"It Might Get Loud" for Tomlin

[NorthCoast]

The org is certainly behaving like there is some truth to this.

https://fansided.com/posts/mike-tomlin-hot-seat-steelers-offseason?utm_source=RSS

Calls for Mike Tomlin's job have already started, but not from Steelers fans
The Pittsburgh Steelers offseason has been nothing short of a success, but that hasn't stopped some pundits from calling out Mike Tomlin.


By Mark Powell | Apr 9, 2024


As things currently stand, Mike Tomlin will head into the 2024 season on the final year of his contract, though that could change by the end of the offseason. Tomlin is now the longest-tenured head coach in the NFL after the Patriots let Bill Belichick walk. However, he's had very little playoff success in the past decade, leaving many in Pittsburgh wanting more.


Undoubtedly, Tomlin feels the heat coming towards the north shore in Pittsburgh. Steelers fans and ownership will only tolerate so much mediocre play, and Tomlin's winning record streak can only carry him so far. He is not Jeff Fisher.


This offseason, Pittsburgh has already revamped its quarterback room by acquiring both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields while trading Kenny Pickett to Philadelphia. They also added a key piece on defense in linebacker Patrick Queen. With the NFL Draft just weeks away, Tomlin is already hearing some in the media call for his job.


Myles Simmons and Mike Florio listed the Steelers and Tomlin as a team which cannot afford to get off to a slow start in 2024, with the former going as far as to say it "might get loud" for Pittsburgh's head coach.


Is Mike Tomlin already on the hot seat for the Steelers heading into 2024?
Simmons isn't out of line with his commentary. If the Steelers struggle to start the 2024 season, Pittsburgh fans will turn on Tomlin quickly. Even last season in the midst of a playoff run, Steelers fans weren't thrilled with Tomlin's coaching style. After an early exit in the postseason (a loss in Buffalo), the greatest Tomlin supporters weren't surprised.


A team once judged by Lombardi Trophies has settled for winning records and Wild Card exits. The ultimate goal is no longer a Super Bowl, but instead just one measly playoff win in Patrick Mahomes' AFC, something the Steelers haven't accomplished since 2016.


What makes the Steelers organization great is its stability from the top-down, starting with the Rooneys. General manager Omar Khan fully trusts Tomlin to help run the Steelers program, but his message has grown stale. Unless he can back up his bravado with postseason success -- one win at minimum, more highly encouraged -- a parting of ways could make sense for both sides.


But it's far too soon to go down that path. Let's talk again next January.

[Eich]

A team once judged by Lombardi Trophies has settled for winning records and Wild Card exits. The ultimate goal is no longer a Super Bowl, but instead just one measly playoff win in Patrick Mahomes' AFC, something the Steelers haven't accomplished since 2016.

This hurts to read. And it's worse than "something the Steelers haven't accomplished since 2016". It's something the Steelers haven't accomplished in 13 out of 17 seasons. And that's with Ben around for a lot of them.

I'm so very tired of the "winning record" phrase. How many times are we going to hear this from announcers this season?

And while we look for our next franchise QB, I think it does make sense to focus on defense. A great defense can help beat Mahomes as long as the offense isn't the worst in the league. Changing out the coordinator and the QB room certainly has to result in some improvement. It can't get much worse. Will this season be that stepping stone to the elusive playoff win?! At least that's something to be excited about. I've always liked Wilson's game in Seattle. Hopefully some of that guy is still left in the tank.

[Shawn]

I believe Vegas has the Steelers at less than .500 this season. If that happens Tomlin will be gone. For better or worse a change will happen. I personally think the Steelers will win 12 games this season and Tomlin will get a reprieve from most fans criticism. It mostly relies on key players staying healthy and the play of Wilson. If those two things fall in line the Steelers will be real contenders.

[Northern_Blitz]

For better and worse I don't think Tomlin has anything to worry about on the job security front.

Outside of big off field scandals, I think he'll be here until he doesn't want to be here anymore.

For this season, I think we're a good bet to make the playoffs. But we'll probably be underdogs going on the road against one of the better QBs in the league.

[Buzz]

For better and worse I don't think Tomlin has anything to worry about on the job security front.

Outside of big off field scandals, I think he'll be here until he doesn't want to be here anymore.

For this season, I think we're a good bet to make the playoffs. But we'll probably be underdogs going on the road against one of the better QBs in the league.

Totally agree. There is no real "hot seat" for Tomlin.

[Eich]

For better and worse I don't think Tomlin has anything to worry about on the job security front.

Outside of big off field scandals, I think he'll be here until he doesn't want to be here anymore.

You're probably right, because it's the Steelers. In pretty much any other franchise, failing to win a playoff game in 13 of 17 seasons is going to get you fired, even when 2 of those early seasons had you in the Super Bowl.

[Oviedo]

Yada yada yada yada

[T.Ferguson]

I don't think it matters on the outside if Tomlin is supposedly on the hot seat, Tomlin will not be fired, that's not happening although I do think Tomlin's next contract extension will be his last in Pittsburgh. Essentially Tomlin will be the HC for the next 3-4 seasons and that'll be that. The one caveat to that is if the Wilson experiment goes down in flames and Fields continues to be Fields then I could see Tomlin stepping down a season or two before the contract expires.

Personally, I think it's obvious that Rooney and Tomlin should've parted ways like 10 seasons ago or so but Rooney seems more concerned with PR and "stable franchise" branding these days it seems.

[Northern_Blitz]

I don't think it matters on the outside if Tomlin is supposedly on the hot seat, Tomlin will not be fired, that's not happening although I do think Tomlin's next contract extension will be his last in Pittsburgh. Essentially Tomlin will be the HC for the next 3-4 seasons and that'll be that. The one caveat to that is if the Wilson experiment goes down in flames and Fields continues to be Fields then I could see Tomlin stepping down a season or two before the contract expires.

Personally, I think it's obvious that Rooney and Tomlin should've parted ways like 10 seasons ago or so but Rooney seems more concerned with PR and "stable franchise" branding these days it seems.

If the bar for success is only SB wins and we're looking in hind sight, we should have traded all the assets we had after the GB loss and tried to rebuild with the huge haul we would have gotten for Ben.

But my guess is that we'd have done worse in that alternate timeline than the one we lived.

[feltdizz]

Tomlin won’t be fired but he will step down if this doesn’t work.

[Eich]

Tomlin won?t be fired but he will step down if this doesn?t work.

Or he'll be "encouraged" to step down.

Or he'll retire the way Arians retired.

[feltdizz]

Or he'll be "encouraged" to step down.

Or he'll retire the way Arians retired.

yes, I think it will be similar to Ben retiring.

Still had a little left but was encouraged to step down.

We will agree to part ways like NE and Billicheat.

[T.Ferguson]

If the bar for success is only SB wins and we're looking in hind sight, we should have traded all the assets we had after the GB loss and tried to rebuild with the huge haul we would have gotten for Ben.

But my guess is that we'd have done worse in that alternate timeline than the one we lived.

Steelers have no playoff wins in almost a decade now, no matter how one spins it ("never had a losing season") that is bad and any other coach on any other team would've been long gone by now not counting Marvin Lewis. More and more fans are voicing their displeasure directed at Tomlin but in the end it should be directed at Rooney.

[T.Ferguson]

Tomlin won?t be fired but he will step down if this doesn?t work.

I think this is the most likely outcome at this point. Tomlin even mentioned in his season ending PC that he still had some fire or gas left in the tank or something along those lines, ie, not the phrasing one would use to indicate they are in it for the long haul.

[Buzz]

unless Mike feels that he wants to leave, he'll remain with us
Rooney will never pressure him to go, IMO
he still thinks we're lucky beyond belief to have Tomlin -- I don't think the playoff win drought bothers him nearly as much as we think it should