Report - Steelers' Mike Tomlin Will Be Stripped Of Big Power After 2023

Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin is having the worst season of his 17-year career with the team. The team sits at 7-7 entering Week 16 with a legitimate shot at finishing below .500 for the first time in Tomlin's tenure. His future in Pittsburgh could be in jeopardy, although he does still have a year left on his contract. For years though, one of Tomlin's biggest criticisms has been the coaching staffs that he has put together.

It's been awhile since the Steelers had a top-notch coaching staff with competent coordinators on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. The last two offensive coordinator hires have been pure disasters in Randy Fichtner and most recently, Matt Canada. The team will be in the market for a new one this offseason after they fired Canada just over a month ago. Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette believes that this time around, the front office will help Tomlin hire the next offensive coordinator. 

"Yes [the front office will step in]. They won't let Tomlin make this hire. I think they'll give him the freedom to make the hire, but only through a list of their preferred candidates," Fittipaldo said.

The front office did step in to hire Todd Haley back in 2012. Despite the criticism that he received at the time, Haley is the best offensive coordinator that the Steelers have had in the last 10 years. At this point, there is no clear frontrunner for the opening this offseason. The in-house options, Eddie Faulkner and Mike Sullivan, haven't exactly been excellent in their interim roles over the last few weeks.

It seems obvious that the team needs a cleanse and an outside hire for the offensive coordinator opening. Byron Leftwich will be a name that pops up a lot, but the team never showed interest in him this past offseason. He was available in a potential role as an offensive consultant, but the team reportedly ignored his calls. That doesn't bode well for his chances as a possible OC this offseason, but things could change there.

Who Will The Steelers Target To Be Their Next OC?

Beyond Leftwich, it would be smart for the Steelers to simply look around at the best offenses around the league. The San Francisco 49ers should be the first stop for that, and a few names have been thrown around as potential options for Pittsburgh. Klint Kubiak and Brian Griese are just two names from that talented coaching staff that could be considered for an offensive coordinator position this offseason.

We are still months away from when the team begins this search, but it's becoming clear that they need to hire someone outside of the organization. Based on Fittipaldo's comments, it won't just be Tomlin making the decision this time. Not only has he botched the last two OC hires, but he seems to be losing the locker room a little bit in Pittsburgh. 

Questions came up from the moment that the Steelers hired Canada nearly three years ago. He didn't have a resume worthy enough of earning that kind of chance in Pittsburgh, yet he was given the job through his connections to Tomlin and the Steelers. There remains some debate on just who fired Canada, whether it be Tomlin or Art Rooney, but regardless, that was a disastrous hire. It's clear the Steelers brass wants to make this one right. 

Who do you think the Steelers should hire as the next offensive coordinator this offseason? Do you agree with Fittipaldo that the front office will not let Tomlin hire the next OC on his own this time around? Is Tomlin's future in Pittsburgh truly in jeopardy? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, yinz!

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