The Pittsburgh Steelers could be losing their playoff position in the AFC. Pittsburgh is now 6-6 after losing an ugly game against Buffalo in Week 13. Now rumors are beginning to swirl about major changes that the Steelers could make this upcoming offseason.
ESPN's Stephen A. Smith made a bold statement about head coach Mike Tomlin after Pittsburgh's most recent defeat.
“It’s time, it’s over. I know that’s a bit shocking for most people to hear. Especially coming from me, a Steelers fan, who loves me some Mike Tomlin,” Smith said on Monday via First Take. “I’ve loved and admired him for years. I’m in no way trying to imply that this man is not a head coach. He’s not a quality head coach. He’s not a Hall of Fame head coach. I’m not trying to imply that at all.”
Smith highlighted Pittsburgh's lack of postseason success as a major indictment of Tomlin's recent performance.
“If any other coach had not won a playoff game since 2016, what would we be saying? Anybody else? That’s the bottom line,” Smith added.
Ultimately, the Steelers are stuck in a cycle of mediocrity. They may need to change their head coach to break that cycle.
“They have been a model of mediocrity or slightly above for over a decade and that’s unacceptable,” Smith concluded.
Will the Steelers maintain their streak of consecutive winning seasons in 2025?
One of the hallmarks of the Mike Tomlin era in Pittsburgh has been his streak of consecutive winning seasons. Could it come to an end in 2025?
The Steelers are 6-6 heading into the last five weeks of the regular season. They need to win three of their last five games to keep that streak alive. But their schedule won't make it very easy.
Pittsburgh plays two games against Baltimore, and one game each against Detroit, Cleveland, and Miami.
Those last two games should be easy wins, but the other three could be troublesome. Considering the state of the AFC North, those two games against the Ravens will be especially important.
Of course, simply getting another winning season may not be enough to save Tomlin's job this time.
Next up for the Steelers is a Week 14 matchup against the Ravens.
