Heading into Week 13, the Pittsburgh Steelers were sitting at 7-4 and in a prime position to make the playoffs. Now, after three abysmal losses, the Steelers may completely miss out on the 2023 NFL playoffs. Within the national media, and Steelers fans all around, it seems as if the blame is finally beginning to point to one person: Head Coach Mike Tomlin. Some going as far as believing the Steelers could fire Tomlin following the 2023 season. Well known American sportswriter, Mike Florio has a different take. Florio believes Tomlin will move on from the Steelers himself, before being fired by the team.
AP Photo
Steelers Team President Art Rooney II and Head Coach Mike Tomlin oversee practice during the 2021 minicamp in Pittsburgh.
Florio recently discussed his thoughts on Coach Tomlin on his show Pro Football Talk. He began with a claim in which he believes the "wind's blowing" in the direction of a break-up between the Steelers and Tomlin.
"50 years of following football, I've lived in and around Pittsburgh and I always kind of have a sense of where the wind's blowing. For the first time since Mike Tomlin became the head coach, I feel like the wind is blowing toward a separation."
Florio believes the energy this year is different, and rightfully so. Florio would continue on to make a claim in which he believes Coach Tomlin will actually be the one to pack his own bags, and doesn't believe the Steelers will formally fire Tomlin.
"I think it will be Tomlin leaving, not the Steelers firing him. I felt it with Cowher in 2006."
Florio believes that Tomlin will be another Bill Cowher situation. Cowher was the head coach for the Steelers from 1992-2006 before resigning on his own. Following the 2023 season, Florio believes we could see this same situation happen with Tomlin. But, unlike Cowher, Florio believes Tomlin has multiple ways out. Florio believes this is due to the Steelers never actually wanting to fire anyone.
"Whether it's somebody calls from another team and tries to work a trade, whether it's a mutual parting, they don't fire people in Pittsburgh. They would not fire him, but it's starting to feel like time for both sides to just go their separate ways."
Florio closes out his statement believing that the Steelers can't allow the same results to continue. Florio believes in order to get different results; you must be open to making change.
"Change for the sake of change when you're talking about a football team and the same message and we're doing the same things and we're not getting the results we want, at some point change I think is what you need."
It feels as if the national media is finally beginning to realize what a lot of Steeler Nation has known for a while, change needs to come. Following the Steelers three-game losing streak, it finally could be possible that Steelers' fans get the change they've been looking for. With criticism coming from fans, media, and even former players of Tomlin, the change seems inevitable.
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Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin has proven more and more in 2023 that his coaching abilities are becoming antiquated
Who Do The Steelers Look To Lean On In Order To Close Out The 2023 Season?
The Steelers roster is banged up everywhere and following the Week 15 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, it only got worse. Star free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick suffered a knee injury and is already ruled out for the team's Week 16 rivalry matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. Along with Fitzpatrick's injury, his counterpart Damontae Kazee's season took a huge blow when he received a suspension that for now will keep him out for the rest of season, and for any possible postseason games. Now the Steelers are thin on yet another position group on the defense.
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The hit that led safety Damontae Kazee being suspended indefinitely for the rest of the 2023 season.
It's clear that the Steelers can no longer rely on their defense in order to win them games. With linebackers Mykal Walker and Elandon Roberts being liabilities in the pass defense, it won't get any easier with no viable safety behind them to help. Now, the defense will have to rely even more on star outside linebackers Alex Highsmith and TJ Watt.
As for the Steelers offense, the only way to go is up following the benching of backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky. There is also a slim chance the Steelers could see the return of their second-year starting quarterback Kenny Pickett in Saturday's matchup against the Bengals. Until Pickett's return however, and in order for the team to succeed, the steelers will need to continue to lean on their running back rotation of Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren.
Is 2023 the last season Tomlin will be the head coach for the Steelers? Leave your thoughts below in the comments.
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