I'd FMTI if THIS guy agreed to coach the Steelers

Tomlin has taken a lot of criticism on this board and he's deserved much of it. His legacy is at least being somewhat tainted by his record against sub-par teams, terrible clock management, poor challenge decisions, failing to make in-game, strategic coaching adjustments (I'm a fundamentalist as opposed to scheme), poor player discipline (on and off the field) and having his team come out flat, uninspired and unprepared against some of the most mediocre quarterbacks who have ever donned an NFL jersey. I've been a vocal critic of Tomlin from time to time but after thinking through it, I'm not sure there's a coach out there that is appreciably better than Tomlin so I'm not ready to kick him to the curb.

But...there is one notable exception. Jim Harbaugh has hinted (or at least it's been speculated) that he'd like to return to the NFL one day as a head coach. Harbaugh is a quirky guy, but he's had success everywhere he's been as a coach. He even got the head case, Colin Kaepernick, to play so well that many people were putting him in the HOF early in his career (See Jaworski, Ron).

Hypothetical question: If Jim Harbaugh decided that he wanted to come back to the NFL, would you be willing to dump Tomlin for him if Tomlin continues to coach the team to mediocrity? Harbaugh would demand a high payday, but for him to have the honor of coaching one of the traditionally great franchises in the history of sport and competing for an NFL championship year in and year out may be appealing enough to compel him to sign a reasonable contract. I think Harbaugh vs. Harbaugh a couple of times a year (or more) would be a hoot!

 

I just wrote on another post about Tomlin and how he's frustrated all of us. But I wouldn't want another coach because he "fits" our team. Just like "The Bus" fit our mentality of tough physical play through the years, Tomlin is a good coach. Yeah, everything you said above about sub-par teams, clock management, etc, etc, is all true but through it all we have not had a losing season yet. Now, many of them felt like it but I think as Steelers fan it's Super Bowl or nothing. We could go 15-1 and lose in the AFC Championship game on a bad call by one point with no time on the clock and people would take it as if we went 0-16 and got the first round draft pick the following year.

To answer your question I would not want Harbaugh coaching the Steelers. Simply because he doesn't "fit" with our players or coaches or management for that matter. I could see it turning into a "Chip Kelly" type situation if we did hire him. I think Harbaugh, even though he did well in SF, belongs in college.

 

No to any Hairballs.

 

If Tomlin were to go, ld prefer someone new and fresh. What about Matt Patricia or Josh McDaniels? Josh made mistakes his first time, yet likely would succeed here.

 

NO

 

Bill Cowher used get fired up like that! Tomlin has a different mentality I know and I'm not judging, but I'd almost rather see this than that "deer in the headlights" look we get from him at points during the game. You know the one...

 

why? is Tom Brady coming with him?

 

I kind of enjoy dispelling the stupid narratives....

again, this another one of those things that Steelers fans FEEL, but they are totally clueless about

Mike Tomlin's challenge success rate is 52% (does not include this season)

That's better than Coughlin, Ryan, McCarthy.... hell it's better than Bill Cowher, Bill Parcells, Bellichick, Reid, Habrough, Payton... the list goes on and on..

Here's a nugget for all the Tomlin haters to choke on. Since the advent of the challenge, do you know how many Head coaches have challenged at least 25 plays (Tomlin has challenged 50), and have a better success rate than Mike Tomlin. ONE (Jim Schwartz... clearly challenging plays is a coaching skill :sarcasm: ).... ONE in over a decade... are better at challenging plays than Tomlin.

Among every coach to Challenge at least 10 plays (basically removing anomalies like Aaron Kromer), he's the 10th best at challenging plays... ALL TIME:
Jason Garret 21 14 07 %66.7
Dennis Alalen 11 07 04 %63.6
Chuck Pagano 21 13 08 %61.9
Bruce Arians 13 08 05 %61.5
Jim Caldwell 20 12 08 %60.0
Leslie Frazier 15 09 06 %60.0
Jim Schwartz 27 15 12 %55.6
Joe Philbin 18 10 08 %55.6
Tony Sparano 15 08 07 %53.3
Mike Tomlin 50 26 24 %52.0


Yinzers

 

More of this , what has Jim Harbaugh ever won in the NFL. Nobody likes him, the 49ers got tired of his act and ran him off.

 

Didn't he just get a huge deal from MI? He did turn that 9ers team around though. I can't stand him on a personal level but to win with a clown like Kap is probably a pretty big accomplishment really.

 

He's always got his mouth open like a snake trying to smell something. That alone would make me say no.

 

Seems to work for him.

You've got to admit he's been a pretty effective coach at both the NFL and big time college football level, although his tenure at both really has been pretty short. What were the Niners before Harbaugh? What are the Niners now that Harbaugh isn't there? Where were the Niners while Harbaugh was there? The Super Bowl and dang near won it. Animation on the sidelines doesn't qualify you as a sensational coach, but results on the field do. If you can put the two together...

 

No.

There's a lot of unfounded criticism of Mike Tomlin. It would be pretty funny if it didn't sound like other social phenomenon I often hear that is described by common talking points perpetuated without consideration of stats or facts.

SMDH

 

The Tomlin talk continues?


Hmmm... interesting.

 

I agree that there is some unfounded criticism of Tomlin and I've been a participant in that over the years. I've tried to be a little more moderate as I consider the job that Tomlin has done and overall it's been okay. As I said above, I don't see a coaching superstar out there that I'd bring in to replace Tomlin but I thought it might be fun (hilarious actually) to wax hypothetical to see if any of us would have an interest in another Hairball should he want to come back to coach at the NFL level.

You mention unfounded "social phenomenon" and I do see that from time to time. People will pile on without the facts. But I also see another phenomenon at play just as often on this message board and that is that Tomlin can do no wrong in some peoples' eyes. The team loses to inferior opponents on a regular basis during Tomlin's tenure and there's always something else or somebody else to blame. My fandom goes back to the mid-70s. Chuck Noll didn't lose to teams he was supposed to beat. He had the team prepared to play and didn't rely on sheer emotion from week to week to win a game. Emotion will vary. Preparedness is a constant, or at least should be for a top flite football team.

 

Jim Harbough... obviously only won with Mike Nolan and Mike Singletary's players.

:sarcasm:

 

I think Tomlin, like all coaches, makes mistakes... he's had bad days. BUT the narrative of "inferior opponents" is another Yinzer invention.

In the cap world of today's NFL there is hardly such a thing as inferior / superior opponents. Every year, there might be 1 or 2 "Browns/Raiders".... and then there's the Patriots on the other spectrum. Everyone else is far closer to equal than Inferior/Superior.

Today you've got a cap that that keeps teams even, and you have a stricter policy around concussions that keeps players off the field. Parity reigns supreme.

Tomlin has the 4th best winning % of any active HC, with 2 AFC Championships, and a Super Bowl ring. Those are the ONLY measures that defines him... Not the fan bases many ill informed opinions (doesn't make adjustments) or downright false claims (penalties, timeouts). Just wins.

 

Well at least somebody won with those players. Lol!