Pittsburgh Steelers fans are starting to get disillusioned with Mike Tomlin. The long-time head coach is well-revered with a ton of accomplishments. Over the last few years, though, the Steelers have simply been treading water. Tomlin continues to churn out winning season after winning seasons, but it hasn't led to meaningful playoff success.
This season might be most fans' final straw with the legendary head coach. The Steelers were spotted with a division lead early in the season, with the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals struggling early in the season. However, Pittsburgh has squandered that division lead now, with the Ravens leading the division at the time of writing.
This mid-season collapse has fans questioning whether Tomlin is still the right guy to lead the Steelers. One former player of his, James Harrison, has said that it might be time for Tomlin to give up his post. Now, another ex-Steeler, former MVP Ben Roethlisberger, says that it might be time for Tomlin to get a “fresh start” somewhere else.
“It’s being talked about around here a lot,” Roethlisberger said on his podcast. “Maybe it’s ‘clean house’ time. Maybe it is. … And I like Coach Tomlin. I have a lot of respect for Coach Tomlin, but maybe it’s best for him, too. Maybe a fresh start for him is what’s best, whether that’s in the pros (or not).”
That being said, Roethlisberger doesn't think that the Steelers should unceremoniously fire Tomlin on the spot. Rather, the former star says that the team should pay respect to Tomlin's legacy and have a discussion with him about stepping down.
“Here’s what you don’t do. You don’t fire a guy like Coach Tomlin,” Roethlisberger said. “He’s a Hall of Fame coach. He’s respected. What you do is you come to an understanding and agreement. It’s like, ‘Hey, listen, I think it’s probably best for both of us.’ Because, listen, we’ve had the same head coach in Coach Tomlin, different offensive coordinators, different defensive coordinators, but it’s kinda been the same story.”
The Steelers had a chance to keep the division lead after the Ravens' loss to the Bengals this week. However, they were unable to capitalize on that opportunity, dropping their game to the Buffalo Bills in a demoralizing loss.
