The Pittsburgh Steelers were one of the more active teams in the 2025 offseason. They did numerous trades, offered a record-breaking contract to T.J. Watt, and even managed to sign a future Hall of Famer in Aaron Rodgers. All of it was part of a desperate attempt to find their first playoff win since January 2017.
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However, after their Week 13 loss to the Buffalo Bills, it seems as if they are headed toward yet another .500 season that ends in a first-round exit. The frustrations are palpable in Pittsburgh at the moment, and it has resulted in many calling for an end to the Mike Tomlin era.
Should that prove to be the case, former NFL scout John Middlekauff knows the perfect landing spot for Tomlin. “If I’m the New York Giants, I would hone in on one guy, and it would be the guy in Pittsburgh,” he suggested during the latest episode of his 3 and Out podcast.
“His fans are chanting to fire him. The Team is circling the drain. They are going nowhere fast. This feels like there couldn’t be an easier transition… That building is clearly on fire, and if I’m Tomlin, I’m getting in my car, and I’m driving to the Giants,” Middlekauff added.
After losing five of their last seven games, the Steelers now have +235 odds of making the playoffs. A pair of dates with a desperate yet dangerous Baltimore Ravens lie ahead. And when you sprinkle matchups with the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns, it looks as if the Steelers have their work cut out the rest of the way.
Their first bout with the Ravens is scheduled to take place in Baltimore this weekend. And oddsmakers are listing Lamar Jackson and Co. as -5.5 point favorites. A Ravens win would give Pittsburgh (6-6) a losing record for the first time this season.
With just a handful of weeks left in the year, this is perhaps the worst time for a team to be relegated to a sub-500 record. But it is a scarily real possibility for a Steelers offense that has averaged a little more than 19 points per game in the last three weeks. It’s also worth noting that Rodgers is far from being 100%.
The 42-year-old was sidelined in Week 12 by a left wrist injury. And he looked noticeably haggard while being strip-sacked by the Bills in Week 13. There’s no telling how much gas is left in the tank, but the dashboard light is clearly on for the Steelers.
And if Tomlin isn’t able to get them to a rest stop soon, then he may just be driven out of town by an angry mob.
