The lethal combination of Tomlin and Rooney

NorthernBlitz · Aug 4, 2026 at 6:14 PM

FWIW, I'm hoping that this is the last year we have to keep playing the greatest hits on the "Tomlin vs. Cowher" arguments. Seems like we're all just trying to get it in one last time for old time's sake.

I'm excited for the change here. I think it will probably lead to a worse result than last year. But I also think we had a lot of things break right last year.

Steelersfan43 · Aug 4, 2026 at 6:27 PM

steelersrule6 said: ↑

Don't care only won one Super Bowl
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Winning the super bowl is very hard.It took 20 years for Andy Reid,Kyle Shanahan is still without one,Marv Levy did not win a single one despite 4 super bowl berth and I can name several other examples

But winning a playoff game look harder in the last 9 seasons....

TrueFan · Aug 4, 2026 at 7:05 PM

KnoxVegasSteel said: ↑

Nah, I just don't suffer fools.
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**** off!

steelersrule6 · Aug 4, 2026 at 7:30 PM

Steelersfan43 said: ↑

Ben and the offense was great in the first quarter under Cowher
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I don't care when was the last time he played a playoff game without turning the ball over .

steelersrule6 · Aug 4, 2026 at 7:31 PM

Steelersfan43 said: ↑

Winning the super bowl is very hard.It took 20 years for Andy Reid,Kyle Shanahan is still without one,Marv Levy did not win a single one despite 4 super bowl berth and I can name several other examples

But winning a playoff game look harder in the last 9 seasons....
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That doesn't stop you from glazing him like he's Chuck Noll .

Blast Furnace · Aug 4, 2026 at 8:20 PM

NorthernBlitz said: ↑

Yep. We're all sharing my opinion on a message board.

But I think the onus would be on someone showing that the 2nd statement (which is just the "null hypothesis" here) is objectively false. Rather than the other way around. And I don't think it's easy (or not possible really) to probe that Cowher was significantly better than Tomlin (or vice versa). I don't know who I'd choose between the two when you consider the conditions they were in and how the league evolved over time.

Aside: Just like I think we can really objectively compare teams / coaches from pre UFA/cap to post. I think Noll is obviously the best coach the team has had. But that's also just opinion. I don't think it's really possible to compare them objectively since they were playing under completely different constraints. But winning 4 SBs makes me pretty confident Noll was the best of three very good coaches.

And FWIW, to say that Cowher was significantly better than Tomlin I think this shows a pretty strong bias against Tomlin. Just like anyone who says that Tomlin was significantly better than Cowher would be showing a pretty strong bias for Tomlin / against Cowher. I probably liked Cowher more. Maybe because I think the thing shoving the photo in the refs pocket was pretty bad ass. Better than when Tomlin tried to force the Rats returner back inside.

There's really no objective way (i.e., not just personal opinion) to say that one is much better than the other. So I honestly don't know who I'd choose between the two.

Again, I think it's fine to have a preference for one over the other. But that's different than saying that one is much better than the other.

Tomlin was slightly better in the regular season (but basically the same).

Tomlin was better at getting to the playoffs (13 berths in 19 years vs 10/15).

Cowher won more playoff games when he got to the playoffs (though no one diminishes his early wins based on the team he inherited).

Cowher had more balanced teams because he didn't have to pay the huge cap% to the QB that Ben (deservedly) got as he got deeper into his career

For points 2 and 3, I think part of this in both counts was the addition of the 7th seed. I don't remember every team Cowher took to the playoffs. But I don't think any of them were as bad as the teams we took to the playoffs in 20, 23, and 24.

I think both Tomlin and Cowher owe their SB wins to Ben. Without Ben, Cowher and Tomlin are both just different versions of Marty IMO.

This isn't a knock on either of them. The QB almost always makes the coach.

It's funny...I think if they switched places they'd have done pretty much the same as the other did. They both played the same low-risk trust the D brand of football. I think because they were both molded into HCs in the same system. I think that brand of football just worked better in Cowher's career (especially early) because defenders were allowed to defend more.

Again...very similar resumes. Tomlin was more consistent. Cowher won more playoff games. Not a ton to differentiate them.
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It was the implication that one must be biased to feel Cowher is much better than Tomlin. As if your opinion is so much more superior that if you believe otherwise you’re biased.

I look at Cowhers body of work without a franchise QB for almost his entire career as opposed to Tomlin who had one for most of his career and it’s not even close. People glaze about Tomlins non losing seasons well Cowher except for a couple of seasons did the same thing and actually went to a SB without one. Isn’t that the popular defense of Tomlin, well he didnt have a franchises QB anymore so he gets a pass for his poor playoff record these last 10 years.

Cowher should have had two back to back SB appearances with N.O. and yes, it’s fair to blame Cowher for that loss. It was actually very Tomlinesq.

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The lethal combination of Tomlin and Rooney

NorthernBlitz Well-Known Member

Steelersfan43 Well-Known Member

TrueFan Well-Known Member

steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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