider. He deserves credit for hauling the Steelers to a winning record every year and the playoffs in most years. Some will say the Steelers’ six-straight one-and-dones in the postseason are a sign that Tomlin is overachieving to even get into the playoffs in the first place.
However, the argument can also be made that the poor roster construction is Mike Tomlin’s fault. Obviously, he has a big hand in the front office’s decision-making. Since Ben Roethlisberger retired, Tomlin’s team has been unable to find his successor.
So, the interest in Rodgers makes sense, but it’s a tricky situation. Rodgers had good and bad moments in 2024. Behind a promising offensive line and a solid receiving core, he could have success in Pittsburgh. However, he’s also a 41-year-old with a recent Achilles injury. Mike Tomlin would be taking a risk by bringing in Rodgers. If Rodgers doesn’t play well, it looks bad on Tomlin. Especially if players like Justin Fields or Russell Wilson, who the Steelers failed to bring back, play well in 2025.
With all of that said, there are a lot of ‘if’s’ to consider. Still, if things don’t work out for Pittsburgh in 2025, could we finally see Tomlin on the hot seat? An ever-growing portion of the Steelers fan base would welcome that idea.
Florio alludes to a ‘Boom’ in Pittsburgh, with Mike Tomlin and the Steelers parting ways. Tomlin is under contract through the 2027 season. It would be extremely surprising for the Steelers to move on from him before that contract expires. With that said, if Rodgers and the Steelers flame out in 2025, Tomlin will be under much more pressure in those final two years.
