Mike Tomlin has been the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2007, longer than any other active head coach except Sean Payton of the New Orleans Saints (2006), and of course, the "Evil Genius," Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots (2000). But his tenure in the Steel City could be coming to an end if his team does not reach the playoffs this season. Is Tomlin truly on the hot seat or is this just a contrived media story to create a buzz in the offseason?
It’s hard to argue with success and that is what Tomlin has brought to the franchise. In the 14 seasons under his charge, the Steelers have never had a losing record, and only on three occasions have they gone .500 for the year.
During that time, Pittsburgh has seven AFC North titles, a pair of AFC Conference championship banners, and one Super Bowl trophy in Pittsburgh’s two appearances on the NFL’s grandest stage. That’s a tough act for anyone to follow.
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But coaching in the NFL is a, “what have you done for me lately” kind of business and although last year’s 12-4 record was quite an accomplishment, you will recall that they went 11-0 before fading in the stretch by losing four of their last five contests before getting upset, 48-37 in the Wild Card round by the Cleveland Browns. It didn’t feel like a 12-4, division-winning season after the way they ended, and coming into this year, it was evident that Ben Roethlisberger had one last gasp of air before hanging up his cleats.
As things stand after a bitter defeat that saw what would have been a historic rally against the Minnesota Vikings go up in flames, the Steelers are 6-6-1 with a tough row to hoe in front of them. Those who are inclined to make a wager or two would have found that the NFL odds on the Thursday night showdown in Minnesota had Pittsburgh as 3 ½ point underdogs.
Unfortunately, for Steelers fans, they not only lost the game 36-28, but failed to cover the point spread for their backers. In fact, Pittsburgh has not done well at the betting windows this season having gone 5-8 ATS (Against The Spread) including their loss to the Vikings.
But their remaining schedule is certainly no picnic. Tomlin will have to prepare his troops for the Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs, Cleveland Browns, and the Baltimore Ravens. Not exactly a stretch run littered with cupcakes, but it is what it is and these final four games could determine Tomlin’s future with the club.
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One More Season Left?
Tomlin fits well in Pittsburgh and the franchise has thrived under his leadership. And while it pales in comparison to the two decades of excellence enjoyed in Foxboro, Massachusetts, nothing holds a candle to the dynasty Tom Brady and Belichick created, and nothing ever will. It is, of course, an unfair comparison and an absurd standard to hold Tomlin to, but what he has done in Pittsburgh certainly ranks him among the best coaches in the league.
Tomlin also has a great deal of empathy with his players and is young enough at age 49 to bridge the generation gap. He has confessed to keeping up with the younger generation’s interests through questions he asks of his 20-year-old son, Dino, which allows him to be a mentor to many of his charges. And although getting along and having a harmonious locker room leads to building a cohesive unit, that unit has to win much more than they lose if an NFL coach wants to retain his position.
Keeping the players’ respect and attention by knowing when to use the hammer is one of the most important requirements for maintaining law and order in the locker room. After an embarrassing 41-10 Week 12 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, Tomlin was apparently more than animated during the following week as a date with the Ravens loomed.
Defensive end Chris Wormley stated that Tomlin was loud throughout the week, "We got our butts whooped. Anytime you lose by that much and in that fashion, it's nice to have someone get on your butt a little bit. A guy like me, I appreciate a coach that takes things seriously. That's what he did." He continued. "As a player and a man, you understand the situation and understand what he's trying to accomplish this week, and that's to beat the Ravens," Wormley said. "If that means he's got to fire us up a little bit, especially after Sunday's loss, that's what he needs to do."
The Steelers took heed and defeated the Ravens, 20-19, but then came out flat against the Vikings the following week. Ironically, they could have won the game had they displayed the same intensity in the first half as they did in the second. The Steelers mounted a stunning rally after being down 29-0 but ultimately fell, 36-28.
If Pittsburgh does fall short of the playoffs this year, Tomlin could very well be plying his trade elsewhere next year. He will have no shortage of offers, and landing in Chicago in place of the embroiled Matt Nagy could be chief among those opportunities. We will have to wait and see.
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