The Pittsburgh Steelers have fallen into mediocrity after a strong start to the season. Sound familiar? It seems like the Steelers start well, slow down, and then the bottom falls out in December every year. This pattern has led to the strongest calls for head coach Mike Tomlin’s job we’ve ever seen.
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With a win against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Pittsburgh would retake sole possession of first place in the AFC North at 7-6. But that’s not good enough for Steeler Nation anymore. There were even “Fire Tomlin” chants ringing out at Acrisure Stadium during Week 13’s 26-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills. And now, even Tomlin’s own former players are leaving him in the lurch.
Ben Roethlisberger, who played for Coach T from 2007-2021, talked about Tomlin potentially parting ways with the team and even going to coach at Penn State. Ryan Clark, who played under the embattled HC from 2007-2013, is now piling on his old head coach. Though before he got into the criticism, he said a few nice words about his old mentor. Almost like he was at a funeral.
“His leadership, the way he connects to the locker room. The way that every week … when you went into a football game, you knew the exact path to winning, and you knew the exact path to losing,” Clark began (via First Take).
“With Duck Hodges and Mason Rudolph, and last year, Justin Fields and Russell Wilson, he got those teams to overachieve. To me, Mike Tomlin is one of the best coaches that’s ever lived, and he’s one of the greatest coaches of this era,” added the former safety.
Clark was also responding to comments made by another Tomlin alum, James Harrison. Harrison played 10 seasons under Tomlin, who gave him his big break to start in 2007.
But Harrison came back around this week and said he doesn’t consider Tomlin a great coach because he doesn’t have his players performing at their potential right now. Clark defended Tomlin but also agreed with Harrison’s harsh take to some extent.
“When you watch the product that’s on the field right now, you have to agree with what James has said. You have to say that Mike Tomlin is not getting this team prepared to play up to their potential… Mike Tomlin is unfirable in my opinion. But maybe it’s best that Mike Tomlin’s voice is elsewhere. Maybe it’s best that you tear this entire thing down,” Clark concluded.
That’s now three of Tomlin’s most prominent former players calling for his departure from the Steelers, though not in so many words. Not for his firing, to be clear, but for him to take stock and make the decision himself.
For most franchises, a 6-6 record with a chance to win a game and retake the lead in the division in Week 14 would not be a situation where this level of panic would be required. But the Steelers have been spoiled for so long, mediocrity starts looking like a hopeless situation.
