Steelers' Mike Tomlin Has Fans Puzzled Over New Explanation Regarding Defensive Schematics

While speaking on 93.7 The Fan on Tuesday, Steelers media personality Joe Starkey revealed something concerning about Tomlin’s current approach. Starkey noted that the coach is speaking in ways he has never done before, suggesting a shift in tone or mindset that could indicate underlying problems within the organization.

"Man the thing that really stands out to me is that Mike Tomlin keeps coming back to, 'We are limited to what we can do defensively with our schematics,'" Starkey said on 93.7 The Fan. "I don’t think I have ever heard him talk about… like, is it an excuse?"

This departure from his usual public demeanor may signal that Tomlin is grappling with the pressures of maintaining success while striving to finally recapture postseason glory. 

For Steeler Nation, it’s a subtle but noteworthy warning that even a coach of Tomlin’s stature is feeling the weight of nearly a decade without playoff triumphs.

"It’s just strange that he keeps coming back to that," Starkey said. "Then figure it out. Figure it out defensively so that teams aren’t carving you up in the soft zone where people are wide open. By the way, there’s a huge canyon between figuring it out perfectly and allowing people to run wide open on 4th & 2 for a touchdown like Hunter Henry did."

Starkey makes a tremendous point here as well. No one is asking Tomlin to have the greatest defense in history or even in the modern-day NFL. What fans are asking is for a defensively minded head coach to maintain an above-average unit, especially when he has a roster full of talented veterans on the defensive side of the ball.

Steelers' Mike Tomlin Likely Speaking This Way For 1 Main Reason

Tomlin is likely speaking this way because the Steelers did bring in a number of new faces on defense. Naturally, that could explain why he’s emphasizing certain points for now. However, it is concerning to hear him talk about a highly paid defense with so much talent and depth being so limited against relatively weaker NFL teams.

The underlying worry for Steelers fans is that even with experience and top-tier personnel, the team has yet to consistently dominate on defense in recent seasons. If this trend continues, it could impact both the regular season and postseason performance, making the team’s aspirations for playoff success even more challenging.

Are you worried about how Mike Tomlin has been speaking about the defensive schemes being limited? Why or why not?