Pittsburgh Steelers' fans know how good of a head coach the team has in Mike Tomlin. However, throughout his career, he has never been able to win the coveted NFL Coach Of The Year Award and it has always seemed as though he has not been respected by NFL fans. Tomlin has never been widely considered to be in the upper echelon of NFL coaches, even though he has been one of the winningest head coaches since he took over the Steelers in 2007. Recently, the Pro Football Network released their rankings of the head coaches in the NFL. Surprisingly, they gave Tomlin his flowers ranking him as the third best head coach in the NFL going into the 2023 season. Although there is reason for him to be ranked higher.
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Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin smiles on during 2022 training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Tomlin has put such an impressive coaching resume together that he should consistently be thought of by every NFL fan as one of the top two coaches in the NFL. Tomlin was ranked behind Kansas City Chiefs Coach Andy Reid and New England Patriots Coach Bill Belichick. Reid is coming off of three Super Bowl appearances in the last four years, winning two of them, and his team has been to five straight AFC Championship games. It is safe to say that he has solidified himself as the best head coach in the NFL.
Belichick being ranked ahead of Tomlin is something that can be debated. The Patriots have looked vulnerable since Tom Brady left and joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers prior to the 2020 season, and Belichick has made some questionable decisions by bringing in former defensive coordinator, Matt Patricia, to call the offensive plays. There is no denying that Belichick is one of the all-time greats, and will be highly regarded as one of the best head coaches there ever was, he just doesn't have it anymore and should not be ranked above Tomlin.
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Steelers' Mike Tomlin with Patriots' Bill Belichick.
Steelers' Mike Tomlin's Impressive Resume
Tomlin has been praised by many Steelers' fans for never having a losing season in his coaching career with Pittsburgh. He holds the NFL record for most consecutive non-losing seasons to start a head coaching career with 16, and counting. Even with the Steelers sitting at a pitiful 2-6 record through the first eight weeks of the 2022 season, he found a way to turn it around. The Steelers entered the bye week in Week 9, and finished the season strong going 7-2 over the final nine weeks of the season to keep Tomlin's record going.
In addition to this impressive record, Tomlin has been to two Super Bowls as a head coach, winning one. Tomlin became the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl when the Steelers did so during the 2008 season. He held this record until Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams broke it during the 2021 season. Tomlin has accomplished many spectacular feats, yet has never been named the NFL's Coach Of The Year.
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The Steelers coaching staff admitted that they have no idea what they will do with the new kickoff rule change.
Why Hasn't Mike Tomlin Won A Coach Of The Year Award?
We have seen new, young head coaches like McVay and Kevin Stefanski win the Coach Of The Year Award within their first couple of seasons as a head coach. Tomlin won a Super Bowl in his second season as a head coach, and went to another in his fourth season. Yet he never was able to call himself the NFL's Coach Of The Year. Kyle Shanahan and Mike McDaniel were consistently in the conversation for the award during the 2022 season while being touted as "offensive masterminds" and were considered some of the best offensive play-callers in the league. Tomlin has his own speciality, which is being a players coach. This has been said by many opposing players, one being Jason McCourty when he recently exclaimed that he wished he had an opportunity to play under Coach Tomlin. Yet he has not been in the discussion for the award the same way various play-calling "gurus" have.
Tomlin is able to relate to his players and gets to know them each personally so he can figure it out how to motivate them. This is how he continues to pump out winning seasons, regardless of the talent that is on the field. Maybe this upcoming season will be the year Tomlin is finally recognized for his year over year success and he'll finally be awarded the NFL's Coach Of The Year Award.
Do you agree with Pro Football Network's ranking, Steeler Nation? Let us know in the comments below!
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