Mike Tomlin Contract Extension

He will get extended, I'd be rather shocked if he isn't.

But we need to make the Playoffs at least win some games while in them.

But this is a league where QBs make good coaches look great.

So Tomlin's success going forward will depend on what Kenny Pickett does going forward.

 

Haven't won a playoff game since 2017

 

I mean...


The Steelers had never won a Playoff game for their first four decades of existence until 1972. For reform to happen, change needs to happen as well. Now for Pittsburgh, quite a number of things had to happen before Noll was hired before the Steelers became the consistent force we know today; Art Rooney Sr. surrendering Operations of the team to his two sons being chief among them. It is still too early to determine if the Lions are fully ready to return to relevance but Dan Campbell may be what the doctor ordered for the Detroit Lions as they have not had this since Jim Caldwell during 2014 to 2017.


Now I am not saying that the Lions are slated to tear the NFL asunder a la the 70s Steelers did (something that is simply never going to happen ever again) but should Campbell take this team not just into First Place in the NFC North but also make it to the NFC Championship Game... that is going to be quite the accomplishment. Remember that it took Chuck Noll four seasons to capture that first ever Playoff Win (though said win changed both the Steelers and Raiders forever in a way that will never happen). Should Dan Campbell do the same, he is the real deal for Detroit moving forward.

 

I mean...


For the Rooneys... to have a three peat of HOF Coaches for the better part of five decades plus?!?!?! I think even teams like the Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers, Denver Broncos and even New England Patriots would resort to anything to have that problem. Hell, the Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics and even New York Yankees are even envious of that.



Having essentially a model that has shown to be full proof (thus far) for acquiring HOF Level Coaches?! Gimme that every single day and twice on Sundays. There is a reason why the Rooneys have been, are and will continue to be not just admired but respected across all Sports... not just the NFL. In terms of sustained success..... they are as about abnormal of an Ownership and Franchise as one is going to get.

 

So you're ok with one playoff win since 2017? That's 6 years. This team has been humiliated in the playoffs a couple of times. Hall of fame players end up declining. I think it's the same for hall of fame coaches. I think Tomlin has run his course here. He's a good coach that has been provided the longevity to stake his claim to the hall of fame. It's time for him to move on

 

Likely but this is not a excuse.....I mean,the steelers have won a playoffs game in 1984 and 2005 in Denver against a much better broncos team

 

I think it could change for the lions but they have been horrible for so long....My point it was we shouldn't take the bengals credit for their success in the last 2 years because of their high draft picks they had since the lions and browns have proven in the past that even with so many high draft picks for so long the team can still stay bad...Or bengals in the 1990s

 

Who said I was okay with merely one win in six seasons?! I am pointing out a fact that is often forgotten; finding a great Coach is far easier said than done; same goes for QB though even a QB like Andrew Luck is an immeasurably cautionary tale of what happens when there is consistent instability and inconsistency. More over to the point, I am also not pleased at this myself either; I stated such earlier in this thread. Tomlin's recent string of losses has definitely dampened his legacy a bit and that clearly rubbed a lot of people some way; the Rooneys included given how long it has taken them to extend him compared to previous seasons.



However, to merely say that Tomlin is a "good coach" is simply disingenuous overall. For that matter, merely using Playoff Success alone is disingenuous as the Head Coach himself needs to Coach the team to either a winning record or in severe cases... win the division no matter what record it is. Doing either as consistently as Tomlin has places him well above the status of "Good Coach" as a good coach only has those types of seasons every now and then. Even his Arch Nemesis in John Harbaugh has recently fielded better teams than the Steelers have and yet those very same critiques that people tend to use on Tomlin are almost non existent for Harbaugh; something I simply don't understand. A Playoff Loss is a Playoff Loss... simple as that; no exceptions. However.. I have not even stated a MASSIVELY OVERLOOKED statistic regarding Harbaugh vs. Tomlin...



It is true that Tomlin has not recorded a Playoff Win since 2016. This is a fact. However, John Harbaugh, a Coach that even some on this Board believe to be better than Tomlin, has won one Playoff Game since 2012; that year being 2020. Let me repeat that; John Harbaugh's last Playoff Win was in Super Bowl XLVII. Now, does Harbaugh have more recent Super Bowl success than Tomlin?! Yes, for that is not up for debate. Again though, to state that Harbaugh is superior to Tomlin in the Playoffs since 2016 simply isn't true. Examples?!



Tomlin:


2017- Steelers Lose to Jaguars 45-42.

2020 - Steelers Lose to Cleveland 48-37

2021 - Steelers Lose to Kansas City 42-21




Harbaugh:


2014 - Ravens Lose to Patriots 35-31

2018 - Ravens Lose to Chargers 23-17

2019 - Ravens Lose to Titans 28-12

* 2020 - Ravens Lose to Bills 17-3 * (Baltimore Defeated Tennessee 20-13)

2022 - Ravens Lose to Bengals 24-17





Other than one instance in 2020, where the Ravens ended up scoring 20 points... Baltimore has failed to crack 20 points since 2014. That does fall on both Offense and the OC but also the Head Coach as well. Point differential between their losses are even worse; Pittsburgh having a combined -33 in points compared to -40 for Baltimore. Even if we take away the 2014 Season for Baltimore, that is only +4; bringing that total to -36 combined during the losses. Overall, while it is only a two point differential, the fact remains is that Harbaugh is still not doing nearly as good as most would make others to believe. This is not accounting for the losing seasons he has had during the 2015 and 2021 Seasons as well. While it is a nauseating stat to state for Tomlin, 16 Seasons without a Losing Season is still nothing to scoff at. Hell, not even the great Bill Belichick himself can say the same, Andy Reid, Pete Carroll or Kyle Shanahan.



Overall, a Hall of Fame Coach is still a Hall of Fame Coach; no matter what era. How they end their career is much different from their beginning and certainly from their peak but longevity stems from consistency from winning and not merely longevity for the sake of having longevity itself. Again, the stat itself has run its course, doubly so for me, but starting out ones career for 16 Straight Seasons without a losing record is still nothing short of respect and appreciation. Whether or not Tomlin inherited those teams from Cowher or not is irrelevant as the Pittsburgh Steelers are owned by the Rooneys. Why is this irrelevant yet important?!


The Rooneys had endured four decades of losing before Chuck Noll. Since Chuck Noll, the Rooney Family does not know the concept of having a decade of losing as the Steelers remain the only team since the AFL-NFL Merger to not go a Decade under .500. I seriously doubt the Rooneys want to replay the Steelers first four decades of existence in mediocrity ever again. That attitude is the same for the Head Coaches the Rooneys hire as those Coaches also don't want to see the Franchise suffer either.


Noll saw to it that Cowher had a team to compete right away until he could put his stamp onto the Steelers. Cowher succeeded that for Tomlin as Noll did for him. Tomlin will be doing the same thing once he elects to coach no more. This is not by accident either; part of the Rooneys strategy to consistently produce a winner for not just each season but also each decade. It is a formula that has won over many fans World Wide (myself especially so and no less) and a formula that will continue to last until the end of days barring extreme circumstances.




In short?!


Tomlin has definitely seen more valleys than he has his peaks. However, so long he is at the helm, Pittsburgh shall remain a massive pain in the ass in the Conference until the bitter end. You yourself saw this in 2019; this season as well. One thing about Tomlin that will always remain true; counting the Steelers out is a grave mistake a many of NFL Head Coaches have ever made; doubly so for any Head Coach of the Cleveland Browns.

 

The Lions though are in a more favorable spot than Cincy was in 2020. The NFC... really does not have too many proverbial Heavyweights in the Conference... sans San Fran and Philly. Hell, given how weird the NFC North will be in 2023... it is not out of the realm of possibility that Detroit does end up winning that Division. I do though agree with you on high level Draft Picks not being everything for a lot has to factor in when making such an investment.


Thankfully for Detroit Lions fans, Penei Sewell, Aidan Hutchinson, Amon-Ra St. Brown and James Houston have all been either rock solid to smash hits. Jahmyr Gibbs is not being looked at correctly in my view for he is more of an OPW (Offensive Personnel Weapon) rather than a true Running Back whereas Jack Campbell fits hand in glove for Dan Campbell's scheme. Time will tell for Gibbs and Campbell but Brad Holmes (Lions GM) has been doing a great job putting together this Lions Team; Dan Campbell as well.

 

So the fear of making a change rules the Rooney's decisions? You indicated that Tomlin will be here for as long as he wishes to coach. I do not believe that is in the best interest of the Steelers. I don't know why you brought Harbaugh into this as I would never say Harbaugh is a great coach. I'd keep Tomlin over Harbaugh. The standard for the Steelers is winning playoff games and superbowls. Not never having a losing season. Again I think Tomlin is a good coach but not a great one. He's had the talent to win for many years and has proven he can't get it done. We have been humiliated in the playoffs a couple of times by teams we should have beaten handily. So I guess you and I will just have to disagree. I think like Noll his time has come to an end and it's time to move on. But if the Rooney's are afraid to make a change I guess that will never happen. Thanks for the response

 

So toiling in mediocrity is acceptable no matter the means?! If that is the case, the 2022 Los Angeles Rams are the perfect example of what happens when one sells everything to accomplish one goal. That goal is the Super Bowl for that is the ultimate prize. However, sustaining that level of excellence to compete for Super Bowls should be the end goal here; not just merely winning one. As you stated, the Steelers Standard is winning Playoff Games and Super Bowls. Part of both is, once again, having a winning record or somehow having the Steelers finish with a losing one yet winning the AFC North. That is what I mean by the Rooney's not electing to toil in agony ever again; compete to win as much as possible to give the best odds to win both playoff games and the Super Bowl without jeopardizing the future. The other aspect is the principle rules of the NFL to even win a Super Bowl; a great Roster, a great Coaching Staff and some luck as well. Placing the future at risk begets the likes of the 2022 Rams. For that matter, the Steelers already tried doing this style of winning... and it only got them one Playoff Game in 1947 against Philadelphia where the Steelers where shut out. Pittsburgh had to change and thankfully, that change was for the better.


More over to the highlight of the point is the fact that, for the Rooney's to change Head Coaches means to fire Mike Tomlin. Unless there is a young up and coming Coach under 35 that the Rooney's know of, Tomlin is going to Coach for as long as he sees fit. Noll left on his own terms; Cowher soon following. Tomlin will as well once he elects to coach no more.


One final aspect of note, when I stated other members on the board, I didn't single you out as one. Context is key here.

 

I agree that he will be here as long as he wants to be here. I will not celebrate his departure as you never know what you are going to get in a new head coach. However I still think he has had his run. His assistants have been horrendous but that's on him. So with the changes to the coaching staff that has happened this year we will see what happens. Thanks

 

My pleasure!

 

Rooney always has and always will makes the call.

 

Or maybe it was due to Ben being young and in his prime .

 

Also the Bruce Arians offense were much better in the playoffs(or when BA was in the staff) that the Todd Haley offense

 

How will that be a accomplishment......have You seen the teams in the NFC north, and their Qbs.....if He doesn't win the NFC north .....He should be embarrassed....IMO.

 

FMR
It feels sooooo much longer

 

You can use as many emoticons as you want to deflect, but Ben's prime years were not the years they went to 3 SBs. Ben's prime years came after Cowher's team/players started disappearing.

 

Nobody is “good with it”. However, the last 5-6 years would have been even worse without a great coach. He has not forgotten how to coach by any stretch of the imagination. Listen to the players both past and current what they have to say about him. They love him. Talk about how much they learned from him. How they would do anything for him. But, y’all the people that have never set foot in that locker room or on the field think you know better.

 

There are teams that haven’t won a playoff game in decades. In mother loving decades and steeler fans whine like petulant children.

 

It's a sad sad day when Steeler fans are told to be happy they're not on that list...

 

Being told???

It's happened in the past too.

IIRC

 

As much as we celebrate Troy, that's on him as well. He's the leader on the field in that situation.

 

Ben had some prime years when he was throwing to AB .