Mike Tomlin - Under Pressure

if the Steelers choose coordinators for Tomlin and tell him to keep his nose out of their business he’ll leave. Imo.

the D does look better without Watt. Who do we get rid of to make the offense better?

 

Despite this year feeling different from any others, I don't see them 'firing' him even if they lose Sunday night. His 27' option is the interesting part, though if they choose not to exercise it. If they don't exercise it, does he get traded (with his blessing)? Does he go do TV for a year? Or does he coach the final year of his contract in 26? Rhetorical questions, of course, but this could be an interesting offseason. Either way, Tomlin holds some power in the decisions.

Who knows, maybe he does coach as lame lame-duck in 26', but the Steelers hire someone like Flores as DC with the intent he takes over as coach in 27'. Of course, the pessimist that I have become over the years with this team, I expect the Steelers to exercise his 27' option within a few weeks of their last game, whenever that is.

 

I will say this is the first time I've seen chinks in the armor this year. More main stream talking heads are not spouting the same old same old. Typically you hear the hot take by the shock jocks but now others are talking and not offering cover with the players coach and well respected excuses.

 

They are playing instead of relying on Watt, Cam, or Highsmith to make plays. That being said the ILB's and coach continue to underperform.

 

Where is the "Why he might Quit" option?

We want Mike Tomlin to QUIT, and not get fired. There is no reason to believe that Mike Tomlin is not worth the same Value as Sean Payton had when he quit, and then came back the next season, so he had to be traded to Denver for a 1st round pick and then a 2nd the following year.

It was a shame Mike Tomlin could not have kept Brian Flores on the staff as DC, and demoted his buddy Teryl Austin.

 

But, but........I thought Mason Rudolph was going to be the QB of the future. Then it was Kenny Picket.....

 

Yeah...that is the thing...you gonna give Tomlin another try at it? Do you trust him to develop the next great QB?

 

No, of course not. I see him as another Marvin Lewis

 

His major fault is not hiring the right coordinators.

 

Someone would have to give Tomlin the next great QB for him to fail in development.

Colbert provided Landry Jones, Mason Rudolph, and Kenny Pickett. To date, Tomlin has eked more wins out of those dirtballs than any other NFL coach.

I am optimistic that Khan and Weidl will identify and draft a better QB prospect than those three. Why, you ask? Because they didn't panic and kept their powder dry by rolling out old vets and drafting Howard late.

I do not believe that Shough, Nix, Penix, Dart, etc are going to be any good in the NFL long term. Yes, I know that Nix has won a million games or whatever. I do not buy it. I really do not think he is any good and will crack under playoff caliber competition. Who knows? I could be wrong. I was wrong about Purdy. But...still....I think the patience showed by Khan et al will land a better prospect.

Tomlin, Smith, and Arth may still ruin the kid....but at least they might have a shot at something.

 

No, he really isn't. At best, I'd say he is even with Tomlin. Tomlin has more victories. He has a better winning percentage. He has a better record head-to-head in both the regular season and the playoffs.

When it comes to whose seat is hotter, remember who owns the Steelers.

Yes, I know folks are worked up by the so-called "Tomlin special" last week, but Harbaugh had the stronger team this year. Yes, they were hit hard with injuries early on, but the Steelers have been hit hard by injuries (and a suspension) late. When the Ravens got healthy and moved into a tie for the division lead, what did Harbaugh's team do? They lost three out of four. One of those was getting blown out at home by the Bengals. Another was blowing a double-digit lead to the Patriots, specifically because Harbaugh was stupid enough to take the ball out of Henry's hands late. I'm fairly certain you can call that a Harbaugh special.

If both teams had everyone healthy and available, the Steelers would be favored by more than three this week. That isn't going to happen. It looks like the Ravens will have Lamar Jackson. The Steelers won't have Metcalf and Washington. They might also be without Watt, Seumalo, Pierre, and Echols. To me, Harbaugh's team winning that game means they had the good fortune to be healthier for two matchups with the Steelers. If not, it is a very good bet the Steelers sweep them.

Don't get me wrong. Tomlin has done a lot wrong this season. I think he was the driving force behind getting rid of Pickens, a decision that is likely going to cost them a playoff berth. I think the Steelers came out too conservative offensively and defensively in the loss to the Browns, and it showed in the result. I think that failing to feature Freiermuth all game long with so many receivers out was criminally stupid. I wouldn't argue one bit if the Steelers chose to move on from Tomlin, but Harbaugh's seat should be hotter regardless of Sunday night's outcome.

 

I see Harbaugh falling into the same trap he always falls in when he plays the Steelers.Instead of running the wheels off Henry--- he will try his hardest to beat us with the pass. I can see it-- he always blows it when he does that.

 

and their back-up QB would probably beat us --But I don't think Jackson will.

 

I like Tomlin, but if they lose on Sunday to the Ravens the Steelers need a fresh start.

 

That's all was he was when DL and BA was here

 

This year definitely feels different. We got guys like Shefter and Florio and others suggest that Tomlin might go somewhere else, and then you have Polymarket and other sites putting him on the hot seat. I gotta think these rumors are coming from Tomlin's agent. Why not go to NY to be a GM/HC, and get a phat pay raise in the process. He could also go into the booth and get a pay raise to do far less. Rodgers hinting at a potential return to Pittsburgh is definitely my first clue that Tomlin isn't going anywhere.

 

Draft in Pittsburgh is irrelevant

 

At this point can you tell me exactly why

Serious question

 

Yeah, Mike Tomlin achieved less with more in the 2010's with the Killer B's teams. Or at least the same. The B's era was 2013-2018 (6 years) and we had 3 playoff wins in that span. The Lamar era is 2019-Present (6 years, we're in the 6th) and there's 3 playoff wins to show for it.

 

I don't see a scenario where he's fired. We could lose 50-0 on Sunday night with the crowd chanting "fire Tomlin" all second half, and it would never happen. The ONLY way out of this is a "mutual agreement" to leave. We could press him into that decision by informing him that we are declining his option on 2027 and he would be under contract for just 2026. MT could force his way out at that point, or simply coach in 2026 and leave.

If loss in week 18
my preference: Tomlin fired. Mutual agreement if we don't want to actually fire him, but if he loses Sunday, he cannot coach this team in 2026
what will really happen: we probably pick his option up regardless for 2027 and MT coaches in 26. If it goes poorly we let him walk in 2027. Outside shot that MT up and leaves if we miss again.

If win in week 18 but lose playoff game
my preference: Pick up option for 2027, but inform him that an extension wont come unless there is a playoff win in 2026.
what will really happen: we pick up his option for 2027 and wait and see how 2026 goes before an extension or not.

If win in week 18 and win one playoff game
my preference: Pick up option for 2027 and I would consider a short extension.
what will really happen: we extend him for too many years at too much money.

 

True. But he did it with defense. I don't trust that he or anyone on his staff is capable of developing a young QB into a franchise player.

 

He is the top man in all football operations. He has hired the coordinators since LeBeau, Arians, Scarecrow and Haley have left.

You get rid of the Constant. Players and coaches come and go.

Can you imagine if they traded him to Chicago and they hired Ben Johnson?

But hey they are above the Mean!