The Pittsburgh Steelers are stuck in a period of mediocrity following the 2023 season. The Mike Tomlin era started out phenomenally as he took the team to two Super Bowls in his first four seasons, with one of those resulting in a sixth Lombardi Trophy for the franchise. The message from Tomlin, to the public eye, seems to have gone stale, however. The organization hasn't won a playoff game since the 2016 season and the fan base is becoming exhausted of the idea of a non-losing season being claimed as a victory by the national media. Things need to change, and quickly.
Team President Art Rooney II doesn't speak to the media very often, but the best time to catch him making comments about the team are shortly after the season ends. He spoke to the media recently and made it known that the recent lack of playoff success has been frustrating for him. He sat down with Bob Pompeani for an exclusive one-on-one interview on KDKA-TV on Tuesday and expanded on his comments about the postseason. Some key words might hint at something bigger going on.
Sure, Rooney mentioned that Tomlin shares this sentiment, what head coach wouldn't? What's more telling are the words "impatient" and "urgency." Those are two words that no coach wants to hear an owner saying. Tomlin has enjoyed job security since the 2007 season, but fans are getting restless. Tomlin's years in Pittsburgh may be numbered if the trend continues.
Tomlin is entering the last season of his contract in 2024 and is expected to receive an extension prior to the season beginning. At the end of the day, the NFL is a business and the Steelers haven't been doing a good job of reaching the end goal in well over a decade. Some franchises aren't as spoiled as the one in the Steel City, but that should make it even more of a reason for Tomlin to officially enter the hot seat in 2024.
Rooney and Tomlin have a very strong working relationship, but life after Tomlin for the Steelers' organization may finally beginning to enter Rooney's mind. It's likely that Tomlin's extension is for two years and goes through the 2026 season, but being impatient and pressing urgency doesn't exactly guarantee employment through those years, despite how the Steelers have operated historically.
Impatience will typically lead to changes happening at high levels. Given the recent promotion of General Manager Omar Khan, he won't be going anywhere anytime soon. That leaves a potential Tomlin firing as the biggest consequence coming from the team's owner being dissatisfied. One thing can solve the potential strain on Rooney and Tomlin's partnership: playoffs wins, and several of them.
Steelers Need To Take Big Step In 2024 And Moving Forward
It's no secret that Tomlin is the ultimate player's coach. Guys love to play for him and if they want to keep him around, they need to do their part on the field to help his job security going further. There's a strong chance that Tomlin would get another head coaching gig elsewhere very quickly, but Rooney seems to be beginning to think about the results of late. He understands that a proud franchise can't continue to go without winning games late in January.
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