Oct 16, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin looks on during warmups before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

Mike Tomlin Make Surprising Admission About Steelers Offense

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI
By Jack Markowski | Last updated Nov 26, 2025 1:00 PM ET

The Pittsburgh Steelers have garnered a reputation as a team that shies away from throwing towards the middle of the field, but head coach Mike Tomlin admitted that there's opportunities available to them in that regard and that their game plan is more so circumstantial rather than being based on their inherent preferences.

"It's week-to-week depending on the schematics that the team or the teams that we compete against choose to deploy," Tomlin said. "But certainly larger, if you look at the large body of work, there's probably some more opportunities for us in the interior portions of the field."

Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tomlin's Reasoning for Avoiding Middle of the Field

Following the Steelers' collapse at the end of the 2024 campaign, which saw them lose the final four games of the regular season before falling in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, insider Mark Kaboly revealed that Tomlin has chosen to largely stay away from the middle of the field due to the turnover risk that comes with doing so.

"Mike Tomlin's been very transparent with that. Once you throw the ball over the middle, a lot of bad things can happen. He's said that before," Kaboly said on 93.7 The Fan in February. "I don't know if he's said that publicly, but now it is publicly. He's said that before. So I mean, that tells you the mindset right there. He wants to stay away from turnovers, and he believes the majority of turnovers do come from the middle of the field, throwing the ball."

That philosophy worked last year, as Pittsburgh threw the third-fewest interceptions in the league with six, though that number sits at eight entering the team's Week 13 contest vs. the Buffalo Bills this time around.

Diving Into The Numbers

As it would turn out, Aaron Rodgers has been rather efficient on throws over the middle so far this season.

According to Pro Football Focus, the 41-year-old has completed 101 of his 133 passes between the numbers for 13 touchdowns and four interceptions.

On throws to the outside, Rodgers has gone 91 for 137 while racking up six touchdowns and no interceptions.

Though the four-time MVP's attempts over the middle have led to quite a few scores with a high completion percentage, Tomlin's belief that doing so has more or less been vindicated given that all of Rodgers' interceptions have come in that area of the field, per PFF.

Pittsburgh's passing offense hasn't put up the gaudiest of numbers with just 195.1 yards per game this season. Maybe using the middle of the field more often could help that total improve, but Tomlin may also be on to something.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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