After another season without a playoff victory, Pittsburgh Steelers fans are getting frustrated. They’re used to the Steelers competing for a championship. Unfortunately, the team hasn’t lived up to that standard in recent years. Despite that, it feels like Mike Tomlin’s job is totally secure. Art Rooney II didn’t seem to turn the heat up on Tomlin. However, NFL insider James Palmer believes Tomlin might be facing a little more pressure than he usually does.
“I think, the Steelers, there’s a vibe right now that there might be a little more pressure in Pittsburgh on Mike Tomlin than there has been in years past,” Palmer said recently on Bleacher Report’s YouTube channel. “Doesn’t mean he’s a bad coach, it just means they’ve had this elite mediocrity for some period of time. What do they do to push themselves into that top group for the AFC?”
Although Tomlin is one of the best coaches in the NFL, not winning a playoff game since 2016 has impacted his reputation. The Steelers have gotten obliterated in their recent postseason appearances. It’s impressive that they’ve managed to remain competitive without a franchise quarterback, but the team shouldn’t use that as an excuse.
The 2024 season was particularly ugly. For most of the season, it looked like the Steelers would escape this cycle of mediocrity. However, that did not happen. They lost their final four regular season games, dropping the AFC North crown at the finish line. It was the kind of collapse that erases a lot of the good things they did all year. Add in their awful showing in the playoffs, and things only get worse.
If the Steelers have a similar season in 2025, Tomlin should face some serious scrutiny. The Steelers are coming up on almost a decade without a postseason victory. No one involved with the team should be happy about that.
How can they change things next season, though? They’re still without a clear long-term plan at quarterback. That usually doesn’t bode well for a team’s chances in the playoffs. However, like Palmer says, Tomlin isn’t a bad coach. The Steelers were 10-3 last year, and that was after switching from Justin Fields to Russell Wilson under center. They’ve shown they can win with even average quarterback play.
Perhaps the Steelers can bring back one of those players and upgrade the rest of their roster. They’re bringing back most of their key pieces. If they can improve upon some of their weaknesses, they could have a chance to actually win a playoff game. It isn’t a championship, but it would be a step in the right direction. Anything else would be disappointing, and maybe that would land Tomlin in some hot water.
