Last year, the Pittsburgh Steelers once again failed to win a playoff game. It was a brutal defeat too, with the Steelers losing their final five games of the year. The team totally collapsed. That led to many fans calling for Mike Tomlin to be fired. That didn’t happen, and Art Rooney II didn’t seem to be considering it, either. Former NFL head coach and Pittsburgh native Mike McCarthy doesn’t think Steelers fans should continue to call for Tomlin’s job, though.
“I’m a lifelong Pittsburgh Steelers fan, always will be,” McCarthy said during the first night of the draft on The Pat McAfee Show. “I’m just going to say this, I said it earlier: Watch what you wish for. It’s harder to go to the playoffs 10 years in a row than to win one Super Bowl. So, pump the brakes, would be my opinion.”
While Tomlin hasn’t led the Steelers to the postseason in the each of the last 10 seasons, he’s never had a losing season. Many Steelers fans are likely sick of hearing that, but it is impressive. Most teams hit rock-bottom when they lose their franchise quarterback. Not Tomlin’s Steelers.
Even since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement, the Steelers have continued to fight for a playoff spot. The issue for them has been winning in the postseason. They haven’t won a playoff game since the 2016 season. That’s left many fans frustrated.
McCarthy, though, makes a good point. Many NFL teams would likely kill to have Pittsburgh’s consistency. While the Steelers’ standard should be higher, it’s tough to fault them for continuing to try to compete. Tanking for a top draft pick will never be an option for them. There’s no guarantee that would fix their problems.
Look at the Cleveland Browns. They’ve been a bottom feeder in the NFL for almost the entire 21st century. They’ve drafted plenty of quarterbacks, and none of them have worked out. Part of that is because their organization’s structure has been lacking.
Pittsburgh has the structure, and Tomlin is a huge part of that. He’s not perfect, and he should be criticized for the team’s playoff failures. However, maybe he should be shown more patience. He is one of the most accomplished and respected coaches in the NFL.
It might be tough for the Steelers to replace Tomlin with a better coach. However, if they fail to win a playoff game this season, maybe Tomlin’s seat should get a little warmer. Although looking at the Steelers’ current quarterback situation, they might have a hard time even making the playoffs.
