You possibly can most likely cease speculating on whether or not or not the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to fireside, commerce or exchange head coach Mike Tomlin this offseason. In line with a report from the Pittsburgh Submit-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac, the Steelers have no plans to actually make a head-coaching change and are anticipated to carry Tomlin again for a nineteenth season.
In Tomlin’s first 18 seasons, the Steelers have been one of the vital profitable regular-season groups in soccer. They’ve by no means had a shedding season and have maintained a constantly aggressive roster, even following the retirement of future Corridor of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
Over the previous two seasons, for instance, they nonetheless gained 10 video games and made the playoffs every season regardless of coming into them each with extraordinarily low expectations from across the league.
Tomlin has additionally gained a Tremendous Bowl and coached in one other throughout his time with the Steelers.
The issue for him and the Steelers is that for as aggressive as they’ve been within the common season, they’ve been fully uncompetitive within the playoffs.
Following Saturday’s 28-14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, the Steelers haven’t gained a playoff sport for the reason that 2016 season and have now misplaced 5 consecutive playoff video games. Tomlin is now 8-11 total within the playoffs.
What makes Saturday’s defeat much more irritating for the Steelers, their gamers and their followers is that it resulted in a five-game shedding streak to shut the season after beginning 10-3 and seeking to be in full management of the AFC North. As a substitute of internet hosting a staff just like the Los Angeles Chargers, they needed to go on the street to play their fiercest rival and one of many NFL’s greatest groups.
It’s a actually difficult spot for the Steelers.
So long as they’re successful extra video games than they lose and constantly making the playoffs, there’s a threat in making a change. The chances of discovering a greater coach are most likely not nice, particularly given the success charge of different head-coaching hires across the NFL. However it is usually fairly clear that the present state of affairs is just not getting them nearer to a championship. They’re an excellent staff. That’s their ceiling.
A part of that’s because of the quarterback state of affairs, and till that will get resolved, it’s arduous to see that ceiling rising anytime quickly. Kenny Pickett was not the reply. They know Russell Wilson and Justin Fields usually are not the long-term reply. Even on the tail finish of Roethlisberger’s profession, he was not enjoying at a excessive stage. It has most likely been seven or eight years for the reason that Steelers have actually had high-level quarterback play.
That’s the largest hurdle the Steelers and Tomlin must clear.
It isn’t the one one, although. As inconsistent (and dangerous) because the quarterback play has been, the protection has additionally constantly failed them in playoff video games. That’s the place the Steelers have constructed their staff from and what they rely on to win. It has not been there for them within the largest video games.
