For years, Mike Tomlin has largely been viewed as one of the NFL’s best head coaches. While he’s only won one Super Bowl, he’s routinely kept the Pittsburgh Steelers in the playoff picture. However, lately, the Steelers have been unable to win a playoff game, causing some to question Tomlin’s future with the team. One recent CBS article even tabbed Tomlin as the No. 1 coach on the hot seat this season. Former NFL defensive lineman Leger Douzable thinks that’s more than just a hot take.
“It’s so disrespectful,” Douzable said Thursday on CBS Sports HQ. “You know how many teams would be vying for Mike Tomlin’s services? To go to the playoffs every single year. Yes, it’s a struggle for him as far as winning playoff games going back to the last decade. But are you serious? This dude doesn’t even have a losing record. Why is he on this list?”
While Tomlin’s Steelers have struggled in the playoffs, he might deserve a little slack. Since Ben Roethlisberger retired after the 2021 season, Pittsburgh has struggled to find his replacement. Even during the last few years of his career, Roethlisberger didn’t look like the same player. The Steelers’ offense has looked putrid.
Tomlin likely shoulders some of the blame for those issues. However, finding a franchise quarterback isn’t easy. The Cleveland Browns haven’t been able to do it for decades. Tomlin’s only had a handful of years to try his hand at it.
It’s also been impressive that, despite their offensive woes, the Steelers have continued to fight for a playoff spot. Fans are probably sick of hearing about Tomlin’s streak of non-losing seasons but it is impressive. Through all the change that the organization has gone through, Tomlin has kept the Steelers relevant.
That doesn’t mean he is above criticism. Tomlin has issues. The Steelers’ recent late-season collapses might be one of his biggest problems. Last year, they lost their final four regular-season games, looking like a complete mess. In 2023, they went on a three-game losing streak against some of the worst teams in the league to begin December.
Tomlin deserves some blame for those disasters. When the Steelers should start playing some of their best football, they’ve looked totally dysfunctional. Their offense hasn’t been the only issue, either. To end the 2024 season, their defense, which was supposed to be one of the best in the NFL, was hard to watch. Miscommunication and missed tackles caused them to get abused by opposing offenses.
Is Tomlin on the hot seat this year? According to comments made by Art Rooney II, that doesn’t seem to be true. Unless the 2025 season is a catastrophe, Tomlin probably won’t be fired. His team’s playoff failures are frustrating, but the grass might not be greener on the other side. The Steelers might find themselves in a worse situation if they let Tomlin go.
