Speculation ends: Mike Tomlin steps down as Steelers head coach after 19 seasons, closing a remarkable, yet playoff-stalled, era.
The uncertainty surrounded the Pittsburgh Steelers all season.
Would Mike Tomlin’s 19th season as coach be his last? Would the Steelers fire him? Would Tomlin walk away? Would Tomlin return as the coach next season and put to rest all the rumors and speculation?
The answer finally came on Tuesday afternoon when Tomlin resigned. The decision came less than 24 hours after the Steelers were routed 30-6 at home by the Houston Texans in an AFC Wild Card playoff game at Acrisure Stadium.
“During our meeting today, Coach Tomlin informed me that he has decided to step down as our head coach,” Steelers owner Art Rooney II said in a statement released by the team. “Obviously, I am extremely grateful to Mike for all the hard work, dedication, and success we have shared over the last 19 years. It is hard for me to put into words the level of respect and appreciation I have for Coach Tomlin. He guided the franchise to our sixth Super Bowl championship and made the playoffs 13 times during his tenure, including winning the AFC North eight times in his career. His track record of never having a losing season in 19 years will likely never be duplicated.”
The Steelers put on a lackluster performance on Monday night. Even though they trailed 7-6 at the end of the third quarter, it seemed clear that they had no chance of winning. Then the Texans scored 23 points in the fourth quarter, and the game turned into an embarrassment for the Steelers.
The home crowd booed throughout the final moments of the game. It was reminiscent of the Steelers’ loss to the Buffalo Bills on Nov. 30 when the fans began chanting for Tomlin to be fired.
Monday night’s loss had to be particularly frustrating for Rooney. The loss was the Steelers' seventh in a row in the playoffs — the sixth by double digits — and they have gone nine seasons without winning in the postseason. And that Super Bowl that the Steelers won in Tomlin’s second season in 2008 now seems like a lifetime ago.
The Steelers went 10-8 this season, but they seemed lucky to have even won that many games. While the Steelers won their first AFC North title since 2020, they also had the good fortune of playing in a division in which the other three teams had losing records.
This season also marked the third straight with the same record. While it might not be fair to suggest the Steelers are backsliding, it is clear they aren’t making progress. They are stuck in football purgatory -- good enough to reach the playoffs but not good enough to win once they get there.
The Steelers’ mediocrity caught up to them once again, but this time it was clear that the organization needed to make changes. Tomlin had to know it as he walked off the field on Monday night, and then he did something about it on Tuesday.