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Mike Tomlin is the NFL’s longest-tenured active head coach, now in his 19th season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. But there’s a reason only six coaches in league history have lasted 20 or more seasons with the same franchise. Those reasons were evident Sunday night in Pittsburgh’s 35–25 loss to the Packers. The pattern is familiar. The Steelers entered with a 4–2 record yet were overmatched by a legitimate contender. The offense was stagnant and predictable. The defense surrendered 454 yards and 22 first downs, and was fortunate the Packers settled for two late field goals while running out the clock. This has become the defining feature of Tomlin’s recent tenure: his teams are competitive enough to stay relevant but rarely capable of beating the best. The Steelers have lost five straight playoff games, including four consecutive blowout defeats in the Wild Card Round: Jan. 11, 2025 — Ravens 28, Steelers 14 Jan. 15, 2024 — Bills 31, Steelers 17 Jan. 16, 2022 — Chiefs 42, Steelers 21 Jan. 10, 2021 — Browns 48, Steelers 37 When it matters most, Tomlin’s teams haven't been competitive in over a decade. To his credit, Tomlin’s Steelers are never bad. He’s never experienced a losing season in nearly two decades as head coach. But for 14 straight seasons, Pittsburgh has been simply ordinary. And for a franchise that measures success in championships, ordinary isn't good enough. The Steelers are stuck in a cycle of mediocrity: not good enough to contend, not bad enough to rebuild. There is no worse place to be in the NFL than in the middle. That reality is unlikely to change under the current structure. Tomlin, a defensive coach, offers stability but not offensive innovation. Unlike Andy Reid or Sean Payton, he depends entirely on his coordinators to generate offensive creativity. Across four hires—Todd Haley, Randy Fichtner, Matt Canada, and now Arthur Smith—the results have been the same: conservative, predictable, and uninspired. Playing quarterback for Tomlin has also become increasingly difficult in a league built around passing. That’s been true for veterans like Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson, as well as young players like Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph. Even the defense, Tomlin’s specialty, has regressed. Pittsburgh ranks 29th in yards allowed per game this season. The issue isn’t talent. Local reporters have pointed instead to Tomlin’s refusal to move on from defensive coordinator Teryl Austin or to empower someone capable of reshaping the scheme. "Mike Tomlin could have hired a guy like Packers DC Jeff Hafley," wrote 93.7 The Fan’s Andrew Fillipponi on X. "He would have walked to Pittsburgh for the job. But Mike wants puppet figurehead defensive coordinators." Jarrett Bailey of Sporting News added, "Tomlin needs to fire Teryl Austin and be forced to hand over the defense to a real DC who gets to do whatever he wants. Enough." At this point, Tomlin should be on the hot seat. The Steelers’ ownership has long valued stability, and Tomlin remains a capable coach. However, even coaching legends like Bill Belichick and Andy Reid were dismissed from previous jobs when progress stalled. Under Tomlin, progress has long stalled. The franchise’s connection to the Rooney Rule and the inevitable backlash of firing a black head coach may also play a role in Tomlin’s job security. Then again, if a team allows external criticism or identity politics to dictate football decisions, the franchise has already lost. Tomlin will be fine. Teams like the Titans or Dolphins could use a coach who brings his level of professionalism and structure. In fact, a split might benefit both sides. By keeping Tomlin, the Steelers have sent the message that Wild Card exits and records of one to two games above .500 is the new standard. However, Steelers fans will never accept such mediocrity as the standard. Barring an unforeseen postseason run, a change in Pittsburgh is overdue.
