The Pittsburgh Steelers started off the 2025 NFL season with a lot of optimism, and that optimism was warranted during the first few weeks. However, the bottom has fallen out as the Steelers have stumbled to a 6-6 record 13 weeks into the season. The good news for the team is that there is still plenty of time to turn things around, but it won’t be easy. The challenges ahead are significant, and the team will need to find consistency on both sides of the ball if they hope to make a deep playoff push.

Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Mike Tomlin stands next to captains Aaron Rodgers and Cam Heyward before the 2025 season opener.
Regardless of the hurdles, Steeler Nation has grown increasingly frustrated with Head Coach Mike Tomlin, with many fans openly pleading for him to be fired. Despite never having a losing season in his 18-year tenure, Tomlin’s 19th season has become a critical one, and the expectation is that he needs to lead the team on a deep playoff run. Many Steelers fans have lost faith in his ability to do so, questioning whether he can reignite the team’s early-season momentum and deliver the results Pittsburgh demands.
If the Steelers fire Mike Tomlin, we know a place he can come. #DawgPound@NickPedone12 & @REFLOG18 vouch for Mike Tomlin to the Browns. pic.twitter.com/0Oe7PMooAy
— BIGPLAY Cleveland Show (@BIGPLAYCLEshow) December 3, 2025
Even amid the fan unrest, not everyone is rooting against Tomlin. Cleveland Browns pundits are already hopeful that they could benefit if the Steelers were to part ways with him. Speaking on the BIGPLAYCLE show on Wednesday, Browns analysts Nick Pedone and Chris McNeil explained why they want the Steelers to fire Tomlin, emphasizing that his experience and leadership could be a huge boon for the Browns’ organization. For now, the debate continues as Steelers fans grow restless and the Browns watch closely, ready to seize an unexpected opportunity.
"How about in Pittsburgh? The 'Fire Tomlin' chants," Pedone said while speaking on the BIGPLAY Cleveland Show on Wednesday. "They booed Renegade. Hmm I have an idea. If that happens, Tomlin would be my top choice."
While the Steelers went into halftime against the Buffalo Bills in Week 13 up 7-3, they were outscored 23-0 in the second half and lost 26-7. That type of showing is not acceptable for a head coach with nearly two decades of NFL experience. A coach of Tomlin’s caliber should be able to go into halftime, make adjustments, and find a way to win games, not lose them because of poor second-half strategies. That is exactly what Steelers fans are frustrated about when it comes to Tomlin.

Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Mike Tomlin talks with Aaron Rodgers before a home game against the Cleveland Browns during the 2025 season.
On the other hand, Browns fans have not seen the same level of sustained success as the Steelers, which makes Tomlin an appealing target for them. They would gladly take him, highlighting just how far ahead the Steelers remain compared to the Browns, even at a time when Pittsburgh has struggled to find a franchise quarterback for several seasons.
"I think a lot of Browns fans too," McNeil said while agreeing with Pedone on the show. "We have been saying that for years. Pittsburgh has been dogging him and saying man it sucks to be 8-8, right around .500, or just squeaking into the playoffs… Do you know how far away we are from the playoffs as we sit here December 1? We are so far away from the playoffs. We would love to have even a sniff of the playoffs in a division that is this bad. Everybody has a shot except for us. I would love to have Tomlin. Give him to me. Give me just a chance to be in the playoffs every year."
Steelers Fans Want A New Era In Pittsburgh
This contrast shows both the frustration among Steelers fans and the envy from rival fans.

Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin roams the practice field as his team works out during a 2025 training camp practice at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Despite current struggles, Pittsburgh’s long-term stability and track record still set them apart in a league where consistency is rare.
What would your reaction be if Mike Tomlin were coaching the Browns? Let us know in the comments below! Please feel free to share your Steelers takes with me on X @anthonyghalkias and follow me. I will respond!
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