The 2022 season for the Pittsburgh Steelers can be defined in one word: rocky. After starting the season off 2-6 and having the franchise's first quarterback controversy in nearly two decades, the Steelers have somehow found their way to claw themselves back to 8-8 and have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs with one week left in the regular season.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JANUARY 01: Head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on during an NFL football game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium on January 01, 2023 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)
The Steelers have faced more scrutiny this year than they have in quite some time. The fans have disagreed about virtually all aspects of the team so far this season, but nothing has been a bigger topic than head coach, Mike Tomlin. Tomlin is looked at around the league as being a "players coach" and his consistent success over the course of the last 16 seasons has made him one of the top coaches in all of the NFL. But some fans started to take a turn on Tomlin after the Steelers opened the season only winning two of their first eight games.
The hottest topic in the city of Pittsburgh was about who should've started the season as quarterback for the Steelers in 2022. The franchise hadn't even been one year removed from future Hall of Fame quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, when they drafted Kenny Pickett out of the University of Pittsburgh in the first round. This came after the free agency signing of former Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills quarterback, Mitch Trubisky.
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin walks the sideline vs. the Baltimore Ravens. Photo Credit - Karl Roser/Pittsburgh Steelers
Trubisky ended up starting the season in Week 1 when the Steelers took on the Cincinnati Bengals to start the season. After the upset win over the Bengals, the Steelers' season took a significant turn of events as they went on to lose six of their next seven games. During that time, there was rising anger with the performance of Coach Tomlin and offensive coordinator, Matt Canada. The Steelers turned to Pickett during their Week 4 matchup with the New York Jets, and even Pickett couldn't provide the spark the offense needed to get back on track.
The immaculate turnaround came during the bye week, and with some help of an easier schedule in the second half of the season. The Steelers have since turned their season around and have shown fans many reasons to be optimistic about the future in Pittsburgh for not only the rest of this season, but for many years to come.
With the recent success of Pickett and the entire offense, it seems as if the opinions have drastically changed on Tomlin as well. He is now looked at as a possible Coach Of The Year candidate in the NFL if the Steelers manage to make it into the postseason. The current buzz on social media will show you fans are yet again thankful to have Tomlin at the helm for their Steelers.
What Should The Final Verdict Be On Tomlin Coaching The Steelers?
With so many varying opinions out there, it is truly tough to have a clear answer on the overall career performance of Tomlin in Pittsburgh. As it stands heading into Week 18 of the 2022-23 season, Tomlin is currently 20th all-time in victories in the NFL. You simply can't get your name on that list without some serious success over the years.
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 09: Head Coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cameron Heyward #97 of the Pittsburgh Steelers walk off the field prior to a game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on October 09, 2022, in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Bryan Bennett/Getty Images)
Tomlin has been extremely well-known for getting the most out of his players, even when they aren't the most talented group on the field. In a season (2019) where Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges started a combined 14 games, the Steelers still managed to finish the season 8-8 and only missed the playoffs by one game. I don't personally believe many coaches around the league would be able to rally their team after losing their starting quarterback in the second week like Tomlin was able to in 2019.
Along with the good times, Tomlin definitely has shown some struggles over the years. The Steelers' last playoff win came all the way back in 2016 when they took down the Kansas City Chiefs in Arrowhead. Since 2016, the Steelers have only made three appearances including losing again to the Chiefs in 2021, along with two embarrassing losses to the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Cleveland Browns coming in 2017 and 2020. In a city such as Pittsburgh that expects to be Super Bowl contenders every year, the recent results are far from acceptable.
It is hard to simply blame Tomlin for the lackluster performances in the postseason, but the blame does need to be put somewhere. Notably in 2020 when the Steelers fell to the Browns on Wild Card Weekend. The sloppy play causing costly turnovers and the lack of focus on both sides of the ball caused a season where the Steelers were once 11-0 to end abruptly in the first round.
Since then, the Steelers haven't fully bounced back and have been on the brim of the playoffs and that raises the question: "Is The Standard Still The Standard?"
After such an upsetting few seasons, the Steelers find themselves yet again one spot out of a playoff spot. For a season that has been called a rebuilding year by players inside the locker room, you have to simply tip your cap to Tomlin and those on the coaching staff for not completely losing the team and having them maintain their focus throughout the year.
Let's call it like we see it, Tomlin has been significant at getting the most out of his teams with less than ideal talent, but also struggles to have a team reach their full potential when the odds are in their favor to make a deep run in the playoffs. It is frustrating, but with so many young players, I do believe Tomlin is the guy we are going to want to continue to be in charge. More importantly, I believe the Steelers need to focus on finding proper coordinators both offensively and defensively to help him get the job done.
I would like to see Tomlin stick around in Pittsburgh for many years to come and continue to work with Pickett and this young offense of theirs. Tomlin is the right guy to have in charge and show these young players what it's like to compete in the NFL.
What do you think of Tomlin? Would you like to see him stick around and continue to work with Picket? Tell us your thoughts in the comment section below or on my Twitter @collinlschmitt.
#SteelerNation
