The NFL playoffs roar on with the divisional championship games on the horizon. I wanted to take a look back at the Pittsburgh Steelers who lost earlier this postseason in the wild card. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has been at the helm in Pittsburgh for the past 16 seasons. In a league that has been much maligned for their lack of Black representation in the coaching ranks, this is huge. Being able to have a 16-year stint with one team is remarkable. Not to mention that Mike Tomlin has a Super Bowl win to his name. He also has never has a season where he finished under .500. Make no mistake, Tomlin is the goods.
Even with the success that he has amassed, the future hall of fame coach hasn’t won a Super Bowl since 2008. Every season is met with optimism, because Tomlin has proven that he can win. But from the outside looking in, the team seems to be stagnant. Part of that was Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement. But with a new tandem of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, they hope to reach previous glory. It just didn’t happen during this season.
In the sports world, head coaches in recent times seem to be given a short leash. Teams may hire a coach during a rebuild, and when the teams does get good, that coach gets let go. Sometimes that’s at the request of a player. That’s sort of the example with coach Kenny Atkinson during his time with the Brooklyn Nets. They were very competitive under his leadership before Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Durant got there. It was reported that Kyrie wanted someone else at the helm. Atkinson was dismissed as a result, and really, the team saw marginal success if any, afterward.
Conversely, Mark Jackson who really changed the culture in Golden State, was relieved of his duties once it was believed that the Warriors had plateaued. They brought in Steve Kerr, and eventually, even Kevin Durant. They won four titles in eight years. So teams move coaches to varying degrees of success.
It’s my opinion that the Steelers are getting to that point with Mike Tomlin. As much as I respect what he has done in the NFL as a Black head coach, the teams seem to have plateaued. They haven’t been to a Super Bowl since 2011. Tomlin made history with that appearance as the only head coach to reach two Super Bowls before the age of 40. It’s truly remarkable what he has done in a head coaching career that boasts a .617 winning percentage.
I’m not saying that Tomlin should no longer be a head coach either. But what I am saying, is that maybe the Steelers could stand to have a new voice in their locker room. Maybe some new scenery would benefit Tomlin as well. Much more, I’m sure will be contained for next season, and we’ll see how that pans out. But I’m very interested to see if the Steelers organization change their tune if they suffer another early postseason exit.
