Mike Tomlin is among the most successful head coaches in the history of the NFL. We are all very aware of the “no losing seasons” mantra associated with him in recent years. It is quite an accomplishment to got 17 seasons without ever having a losing record. But even that feat won’t hide the fact that the pressure is on Mike Tomlin to do more in 2024. Scratching out another 10-7, or 9-8 season without any playoff success won’t do it this time.
Art has had enough:
It all starts at he top where owner Art Rooney had some pointed comments after the season. After yet another season ending without a playoff win, Rooney had this to say at his end of year press conference. “We’ve had enough of this. It’s time to get some wins, it’s time to take the next step”. This of course was in reference to yet another playoff loss for the Steelers. In fact, the team does not have a playoff win since 2016. This is the longest such streak for this franchise since 1970, and it is wearing thin on the owner. https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/art-rooney-ii-weve-had-enough-of-this-time-for-steelers-to-get-some-playoff-wins#
Rooney did go on to say if he thought Mike Tomlin wasn’t the coach to get them where he wanted them to go, he would’ve already moved on from him. It seems Tomlin still has the full backing from the owner for now. Another year without a playoff win, or god forbid a losing season, and the coaching seat in Pittsburgh will become very hot.
No more Matt Canada to blame:
Mike Tomlin had a built in distraction to in terms of why the team hasn’t reached the goals they set out for themselves. Matt Canada was the league wide whipping boy for the ills of the Pittsburgh Steelers the last few seasons. There is no question that Canada was the worst offensive coordinator in the NFL, and by a wide margin. Combine that with the Steelers policy of not firing coaches, and there was an easy fall guy to deflect criticism from the head coach. All eyes were on the failing offense, and its abysmal coordinator. No one really looked Tomlin’s way for why the team was failing. But now the team broke a seemingly unbreakable rule by firing Canada midway through last season. Tomlin has his hand picked replacement in Arthur Smith. If the offense struggles again in 2024, there’s no one left to blame. 2022: No more excuses for Matt Canada
No more Kenny Pickett to blame:
In the same vein, Kenny Pickett was an equal distraction for all that was wrong with the Steelers the last two seasons. It became apparent very quickly that Pickett was not the quarterback this team needed to get where it wanted to go. As long as he was under center, the blame could be easily shifted from Mike Tomlin. He has no such luxury in 2024. In what seemed like an almost over reach to fill the Steelers quarterback situation Omar Khan brought in not just one, but two capable quarterbacks to fill the position. Granted, neither Russell Wilson nor Justin Fields makes this team a Super Bowl contender. They do however eliminate the “quarterback excuse” from the equation.
Tomlin got his guys on defense:
We all wondered how, and why the Diontae Johnson trade went down. Trading a top end route runner with a very reasonable contract for basically an average at best corner left many scratching their heads. It’s no secret however that Mike Tomlin has long been a fan of Dante Jackson. So much so he was apparently willing to sacrifice a big chunk of his offensive output to get the player. The team also spent the most money on any free agent in linebacker Patrick Queen. Adding him to a group of stars like TJ Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Joey Porter Jr. means this defense should be very good in 2024. Mike Tomlin now has everything he wants, or needs on that side of the ball. Anything less than a top five defense will be a huge disappointment in 2024.
So the defense is in place. The team has replaced the quarterback, and the coordinator who have plagued them the last few years. Seems like Mike Tomlin is out of excuses. Indeed the pressure is squarely on the head coach in Pittsburgh for the first time in the recent memory. Anything short of a playoff run will have him on the hot seat. Now more than ever, Mike Tomlin will have to produce some post season success. The fans have demanded it for years, and now even the most patient owner in the league has in his own words “had enough of this”.