Mike Tomlin’s track record should speak for itself, but some don’t believe so.
On one side, there’s the consistency with nearly two decades without a losing season, playoff contention, and a Super Bowl title early on. On the other hand, there was frustration about his postseason results from fans, particularly in recent years.
One of the best players in Pittsburgh Steelers history believes that’s important, but his comments were ridiculous.
Former star linebacker James Harrison made it known that while he respects Tomlin, he doesn’t view him as a Hall of Fame head coach, perhaps the worst take ever.
“I can’t give him a Hall of Fame coach because he hasn’t made disciples,” Harrison said on Deebo and Joe. “You’re telling me you’re a Hall of Fame coach, but no one has followed you? That can’t be the thing. He’s the only coach that has coached this long and does not have a tree. Guys are emotionally attached to him, not performance.”
“A great coach, the measurement of greatness, it’s not based on personal experiences and relationships you’ve had with them. It is purely what you did as a coach. Did you get championships? Did you build disciples? Wins and losses is great, but those wins and losses have to add up to championships,” Harrison said, per Penn Live. “A Hall of Fame coach should be making history for having the longest losing streak in playoff history.”
There’s no questioning that Tomlin was one of the most respected leaders in the league, as players consistently praised him.
Harrison’s comments also reflect a mindset common among players who came up during championship eras. For them, being a Hall of Famer is all about winning, which is fair and unfair.
I get it, but at the same time, why blame Tomlin when there were other issues?
Whether that assessment is fair is up for anyone else to decide. Tomlin still has time to add to his legacy if he decides he wants to coach again. Another deep playoff run or championship would certainly help him, but it won’t matter, as he’s a Hall of Famer.