As i write this, I realize the absurdity of it. Insinuating that there is even a remote possibility of this being the end for Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh is laughable. We know how this franchise operates with its coaches, let alone one with this much power in the organization. Yet one can’t help but wonder what happens if the Steelers 2025 season falls apart.
The noise outside the organization is as loud as ever. Mike Tomlin was once a sacred cow in the national media. No one dared criticize the Steelers head coach. That narrative has begun to change in a big way. People now can’t wait to pounce on Tomlin’s shortcomings, see this tweet from Dan Orlovsky today:
https://x.com/danorlovsky7/status/1968280537459810334?s=61
Admittedly, outside noise alone won’t move the needle much for Art Rooney. It was however a factor in forcing him to pull the trigger on Matt Canada a few years ago. The fact that people were screaming fire Matt Canada on a random Pat McAfee show at an Ohio St. game couldn’t be ignored by the organization. They eventually did the unthinkable, and fired Canada mid-season. If that can happen, nothing is off the table in Pittsburgh.
Could that noise become equally loud to fire Mike Tomlin? It’s not impossible. This team was built up quite a bit this offseason. The acquisitions of veterans like Darius Slay, Jalen Ramsey, and Aaron Rodgers put the expectations quite high around the league, and especially with the fan base. If this team falls well below five hundred, Art Rooney will be under immense pressure to make significant changes.
How likely is it that the Pittsburgh Steelers have there first losing season in over 20 years? Well, for the first time in the Mike Tomlin era there is no super star to bail him out. There is no Ben Roethlisberger, or prime TJ Watt to hide his coaching deficiencies, For the Steelers to be competitive in 2025 Tomlin is going to have to coach his way out of it.
The early returns on whether or not Tomlin can coach this team up are not good. This team looks even worse against the run than the one that got run off the field versus the Ravens in the playoffs. All the new additions in the secondary have not slowed up the opposing passing games either. It’s just two games, but the Steelers are averaging giving up over 31 points per game. And that’s facing Justin Fields, and Sam Darnold of all people. On offense, Pittsburgh still can not run the ball effectively. So far none of the problems of 2024 seem to have been solved.
It feels like a house of cards just waiting to blow over in Pittsburgh. A long losing streak, a losing season, and some very unhappy veterans could spell real trouble for Mike Tomlin. Players like Jalen Ramsey, and Aaron Rodgers will not go quietly if things get bad. There was a time where all the veteran’s would toe the line for Tomlin, that is no longer the case. The once untouchable coach is now as vulnerable as he’s ever been. We’ve always said it would take a miracle to get Mike Tomlin fired, that may end up being what we see come season’s end.
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