While it’s no secret that the ‘fire Mike Tomlin’ supporters are gearing up for another call for change regarding the Pittsburgh Steelers’ head coach position, those in favor of Tomlin may have little ammunition to back up their argument.
The age-old, ‘He’s never had a losing season’, argument looks weak after four consecutive losses to end the season. There’s a simple reason for this late-season collapse: Tomlin’s coaching style doesn’t work in 2024.
Tomlin is a great defensive mind, but his overreliance on defense is why the Pittsburgh Steelers have yet to win a playoff game since 2017. The Pittsburgh Steelers currently have the most expensive defense in the NFL, while many of this season’s Super Bowl favorites have adopted a more offense-focused team and coaching style.
His inability to adapt in an offense-driven league, the basic Black and Gold playbook, and his overreliance on star players to compensate for questionable decision-making have caught up to him.
Tomlin stated that if the Steelers were unable to complete a 4th-and-1 in Week 18, the team didn’t deserve to win. However, another situation is clear: if Tomlin cannot earn a playoff win in 2024, perhaps the team should find a new head coach.
