Mike Tomlin isn鈥檛 just hearing 鈥淔ire Tomlin!鈥� chants from Steelers fans. A couple of the franchise鈥檚 greatest players are saying Pittsburgh needs to make a coaching change.
The NFL鈥檚 longest-tenured coach has been under and even Ben Roethlisberger and James Harrison have joined in.
鈥淐oach Tomlin鈥檚 been here a long time,鈥� Roethlisberger said on his 鈥淔ootbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger鈥� podcast this week. 鈥淵ou鈥檇 give him a statue, whatever you鈥檝e got to do, because he deserves it, he鈥檚 earned it. But it鈥檚 time to find that next guy. Who鈥檚 that next guy that could be here for the next 20 years?鈥�
Strong comments from the two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback who played 15 seasons for Tomlin before retiring in January 2022.
Tomlin led the Steelers to a Super Bowl title in his second season but hasn鈥檛 returned to the AFC championship game since 2010. He鈥檚 never had a losing season in 19 years in Pittsburgh but is 0-5 in the playoffs since 2016.
The Steelers (6-6) are playing for first place in the AFC North against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday yet critics are piling on because they鈥檝e lost five of seven and don鈥檛 seem like a team that has a chance of making a playoff run.
Harrison, a two-time All-Pro linebacker who played parts of 10 seasons for Tomlin, was harsher than Roethlisberger.
鈥淚 have never been a person (who) thought Coach Tomlin was a great coach,鈥� Harrison said on his 鈥淒eebo and Joe鈥� podcast. 鈥淚 thought he was a good (coach). … A good coach gets you to play to your potential. And right now, the players we have on that team I have seen play, they鈥檙e not playing up to their potential. A great coach gets you to play to your potential.鈥�
It鈥檚 rare to hear accomplished players be this critical of their former head coach, especially someone as respected as Tomlin. His impressive resume would help him quickly land another job if he left Pittsburgh.
Roethlisberger suggested Penn State would be an ideal fit for the 53-year-old Tomlin.
鈥淵ou know what he would do in Penn State? He would probably go win national championships, because he鈥檚 a great recruiter,鈥� Roethlisberger said.
The Steelers have only had three coaches since 1969. Chuck Noll led them to four Super Bowl titles in 23 years. Bill Cowher won a Super Bowl in his 14th of 15 seasons. Both coaches are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Tomlin is 189-113-2 with one Lombardi trophy. He should get a gold jacket when he鈥檚 finished coaching.
Maybe his message has grown stale in Pittsburgh. Perhaps he needs a fresh start. Sometimes a change of scenery works out for an organization and a coach.
Andy Reid was fired by the Eagles in 2012 after winning more games than any coach in franchise history because he couldn鈥檛 win a Super Bowl. He went right to Kansas City and has won three rings with the Chiefs. Meanwhile, Philadelphia has won two Super Bowls with two coaches 鈥� Doug Pederson and Nick Sirianni 鈥� since Reid left.
鈥淗ere鈥檚 what you don鈥檛 do: You don鈥檛 fire a guy like Coach Tomlin,鈥� Roethlisberger said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a Hall of Fame head coach, he鈥檚 respected. What you do is you come to an understanding and agreement, and it鈥檚 like, 鈥楬ey, listen, I think it鈥檚 probably best for both of us.鈥�
鈥淵ou go, 鈥楬ey, Coach, listen, it鈥檚 probably best for all parties involved, let鈥檚 start over.鈥� It happened with Chuck Noll, it happened with Coach Cowher.鈥�
Roethlisberger is right. The Steelers shouldn鈥檛 fire Tomlin. There鈥檚 plenty of football remaining this season. If Pittsburgh misses the playoffs or goes one-and-done, a change could make sense for both sides.
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