I think there's a good chance Tomlin steps away after this season

[tbsteel]

I really think Tomlin is going to walk away after this season, or at least that there is a strong possibility of that, and here's why:

His legacy.

Think of how much more highly revered and celebrated he would be if after this season (whether we end up 8-9 or 9-8 it doesn't really matter) if he decided to step aside after this season. If he thanked the fans and the Steelers for giving him the opportunity to coach here for 19 seasons, reminisced about the prior highs, but ultimately saw that that it was mutually for the best that there be a change. He would mostly be beloved. And I even think most of the people dog cussing him up and down every week would have some perspective, be appreciative of the great years and fond memories they had over the last two decades, understand he did what he could to keep the team competitive post-Ben but just couldn't get over the hump, and tip their cap to him.

Because if he doesn't, and he decides to bitterly dig in and keep things status quo... if it's standard Tomlinisms to deaf ears and not some magical transformation in his personality or coaching style... it will be a lot uglier than the "Fire Tomlin" chants that rang out on Sunday.

So I think there's a very legitimate chance he steps away after this season. Stepping away could also allow Tomlin a well-deserved sabbatical--perhaps he takes 1-2 years in broadcasting or hell just to sit at home--to recharge and assess the NFL coaching landscape to pick his spot. At 53, he's still young enough for a return elsewhere where he can set up shop and have another long tenure, much like Sean Payton did post-Saints. For the Steelers, this could yield draft pick compensation if structured as a trade similar to when Payton joined the Broncos.

This is what I hope happens. We'll see.

[Dan Smith--BYU]

No way. An Art Lombardi would be staying with Tomlin in the face of massive public backlash.

[K_C_]

Been saying the same thing since after yesterday's game.

Much like Russell Wilson, every single time Tomlin steps on an NFL field, he tarnishes his legacy more and more. Each and every time.

Tomlin should have walked away when Ben walked away. Roethlisberger carried Tomlin to 2 Super Bowl appearances and 1 win. Tomlin thought he could win without Ben and what has taken place since #7 hung em up (and frankly, even in the few years before Ben hung em up) has been a complete disaster.

Had Tomlin retired when Roethlisberger did, they could have gone into Canton together and while many Steeler fans would not have looked at Tomlin with the same love they would have towards Ben, Tomlin's tenure would have been looked upon as extremely successful.

Not anymore. That's over. Now there's just frustration and pure hatred brewing for Mikey T...and yesterday it boiled over. Could very well get worse for him before this season ends.

Tomlin really has no chance except to step away. I'm not sure he'll be able to coach himself out of the Hall of Fame, but Cool Shades sure as fuck is giving it the old college try.

We're at the end of his tenure, for sure.

[.Kodiak]

Tomlin is not voluntarily walking away from $40M.

He's got the easiest HC gig in the NFL where 9 wins is all that is asked. The team reflects the HC - lazy and indifferent. Aaron Rodgers, like others, has discovered this team lacks a championship mentality. When you hear they don;t move TJ around because TJ doesn't want to move around, that's just malpractice.

They thump their chest like they're real contenders like they were, for a brief year or two, a decade ago. But the reality is this team is full of losers. Boswell is the only guy who seems to work to maximize his potential. And I'll give a nod to Warren, and even Gainwell. Metcalf has to be quietly steaming.

[Stillerz Bar]

Good segment this morning by Stephen A Smith, a regular Tomlin defender.

He started wit the "I like Tomlin, I think he's a good coach" stuff and then made two other commentators look into the camera so he could see their reaction and said

If any other coach had gone since 2017 without a playoff win, what would everyone be saying?

Both guys just shook their heads knowingly.

He followed it up with a mild dressing down of Tomlin and in the end said "The team and this coach need to part ways, period"

[Steeler_Fanatic]

This is the first time I've seen the national media in large part break away from Tomlin. Yesterday really does feel like a watershed moment, like it's just reached a breaking point. We saw cracks last year after the backing into the playoffs and the Baltimore debacle, but it really seems like Tomlin is running out of defenders.

Do I think he'll get fired and/or walk away? I don't know. But I do know that the entire fanbase, or at least the overwhelming majority of it, has completely had enough. Most media figures simply can't defend him anymore. Smith's critique this morning had some pretty brutal facts in it.

Even if you put the best possible spin on it, that he's a good coach whose message has gotten stale, it's past time for Tomlin and the Steelers to part ways.

[Gonzo]

i think it's hard to ignore the beat down yesterday

it was reminiscent of the ravens playoff loss - so not a one-off

it had a cheap shot on allen and then Cam oddly whining about being hurt by a QB he was lying on

it had the bills running mostly the exact same play nearly half the time with non-stop success and no change form the steelers

it had an incredibly poor showing on O - with shockingly bad play calls and Rodgers again looking old

they were bullied bad on a primetime game ... they were unprepared, were poor sports, made no changes and literally Quit. i am not sure I have seen a steelers team be punched in the face that bad and collapse and complain

[K_C_]

Tomlin is not voluntarily walking away from $40M.

He's got the easiest HC gig in the NFL where 9 wins is all that is asked. The team reflects the HC - lazy and indifferent. Aaron Rodgers, like others, has discovered this team lacks a championship mentality. When you hear they don;t move TJ around because TJ doesn't want to move around, that's just malpractice.

They thump their chest like they're real contenders like they were, for a brief year or two, a decade ago. But the reality is this team is full of losers. Boswell is the only guy who seems to work to maximize his potential. And I'll give a nod to Warren, and even Gainwell. Metcalf has to be quietly steaming.

$40 million to an NFL franchise isn't huge cash. Look at how much the Browns are eating of Deshaun Watson's contract and I already used the James Franklin at Penn State buyout example, which would have been $50 million had Franklin simply sat on his ass for the length of that contract. Because Franklin became West Virginia's coach, that buyout is going to be significantly less.

And again, Tomlin decides to stick around because of a paycheck and he will have gone from a beloved coach to many in Pittsburgh and a future Hall of Famer to something very, very fucking different.

Tomlin stays and he's a pariah. He's already pretty much reached that level and the chants by the entire crowd at Acrisure of "FIRE MIKE TOMLIN" seal that deal. Mike Tomlin has already made a shit ton of money. Likely more than he'll ever be able to spend the rest of his life and he's set his family up for life.

Also, how often have we heard; "The Steelers fire Mike Tomlin and he'll have another job the next day!" Why not test out that strategy?

[langer]

i think it's hard to ignore the beat down yesterday

it was reminiscent of the ravens playoff loss - so not a one-off

it had a cheap shot on allen and then Cam oddly whining about being hurt by a QB he was lying on

it had the bills running mostly the exact same play nearly half the time with non-stop success and no change form the steelers

it had an incredibly poor showing on O - with shockingly bad play calls and Rodgers again looking old

they were bullied bad on a primetime game ... they were unprepared, were poor sports, made no changes and literally Quit. i am not sure I have seen a steelers team be punched in the face that bad and collapse and complain

A lot of that also happened last year during that pathetic meltdown to end the season.

This is a characteristic of a Coach T and Art The Idiot managed team.

There's the individual game mismanagement, then there's the larger season-long mismanagement.

60 minute men. LOL.

[Gonzo]

i think it's hard to ignore the beat down yesterday

it was reminiscent of the ravens playoff loss - so not a one-off

it had a cheap shot on allen and then Cam oddly whining about being hurt by a QB he was lying on

it had the bills running mostly the exact same play nearly half the time with non-stop success and no change form the steelers

it had an incredibly poor showing on O - with shockingly bad play calls and Rodgers again looking old

they were bullied bad on a primetime game ... they were unprepared, were poor sports, made no changes and literally Quit. i am not sure I have seen a steelers team be punched in the face that bad and collapse and complain

A lot of that also happened last year during that pathetic meltdown to end the season.

This is a characteristic of a Coach T and Art The Idiot managed team.

There's the individual game mismanagement, then there's the larger season-long mismanagement.

60 minute men. LOL.

yesterday was particularly bad and a new Low. on par or worse than the ravens playoff game where, as reminder, on national TV Kirk Herbstreit stated

"If I were a Steelers fan the thing that would concern me just watching this first half, you're in the postseason," Herbstreit said. "You're getting dominated. I don't see any fight. I don't see any pushback."

"It's one thing to lose X, O's against a really talented offense, but where the hell is the fight?" Herbstreit added. "This is the Pittsburgh Steelers. There's nothing. They're just going through the motions."

[steelmann58]

question if he steps away for the 2026 season and comes back to another team do the steelers get any comps?

[steelmann58]

double deleatid

[langer]

i think it's hard to ignore the beat down yesterday

it was reminiscent of the ravens playoff loss - so not a one-off

it had a cheap shot on allen and then Cam oddly whining about being hurt by a QB he was lying on

it had the bills running mostly the exact same play nearly half the time with non-stop success and no change form the steelers

it had an incredibly poor showing on O - with shockingly bad play calls and Rodgers again looking old

they were bullied bad on a primetime game ... they were unprepared, were poor sports, made no changes and literally Quit. i am not sure I have seen a steelers team be punched in the face that bad and collapse and complain

A lot of that also happened last year during that pathetic meltdown to end the season.

This is a characteristic of a Coach T and Art The Idiot managed team.

There's the individual game mismanagement, then there's the larger season-long mismanagement.

60 minute men. LOL.

yesterday was particularly bad and a new Low. on par or worse than the ravens playoff game where, as reminder, on national TV Kirk Herbstreit stated

"If I were a Steelers fan the thing that would concern me just watching this first half, you're in the postseason," Herbstreit said. "You're getting dominated. I don't see any fight. I don't see any pushback."

"It's one thing to lose X, O's against a really talented offense, but where the hell is the fight?" Herbstreit added. "This is the Pittsburgh Steelers. There's nothing. They're just going through the motions."

What is the reason for this happening over and over and over.

Does Coach T do somethng before the game to demotivate these guys, make it hard for them to get going and want to play hard?

It's damned curious.

[bradshaw2ben]

Tomlin is not voluntarily walking away from $40M.

He's got the easiest HC gig in the NFL where 9 wins is all that is asked. The team reflects the HC - lazy and indifferent. Aaron Rodgers, like others, has discovered this team lacks a championship mentality. When you hear they don;t move TJ around because TJ doesn't want to move around, that's just malpractice.

They thump their chest like they're real contenders like they were, for a brief year or two, a decade ago. But the reality is this team is full of losers. Boswell is the only guy who seems to work to maximize his potential. And I'll give a nod to Warren, and even Gainwell. Metcalf has to be quietly steaming.

This is why you sell the trade to him. You still get the money, Mike... in fact, you can renegotiate your deal with the new team before we agree to the trade. You get a raise, we get compensation... everybody is happy.

[StillerDownSouth]

I don’t think the Steelers will owe him shit if they fire him and he takes another job, the Steelers hold all the cards, they should tell him to seek another opportunity and they will take compensation via draft picks for granting him permission to leave.

[bradshaw2ben]

question if he steps away for the 2026 season and comes back to another team do the steelers get any comps?

Yes. As long as they don't fire him––if he resigns, retires, or agrees to a trade... Steelers get compensation because he's still under contract to them.

So, you can bet your ass they will fire him, as a courtesy.

[DumlinBumlinStumlin]

I really think Tomlin is going to walk away after this season, or at least that there is a strong possibility of that, and here's why:

His legacy.

Think of how much more highly revered and celebrated he would be if after this season (whether we end up 8-9 or 9-8 it doesn't really matter) if he decided to step aside after this season. If he thanked the fans and the Steelers for giving him the opportunity to coach here for 19 seasons, reminisced about the prior highs, but ultimately saw that that it was mutually for the best that there be a change. He would mostly be beloved. And I even think most of the people dog cussing him up and down every week would have some perspective, be appreciative of the great years and fond memories they had over the last two decades, understand he did what he could to keep the team competitive post-Ben but just couldn't get over the hump, and tip their cap to him.

Because if he doesn't, and he decides to bitterly dig in and keep things status quo... if it's standard Tomlinisms to deaf ears and not some magical transformation in his personality or coaching style... it will be a lot uglier than the "Fire Tomlin" chants that rang out on Sunday.

So I think there's a very legitimate chance he steps away after this season. Stepping away could also allow Tomlin a well-deserved sabbatical--perhaps he takes 1-2 years in broadcasting or hell just to sit at home--to recharge and assess the NFL coaching landscape to pick his spot. At 53, he's still young enough for a return elsewhere where he can set up shop and have another long tenure, much like Sean Payton did post-Saints. For the Steelers, this could yield draft pick compensation if structured as a trade similar to when Payton joined the Broncos.

This is what I hope happens. We'll see.

So there’s a chance I need to update my Jersey name plate to FuckTomlin if he digs in?

[StillerDownSouth]

question if he steps away for the 2026 season and comes back to another team do the steelers get any comps?

Yes. As long as they don't fire him––if he resigns, retires, or agrees to a trade... Steelers get compensation because he's still under contract to them.

So, you can bet your ass they will fire him, as a courtesy.

It would be just like the Doncos having to give the Saints draft picks for hiring Payton. My question is, who would be top candidates to replace Tomlin, I would love someone from the Shannehan or McVay tree, my guess is they would hire another defensive guy though. I wouldn’t mind the Rams d-coordinator who has been with McVay for a while.

[StillerDownSouth]

A trade with the Giants would make perfect sense, Rooney and Mara have a connection, Giants need a big name coach, and the Steelers could have the 1,2, or 3 pick next year from the Giants plus their pick which will probably end up being top 10.

[Stlcrtn1974]

question if he steps away for the 2026 season and comes back to another team do the steelers get any comps?

Yes. As long as they don't fire him––if he resigns, retires, or agrees to a trade... Steelers get compensation because he's still under contract to them.

So, you can bet your ass they will fire him, as a courtesy.

It would be just like the Doncos having to give the Saints draft picks for hiring Payton. My question is, who would be top candidates to replace Tomlin, I would love someone from the Shannehan or McVay tree, my guess is they would hire another defensive guy though. I wouldn’t mind the Rams d-coordinator who has been with McVay for a while.

His grandfather gave Noll a Defensive coordinator job with the Colts.

[Dan Smith--BYU]

In related news, there's a good chance Markle gives up her claim to the throne.

Why would they give up easy millions for NOTHING?

[DumlinBumlinStumlin]

A trade with the Giants would make perfect sense, Rooney and Mara have a connection, Giants need a big name coach, and the Steelers could have the 1,2, or 3 pick next year from the Giants plus their pick which will probably end up being top 10.

Mnf pregame crew discussed how the giants move forward

Guess who was the preferred replacement for Daboll ?

Tomlin. Person escaped me but he said Tomlin would be prefect for the new young guys

I kid you not

[Steeldrama]

“That’s just pride fuckin with you.”

Tomlin won’t walk away, resign or retire.

Way too prideful

If anything Rooney will promote him.

Announce a move to the front office

Once upon a time pontificated by B2B, Tomlin could one day be calling ALL the shots for your once beloved Pittsburgh Steelers

THAT would SUCK

[StillerDownSouth]

“That’s just pride fuckin with you.”

Tomlin won’t walk away, resign or retire.

Way too prideful

If anything Rooney will promote him.

Announce a move to the front office

Once upon a time pontificated by B2B, Tomlin could one day be calling ALL the shots for your once beloved Pittsburgh Steelers

THAT would SUCK

He already is calling all the shots, all the signings have his fingerprints all over them, and he's heavily involved in the draft process.

[Steeldrama]

“That’s just pride fuckin with you.”

Tomlin won’t walk away, resign or retire.

Way too prideful

If anything Rooney will promote him.

Announce a move to the front office

Once upon a time pontificated by B2B, Tomlin could one day be calling ALL the shots for your once beloved Pittsburgh Steelers

THAT would SUCK

He already is calling all the shots, all the signings have his fingerprints all over them, and he's heavily involved in the draft process.

Nah

Andy Weidl wields some personnel power

Brought the build from the trenches philosophy over from Philly

[langer]

He's lost Stephen A.

[955876]

This team sucked ass for decades before Dan Rooney came along.

This team has sucked since he left.

This team will suck until Art II aka the Dunce is gone.

Is the next Rooney like his dad or his “lovable loser” great grandpa or like grandpa Dan?

Where this team goes hinges on that.

Dunce isn’t fixing this

[langer]

This might be the worst team in the NFL.

They get really lucky with turnovers, but are godawful in everything except special teams. Really bad, putrid.

Without garbage time, they could have ended up with less than 100 yards total offense Sunday?

This has been going on for years without a change.

But then they spend huge amounts on washed players.

What a crazy situation.

[CKSteeler]

The Bills RB knocking the ball out of his own hands and the Steelers defense falling on it and then proceeding to have a group celebration in the endzone is perhaps the perfect symbol of the Tomlin era since like 2010. Hubris and entitlement after doing absolutely nothing and then proceeding to get their asses handed to them in all the ways that matter.

[Gonzo]

A lot of that also happened last year during that pathetic meltdown to end the season.

This is a characteristic of a Coach T and Art The Idiot managed team.

There's the individual game mismanagement, then there's the larger season-long mismanagement.

60 minute men. LOL.

yesterday was particularly bad and a new Low. on par or worse than the ravens playoff game where, as reminder, on national TV Kirk Herbstreit stated

"If I were a Steelers fan the thing that would concern me just watching this first half, you're in the postseason," Herbstreit said. "You're getting dominated. I don't see any fight. I don't see any pushback."

"It's one thing to lose X, O's against a really talented offense, but where the hell is the fight?" Herbstreit added. "This is the Pittsburgh Steelers. There's nothing. They're just going through the motions."

What is the reason for this happening over and over and over.

Does Coach T do somethng before the game to demotivate these guys, make it hard for them to get going and want to play hard?

It's damned curious.

i don't know and it has been a big question for me as well for a long time. my only guess is it's the deer in headlights thing - he looks stunned, starts rocking and just freezes. they wont so anything to change and there is no direction and the players just fade.

i also think this is a very very mentally and physically soft team / likely because it's all built on bullshit. they are a complete contradiction of words versus actions.

they really look a lot like those old Marvin Lewis bengals. all mouth and faux toughness before the game ... come out bounding off the walls and keyed up and curl into a ball with the first punch in the mouth.

as iron mike said - everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth / this team folds with that punch

watt especially just seems to quit with any adversity