"Very Lax": Mike Tomlin Exposed For Taking It Easy On Steelers' Defense

The Pittsburgh Steelers had to go through a head-coaching change for the first time since the 2007 offseason. Mike Tomlin decided to step away, and Mike McCarthy was then brought in less than a month later. The offensive units have been stagnant for many years in a row now, but it has been the defense that has gotten blown away come postseason football. A lot will have to change if the new brass wants to get everything back to normal.

While McCarthy will handle a lot of things that are happening on the offensive side of the ball, defensive coordinator Patrick Graham might be under even more pressure. His unit is incredibly talented; however, the inability to come up big in January has left a sour taste in the mouths of Steelers fans. This is why Graham and co. will need to earn trust almost immediately.

Tomlin didn't necessarily always call the plays, but he had a major hand in what went on for that side of the ball. In recent seasons, communication seemed to be at an all-time low in several different moments. This is something that will have to be worked on as the Steelers get ready and prepare for the 2026 season.

With Organized Team Activities (OTAs) underway, beat writer Ray Fittipaldo took the time to answer several questions in one of his fan chats for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. In the midst of complimenting Graham, Tomlin caught a little bit of an uppercut because he seemingly didn’t focus enough on communication.

"Communicating is a big thing for Graham. He reiterated that [on Tuesday]," Fittipaldo wrote. "Anyone who has been paying attention knows communication issues were at the forefront of the defense's problems the past several years. Payton Wilson and Alex Highsmith talked yesterday about how detailed and demanding Graham is when it comes to communicating. I'm starting to get a picture that Tomlin was very lax when it came to communication because he had so many veterans who had been around." 

It seems as if the analysis from players as the team got back together recently is leading Fittipaldo to believe that Tomlin wasn't nearly as strict as he should have been. Communication breakdowns can ruin any defense, and it has been a big problem for the Steelers of late.

There are plenty of returning players, which is a good thing for Pittsburgh. While there is a brand new coaching staff present, a lot of the individuals putting on the pads have experience with one another. This will prove to be a very important piece to the puzzle. Fittipaldo mentioned that Graham is going to make sure that everyone is on the same page consistently.

"Many of those veterans are still on the team, but they now have to speak the same language as everyone else on the defense. Graham appears to be a taskmaster when it comes to communication," Fittipaldo noted.

It appears as if McCarthy could have noticed an issue with the Steelers' defense in recent years. The hire of Graham wasn't necessarily a shock, but it also wasn't received the best, either. With that said, if the unit can learn to all speak the same language, it might be the very first step in becoming one of the best units in the league week in and week out.

Steelers Could Absolutely Exceed Expectations With An Elite Defense

Pittsburgh should have enough on offense to remain in games, but the group isn't exactly expected to be scoring 30 points per game. If Graham's unit can play at a phenomenal level and allow under 17 points per game, the Steelers will have the chance to be much better than originally anticipated. It has to be very encouraging for fans to hear that he is focusing on communication, something that seemed to be ignored too often in years past.

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