Why doesn’t Mike Tomlin deserve a chance to rebuild?
Based on the media’s intensely critical coverage of Mike Tomlin over these last few weeks, you would think that the Steelers are tanking to secure a higher draft spot.
It’s bad enough that the media and fans are bringing the heat down on Tomlin and are calling for the end of his tenure, but now even some of his former players are bringing the torches to his front door.
If the Steelers lose two of its final three games, this will be the first losing season of Tomlin’s coaching career.
HIS FIRST!!!!
As a die-hard Steelers fan since the 70s, I say that every single person calling for the end of Tomlin’s tenure should be ashamed.
Tomlin’s Resume Stands Alone
Mike Tomlin has a Hall of Fame resume.
Two Super Bowl appearances with one victory, all-time winningest Black coach in NFL history, a record of 170-100 (.629 winning percentage), and up to this point, he has still never had a losing season in his 17-year career in Pittsburgh.
None of the greatest coaches in league history can make that claim. Not a single one, regardless of the era.
Don Shula (1), George Halas (6), Tom Landry (8), Paul Brown (4), Marty Shottenheimer (2), Dan Reeves (9), Chuck Knox (8), Bill Parcells (5), Tom Coughlin (8), Mike Shanahan (7) and Tony Dungy (1) all have at least one losing season.
Active coaches like Bill Belichick (8), Andy Reid (3), Pete Carroll (4), Sean Payton (4) and John Harbaugh (2) all have a losing season as well.
Even the Steelers’ other two coaches, Chuck Noll (7) and Bill Cowher (3) have had losing seasons.
But not Mike Tomlin.
Not only has he never had a losing season, he also has a Super Bowl ring unlike some of the aforementioned coaches. He might have had two if Ben Roethlisberger hadn’t thrown two INTs, including one pick-six, in Super Bowl XLV. Yet somehow disgruntled Steelers fans fail to remember that performance when discussing Tomlin’s career.
Now, is Mike Tomlin exempt from blame? Absolutely not.
He should have fired Matt Canada after last season and pursued a dynamic offensive coordinator like Eric Bieniemy. He should have convinced former Steelers GM Kevin Colbert to select Ben Roethlisberger’s heir, Jalen Hurts, in the 2020 NFL Draft instead of Chase Claypool.
But one of Pittsburgh’s best and worst qualities is loyalty.
So while it’s frustrating that the team didn’t move on from Canada quicker, adjust to the pass-happy NFL more readily, and invest in a QB succession plan for life after Roethlisberger sooner (Mason Rudolph wasn’t the answer), it’s understandable based upon the cultural history of the organization.
It’s the reason why the team has only had three coaches in its history.
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