The Pittsburgh Steelers are consistent. The organization is very predictable in how they handle certain situations. The Steelers did not move on from Matt Canada despite the calls from everyone outside of the building. Canada has a year remaining on his contract and the Steelers don’t pay people not to work. Pittsburgh has had three head coaches since 1969. Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher left the Steelers at the end of a contract on their own terms. Mike Tomlin is approaching the end of his current contract through 2024.
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Steelers' Mike Tomlin shakes hands with Bill Belichick.
Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk joined The PM Team w/Poni & Mueller for his weekly Wednesday appearance on the afternoon program. Florio was asked by Chris Mueller if another veteran coach Bill Belichick could be fired if the New England Patriots don’t make the playoffs.
“[Robert] Kraft’s answer was telling,” Florio responded. “What it told me was, he needs to win enough games to get to the playoffs at a minimum this year. I think winning a playoff game, which they haven’t done since Super Bowl LIII would be nice as well. I think Kraft is getting impatient. Kraft makes it clear that he lets Belichick do everything. Things are a little frayed.”
Despite his alleged involvement in Spygate, Belichick is often credited with being the best coach in NFL history. The Patriots coach is the only man to win six Super Bowl trophies. He was the defensive coordinator with the New York Giants for an additional two championships. The criticism of Belichick’s playoff drought caught the attention of Andrew Fillipponi who asked why the Patriots’ situation is different from the Steelers with Tomlin.
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Steelers' Mike Tomlin.
“Mike Tomlin isn’t a jerk in the way Bill Belichick is,” Florio said candidly. "Mike Tomlin is a hardcore football coach who knows how to get his guys to respond. There has never been any indication that things have been other than harmonious in the organization.”
Steelers Legend Terry Bradshaw Criticism Of Mike Tomlin Resurfaces
Florio has commented that glimpses into the Steelers organization are at best opaque. It is hard to know who pulls the strings behind closed doors, other than Art Rooney II always has the final say. A significant percentage of fans led by Terry Bradshaw are critical of Tomlin’s coaching style. The Steelers have not won a playoff game since 2016. Tomlin has taken heat as a tactician, but the personnel he was handed by Kevin Colbert is a lot more substandard than many fans thought.
“The Steelers dealt with the aftermath of four Super Bowls with Chuck Noll,” Florio continued. “It was a different time. There isn’t a sense of friction. Here is the big difference, Robert Kraft has thrown the keys completely to Bill Belichick. Art Rooney hasn’t thrown the keys to anyone. One of the reasons there is continuity is he is not delegating and stepping away.”
Photo Credit: JORDAN SCHOFIELD / STEELERNATION (TWITTER: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers owner, Art Rooney II roams the sidelines prior to a 2022 preseason game at Acrisure Stadium.
Florio has compared the Steelers owner to Jerry Jones in the past. He is convinced he is just as hands-on as the Dallas Cowboys owner, but he is not as abrasive. Rooney manages the team from the shadows according to Florio. Another convincing argument is that he has faith in his football people and only steps in when he feels strongly about an issue. Whatever the truth is, it isn’t likely to come out and it frustrates the Pro Football Talk founder to no end.
“I also think this three coaches since 1969 has become a thing for them,” Florio concludes. “Everything else equal, they are going to err on the side of keeping their coach because that is what they are known for. They are the team that never fires their coach. It’s really got to take something for that to happen.”
Tomlin faces a daunting task in 2023. They have recently become the darlings of some members of the national media. Colin Cowherd went from trashing the Steelers, to picking them to make the playoffs. An equally large segment of the media is picking them last in the AFC North.
The Steelers have not finished last in their division since the days of the AFC Central in 1988. The organization is facing a situation they have not faced since that last-place finish. Dan Rooney seriously considered firing Noll and the head coach wanted to quit before they agreed on a three-year extension.
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Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin
Tomlin and Noll’s careers are surprisingly similar. Both produced very few branches on their coaching trees. Both had a lot of early success as head coaches and then tailed off in the second half of their careers. Tomlin is still young, and he does not seem like he is ready to step away from coaching. However, he may face similar decisions about his coaching staff if 2023 does not produce playoff success.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? Is Tomlin’s extension a done deal, or are there conditions? Please comment below or on my Twitter @thebubbasq.
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