The Pittsburgh Steelers are set for a much different look now that Mike Tomlin is no longer at the helm. Tomlin coached the Steelers for 19 seasons and remarkably never had a losing campaign, an achievement that speaks to his consistency and leadership. However, despite regular season success, he did not win a playoff game after the 2016 season, a drought that increasingly frustrated both the fan base and the organization as expectations in Pittsburgh remain championship-driven.
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Ex-Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and then-quarterback Ben Roethlisberger celebrate after winning the AFC Championship Game to move onto the Super Bowl.
While Tomlin began his tenure as a young, dynamic head coach who quickly brought a Super Bowl title to the franchise, the warts in his tenure became more visible over time. The team often appeared stuck in the middle. Competitive, but not quite good enough to seriously contend for another championship. Tomlin still did many things well, but the inability to get over the hump seemed to weigh on his decisions and the overall direction of the team, ultimately leading to his departure.
Steelers legend and former quarterback Ben Roethlisberger addressed the situation on his podcast, Footbahlin, on Tuesday, issuing a strong warning to Steeler Nation. Many fans had been calling for Tomlin to be fired, and to them, his stepping down feels essentially the same. Roethlisberger cautioned fans to be careful what they wish for, warning that a rebuild can be far more painful and uncertain than people expect, and that sustained success in the NFL is much harder to find than it might appear.
"Hopefully not, but be careful what you wish for sometimes," Roethlisberger said while speaking on his podcast Footbahlin on Tuesday night. "Be careful."
The Steelers have not had a losing season since finishing 6–10 in 2003. From 2004 through the 2025 season, Pittsburgh has not finished below .500, which is an incredibly impressive feat and a testament to the organization’s consistency.
Matt Freed / Post-Gazette
Ex-Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and retired quarterback Ben Roethlisberger look on as the team practices at the UPMC Sports Complex in Pittsburgh, PA.
However, that consistency has not translated into much playoff success over the past decade. So while the last 22 seasons of Steelers football have not been bad, that doesn’t necessarily mean they have produced much that feels truly meaningful for fans who measure success by championships.
"We will see," Roethlisberger said. "I know the Rooneys and people never want to use that word rebuild. Maybe we will just say well, let's just build it again. People hear that word rebuild and think we have to start over. We have got to the bottom of the basement and build the foundation and wipe it clean. That usually means lots of losing seasons. Well, let's look at the New England Patriots."
The word rebuild has become one of the most controversial topics within the Steelers fan base. Many fans believe a true rebuild is the franchise’s best path out of football purgatory, where the team is never bad enough to secure a top draft pick but also never good enough to make a legitimate championship run.
As a result, Pittsburgh rarely drafts high enough to land a young, elite quarterback, and the organization has whiffed on several quarterback options in recent years. Over the past two seasons, they have instead tried to patch things together with veteran stopgaps, a strategy that has only prolonged the cycle of mediocrity.
Steelers Do Not Need To Be Brutal To Get Better
A true rebuild does not have to mean intentionally being awful, but it does require going down to the studs, moving on from key veterans, committing to youth, and prioritizing long-term upside over short-term competitiveness. Team President Art Rooney II has long resisted the idea of stepping back from competing, but the reality is the Steelers have not truly contended in quite some time.
Douglas DeFelice / USA TODAY Sports
Steelers' star edge rusher TJ Watt and former head coach Mike Tomlin communicate with one another on the sideline during a professional football game on the road.
Roethlisberger pointed to the New England Patriots as an example. After the end of their dynasty, they struggled, fired a Hall of Fame head coach, fired another head coach, hired a new one a year later, and are now back to competing for a Super Bowl in the AFC Championship Game. That kind of reset, and the hope that comes with it, is exactly what many Steelers fans are craving.
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