Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin Defended With Loathsome Talking Points By Mike Florio

Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin has continued to employ Matt Canada as his offensive coordinator almost in spite of the fans objections. A decision that already had him in hot water when the organization announced it under the guise of continuity. Art Rooney II bears some measure of responsibility for allowing it and is getting flak of his own at this point for the decision.

The "Fire Canada" chants might sound a little different in Acrisure Stadium if the Steelers repeat the level of play they demonstrated against the Houston Texans versus the Baltimore Ravens in Week 5. It might not even be the same name when the chants start. Make no mistake, after blaming his players' toughness and execution for an embarrassing loss, Tomlin’s job has never been less secure.

The founder of Pro Football Talk, Mike Florio, joined The PM Team w/Poni & Mueller on Wednesday for his weekly visit to the program. Andrew Fillipponi, Chris Mueller and their producer Donny Chadrick aka Donny Football, have been extremely tough on Tomlin this week. They asked Florio for his thoughts on Tomlin’s current performance. The answer was all too familiar to Steeler Nation.

“I’m going to say something I’ve said many times over the years about Mike Tomlin,” Florio began. “This is not news that the calls for his job come up. Anytime that there is a sense of malaise, adversity, the team is two and two. But with the offensive issues and the manner the team was outclassed on Sunday, there is that group of the fan base that gets very loud about getting rid of Mike Tomlin.”

Florio’s answer is like nails on a chalkboard. The “group” of the fan base that is calling for the jobs of Canada, Tomlin, and in some circles for Rooney to step down is not an outlier at this point. The fact that he thinks the unhappy portion of the fan base is a small vocal minority is a disservice to Steeler Nation.

For his part, Florio wasn’t done spouting the national media talking points. The worn-out recording of the defense of the Steelers Head Coach is as predictable as it is boring at this point. 

“If Mike Tomlin were to ever be fired, he would not last for very long on the open market,” Florio regurgitated. “He would get another job by the end of the week. I think there are teams out there that would be happy with the coaches they currently have that would suddenly contemplate getting rid of the coaches they have to go get Mike Tomlin. Mike Tomlin is widely respected in league circles.”

This lazy take has become a sore point for Steelers fans everywhere. The someone else would sign up to go .500 for the next 20 years and get blown out in playoff games doesn't work for Pittsburgh. It did not work for Marvin Lewis in Cincinnati. It also did not work for Marty Schottenheimer, whom Tomlin has morphed into over the last decade.

“I know it’s a long time since the Steelers have been to the Super Bowl,” Florio continues inanely. “I know they haven’t won a playoff game in a while, but the point is this. If and when the Steelers are ever done with him. Someone else is going to hire him right away. The issues with the team aren’t always in his control. We’ve talked in the past that offensive coordinator hires might not be in his control. Anytime the Steelers hit a rough spot, that’s what the fans go to.”

Florio’s patronizing tone about a once proud franchise that he does not root for is disconcerting. It is almost as if Florio and a few of his NFL cronies have gotten together to put out buffoonish talking points about Tomlin because they are resentful of the Steelers' stunning success in the Super Bowl era. The longer they are irrelevant under Tomlin, the longer they can continue to ignore Pittsburgh as a serious contender.

Steelers Organization Now In Question

To his credit, Fillipponi wasn’t having it, and he put the screws to Florio’s flimsy argument. It is a feather in the cap of an afternoon radio show to have weekly access to the Pro Football Talk host. It is a badge of honor when you push back hard and put them on the spot.

“I want to go back to what you said about Tomlin on the market,” Fillipponi challenged Florio. “How in demand he would be if he were to leave the Steelers organization. Why do you think that’s an argument for keeping a coach?”

Fillipponi is often lambasted on social media for outlandish takes, but this is a shining moment. He perfectly encapsulates the situation and forces Florio into a corner. He was obviously not prepared to be put on the spot and stumbled momentarily to find an answer.

“Well, (long pause), it’s a reflection of how he is viewed around the NFL,” Florio stumbled. “It’s easy to get caught up in the Pittsburgh bubble and just do the up and down, yes or no. You know we are not happy with the team so we gotta do something. So let’s fire Mike Tomlin. It’s like what’s going on with the Jets and Zach Wilson. What’s your Plan B? Who are you going to get to replace him?”

Florio was obviously caught off guard, and when in doubt, pick a cliché and spout. Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and Tomlin were not big names when they were hired. The Steelers' head coaching position is the most stable in all of sports and comes with higher expectations than being mediocre. A fact that Florio, who lives in West Virginia, should be all too familiar with at this point.

This ridiculous talking point that the Steelers should keep him because other teams would want him is the root issue in the evaluation of Tomlin. He is 3-7 in his last 10 games in the AFC Playoffs, with some of the most embarrassing losses this century. He is currently riding a four-game losing streak in the AFC Playoffs. Do other teams want him? Great, trade him instead of firing him. If Omar Khan pulls that off, Steelers fans should consider building the statue immediately.

What do you think, Steeler Nation? Are you happy that Fillipponi put Florio on the spot or are you still firmly behind Tomlin? Please comment below or on my Twitter/X: @thebubbasq. 

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