I'm 51 years old....

[Stlcrtn1974]

and not to make this a long story of being a Steelers fan, but I've been watching since 1979. I hear you guys talk about how you don't care like you used to and sadly, I don't either. I used to scream and yell at the TV, be ecstatic for the week when they won and miserable for a few days when they lost. Now, I don't really feel much different if they lose like today or win like they did last week.

I wonder if I or any of us will get that feeling back because I really miss it. I will continue to watch every week hoping, alot sooner then later cuz let's face it we aren't getting any younger, we can get excited once again instead of being in Mediocrity Mike Purgatory.

[AirRescueFF]

Worst stage to be in- the apathetic one.

Only thing really care about is Tomlin getting the fuck out of town for good.

[stillthere]

Mike Tomlin has sapped my fandom from me.

[Steelperch]

and not to make this a long story of being a Steelers fan, but I've been watching since 1979. I hear you guys talk about how you don't care like you used to and sadly, I don't either. I used to scream and yell at the TV, be ecstatic for the week when they won and miserable for a few days when they lost. Now, I don't really feel much different if they lose like today or win like they did last week.

I wonder if I or any of us will get that feeling back because I really miss it. I will continue to watch every week hoping, alot sooner then later cuz let's face it we aren't getting any younger, we can get excited once again instead of being in Mediocrity Mike Purgatory.

It’s 100% an effect of Mike Tomlin and the direction of the franchise. Everything they do from not throwing to the middle of the field, to not throwing past the sticks or creating any form of an intermediate passing game all screams a strong commitment to mediocrity rooted in an insane fear of having turnovers. That’s the identity now. The single most conservative and chickenshit franchise in sports.

Additionally they completely trashed the model that made the franchise successful.

We never used to make trades or sign high dollar free agents. We use to laugh at team like Dan Snyder’s Redskins who won the off-season then sucked in the regular season. We built through the draft and had quiet off-seasons. Not any more. We used to keep key free agents of our own and let others walk instead of overpaying them. Now we overpay our own guys and get held hostage by declining C3 players like Watt and Heyward. Those guys get league record setting contracts for the sake of nostalgia or loyalty or some shit .

The biggest issue is we all know going into the season Tomlin will be insanely conservative, beat the bad teams and steal a couple wins against good teams and finish a little over .500. His defense will be embarrassed against top teams and in any playoff game. They will never contend with him at the helm. If not for inheriting prime Ben and Lebeau’s defense he is Marvin Lewis or a poor man’s Marty Schottenheimer. Fuck Mike Tomlin and the Rooney family for being content with 9 wins in perpetuity.

Like you I’m in the same age bracket and never had a point in time where I didn’t give a fuck about the team like this until the past few years since Ben retired.

[Orangesteel]

Preach, perch.

Good is the enemy of great. It’s cliche but it’s 6 words that have defined this franchise for about 15 years now.

[swissvale72]

I'm 70 years old and I've been watching this team since 1965, attended games as a 10-year-old by myself at Pitt stadium. EVERY win was cause for celebration. Hell; 5-8-1 in 66 was a success.

This might explain somewhat why I will never vote for the team, always believe they have a chance to win and think they will win even when the odds are clearly against them. I can do that and still acknowledge that Mike Tomlin is a dumb fuck. I used to say he was a game day dumb fuck but now his dumbfuckedness is more generalized. This team used to throw the ball down field, but no more . every game it seems, this one, at Cincinnati, Green Bay, Chargers… Last four losses, they've started out a seemingly strong, and then through a series of fuck ups, like the botched tush push today, Or the inability to intercept that floater starting the second half against Green Bay, dropped interceptions both against the Chargers and today… And you have the same shitty result.

I think they got fucked over on the replay assist denying them the first down on a drive where they almost certainly would've had points and then Dugger dropped pick cost three points before half.

Just a very frustrating game today, not going to let it ruin my week as I would have before I'll be back rooting for the next week and remaining hopeful

[rooneytunes]

Had early Thanksgiving today. Ate around 4pm. Right after the last drive debacle. I ate and had a great time with the family. In the past everyone would have been on pins and needles. Now, losses are like."Meh". Wins are like "K".

Never ending cycle of being stuck in the middle has turned me into "Mr. Blahhhh".

[franco32]

I'm 51 yrs old too and can't recall a Steelers team I disliked more. They annoy the fck out of me. Scam chirping away about $ when he is in decline. Watt kissing Tomlin's ass even if it means no SBs for him. Patrick Queen acting tough and then constantly missing tackles and getting burned. Joey Porter talking trash even though he's burned regularly.

So many players to get on your nerves and then you have Tomlin who is the worst of them all. Ben Johnson ate our staff for lunch today. We constantly left the middle WIDE OPEN and he ran crossers, seam routes, posts all day and we never did anything about it.

Sickening.

[DumlinBumlinStumlin]

Julian Edelman says……



What did he say about Tomlin…….yea, 1000% true

[CKSteeler]

It’s 100% an effect of Mike Tomlin and the direction of the franchise. Everything they do from not throwing to the middle of the field, to not throwing past the sticks or creating any form of an intermediate passing game all screams a strong commitment to mediocrity rooted in an insane fear of having turnovers. That’s the identity now. The single most conservative and chickenshit franchise in sports.

It needs to be emphasized that he has the offense playing this way despite having one of the all-time greats under center at protecting the football. One of the lowest interception rates in history.

He's never going to trust anyone to do those things. At some point under Haley, he decided that the juice wasn't worth the squeeze and it's made all the more maddening by the fact that his own defenses hate going up against the very schemes he eschews on offense. Tomlin's offenses do exactly what his defenses want other offenses to do, and it has seemingly never occurred to him that this is ludicrous.

[steelmann58]

I agree not the same for a few years I don’t think I be that way until we move on from Tomlin

[shellwagnerblount]

I'm 51 yrs old too and can't recall a Steelers team I disliked more. They annoy the fck out of me. Scam chirping away about $ when he is in decline. Watt kissing Tomlin's ass even if it means no SBs for him. Patrick Queen acting tough and then constantly missing tackles and getting burned. Joey Porter talking trash even though he's burned regularly.

So many players to get on your nerves and then you have Tomlin who is the worst of them all. Ben Johnson ate our staff for lunch today. We constantly left the middle WIDE OPEN and he ran crossers, seam routes, posts all day and we never did anything about it.

Sickening.

True. Very unlikable team overall..."just good enough to get you beat"..not sure who said that but it came to mind watching the game today. I'm pushing 70 and this team is making me feel like I hit the century mark..lol

I think it's the repetitive nature of the failures that gets to me. We fail in the same way almost every time..the U shaped offense, the lack of any type of disguise on running plays or blitz packages...never using the middle of the field and getting burned easily by the other team who DO use the middle..etc etc...WE also draft nutbar WR's who drop in the draft "for some reason" instead of O line and Dline guys who might fortify the lines. Been going on forever it seems..just like my bitching about it..

I guess I still care but I'm wondering why ..this aint' your Chuck Noll Steelers..not even the post SB years that I still enjoyed the hell out of...I suffered through every loss and gloried in every win. But like many of you..the late Tomlin years have turned me into a guy who expects the worse and is rarely disappointed.

[RealSwiss]

For most of my years, there was always the possibility the Steelers could win a given game. Even outmatched, it was a "just maybe". The last many years with Tomlin it's been about the other team making mistakes or the other team playing poorly enough to lose. It's not a satisfying way to go through a season.

[langer]

The laziness and disinterest of Coach T, coupled with his arrogance and t-shirts with his stupid sayings sold by his wife...

Is this team just a vehicle for Mike Tomlin? Does he care more than this.

There's something about his arrogance and the stupid way the team is run that is irritating. And add in the ownership being disinterested in change.

Who wants to cheer that shit on. Who wants to see it fail miserably and embarrassingly.

Coach Mike has worn out his welcome, he's had more than enough time to figure this shit out and not do the same stupid fucking things week in and week out. And then to point fingers at others and get pissy in press conferences.

It's a shame the Steelers are run by a chump like that.

[zeke5123]

Truly a testament to how good Big Ben (and the murderer) were. Despite this dog shit offense he was able to generate points. If anything his greatness has convinced Tomlin the offense can work if just executed.

Wonder what he would’ve done with a Reid.

[Stillerz Bar]

For most of my years, there was always the possibility the Steelers could win a given game. Even outmatched, it was a "just maybe". The last many years with Tomlin it's been about the other team making mistakes or the other team playing poorly enough to lose. It's not a satisfying way to go through a season.

I'm 61 and like many others here, am less invested in the Steelers than at any time in my life.

I completely agree that each week the question seems to be, will the other team make enough mistakes for the Steelers to win? Sad, very sad

One key factor over the last few years has been our inability to adjust at halftime. In eleven games this season we have only outscored the opponents 4 times - three of those were the Jets, Browns and 2nd Bengals game. Every decent coach has out maneuvered Tomlin's staff. Happening occasionally is understandable but getting outcoached more than half the time barely even reaches the level of mediocrity.

I wish I still cared more than I do but until major changes happen at the top, I just don't see that happening.

[alancac98]

I'm 59 and have been rooting for the Steelers since I was 5. They were my Grandpaps team and I was his boy! Anymore, I don't care if I have to miss the game. In the Ben years, I would schedule my entire weekend around the game, making sure all of the work was done between Friday evening and Saturday night (I would work my ass off at times) just so it would free up my Sunday afternoon. I watched yesterdays game until the 2nd half. I still watched, but I took much of the time to help my grandson with a paper research paper that is due tomorrow (I was going to do it later after dinner). I even went out at half-time and changed the oil in my wife's car. My have times changed. I used to be fuming mad at a loss. Now, I just continue on through my day. It's a really sad time to be a Steeler's fan.

[Charles Demarr]

I turned 50 this year, and there’s never been a point in the last 40+ years that I’ve cared less about this team.

My wife just asked yesterday why red zone was on and not the game. It’s very depressing, I want to care like I used to.

[Steelafan77]

Been on the far less interested moving train since 2015.

Began to dislike fraudlin earlier than that, round 2009.

I’ll just go on record to say this team has become a shadow of itself.

Can’t debate any of the heartfelt comments above. I find myself in full agreement with them.

[W&M_Steeler]

I used to never miss Steelers games, but over the past several seasons I have missed more than I've watched. 2017 and 2018 basically broke my belief that Tomlin could win anything, and the 2020 collapse and loss to the Browns in the playoffs snuffed out any lingering hope. Lately I follow by force of habit more than anything.

It's bad enough that the Steelers haven't been true contenders for the past 7 or so seasons, but what's worse is that they play ugly, hard to watch football. The overpaid, overhyped defense is brittle and breaks when it can't generate turnovers. The offense is basically unwatchable most of the time and looks like a high school team compared to top offenses. It's frustrating and boring, and it has taken the fun out of watching games.

Plus, as I get older I find myself less interested in subjecting myself to an onslaught of tv ads to watch a bunch of spoiled millionaires play half-heartedly to make money for billionaires. I have better things to do with my time.

At this point I doubt that even Tomlin leaving would get my passion to where it was 15 years ago.

[bradshaw2ben]

I think they got fucked over on the replay assist denying them the first down on a drive where they almost certainly would've had points

Once the play is blown dead for forward progress being stopped, there is no possible replay review or challenge. And I actually support more of these kinds of plays being called dead when fwd progress stops, because otherwise you get a cheap shit fumble like the Steelers got when the CHI runner was stopped cold but hadn't touched the ground yet. If that happened to our team, we'd be rightly pissed.

[Greeksteel]

Im 57 and 100% agree with the sentiment of this post and the replies. I always knew Ben was vastly underrated by most fans and especially Steelers fans and he still is, but the level of greatness he rose to, and what he was able to accomplish under the dumbfuck Tomlin is nothing short of remarkable and miraculous. Didnt think i could appreciate the player he was any more than i already did but I absolutely do.

[W&M_Steeler]

Im 57 and 100% agree with the sentiment of this post and the replies. I always knew Ben was vastly underrated by most fans and especially Steelers fans and he still is, but the level of greatness he rose to, and what he was able to accomplish under the dumbfuck Tomlin is nothing short of remarkable and miraculous. Didnt think i could appreciate the player he was any more than i already did but I absolutely do.

I wonder what Ben would have accomplished under an Andy Reid or a Ben Johnson. Ben and Tomlin were a toxic combo because they allowed each other to get complacent.

[Greeksteel]

Im 57 and 100% agree with the sentiment of this post and the replies. I always knew Ben was vastly underrated by most fans and especially Steelers fans and he still is, but the level of greatness he rose to, and what he was able to accomplish under the dumbfuck Tomlin is nothing short of remarkable and miraculous. Didnt think i could appreciate the player he was any more than i already did but I absolutely do.

I wonder what Ben would have accomplished under an Andy Reid or a Ben Johnson. Ben and Tomlin were a toxic combo because they allowed each other to get complacent.

I honestly believe Ben under Reid and a more modern aggressive GM, would have been talked about in goat conversations by most if not all fans.

[CoolShades]

This thread is a depressing confessional.

Look what Mike Tomlin and Art the Lesser have done to us.

[Jizz Mop]

61

I no longer let this team ruin my day

I’m so sick of Tomlin that I actually hope each painful or embarassing loss is one step closer to the end of Tomlin. (And don’t tell me this mfer has a contract for life, bull shit)

This franchise is in such dire need of change and it’s beyond insane at this point

Mr “Doesn’t Live in His Fears” is the biggest POS ever associated with this franchise.

[TimmayLake]

Anyone over the age of 35 should know they won't see another Steelers Super Bowl in their lifetime.

How sad is that?

[swissvale72]

61

I no longer let this team ruin my day

I’m so sick of Tomlin that I actually hope each painful or embarassing loss is one step closer to the end of Tomlin. (And don’t tell me this mfer has a contract for life, bull shit)

This franchise is in such dire need of change and it’s beyond insane at this point

Mr “Doesn’t Live in His Fears” is the biggest POS ever associated with this franchise.

You think it's bullshit?? Let's play out worst case scenario, Steelers lose out, including a home loss to a Miami team who is light years better than them. Lose in Cleveland Sunday after Christmas, finish 6-11.

You think the Rooneys fire Tomlin in this scenario?? After one, in their mind, disastrous season?? His first and only losing season in 19 years?? There's no fuckin way? Could Tomlin himself decide to step down? Could...still comes down to Tomlin leaves only when Tomlin decides to leave.

Look, I've been calling for this guys ouster longer than most of you asshats, for a dozen years. But he's going nowhere until he decides to. I've previously listed the reasons why.

Steelers should take a page from the Penn state playbook, who jettisoned the guy who's more Tomlin than Tomlin, and fire the guy right now. They won't. More likely is that Arthur Smith and his abysmal tight end centric offense, complete passes on 1st & 2nd down and still lose the ball on downs. That won't happen either.

No, instead trade the guy who's now being hailed as the best receiver in the NFL cuz he was allegedly disruptive.

So yeah, fuck this entire organization but Tomlin ain't going nowhere, Jizz, until Tomlin decides to.

[Gonzo]

I also suspect Smith and Austin will be fired or "leave" after this year and we will hear .... we need to get better, we dont make excuses, we as men just need to get back to work.

I agree mostly swissvale, but this is coming to a head sometime soon. Because: (i) I believe that if its solely up to Tomlin he isnt leaving for a long time - why would he -- 7-10 more years. The only way he leaves sooner is if he is told he should; and (ii) they are not going to have any success beyond NHALS in that time -- this team as currently constructed and schemed with mid-to-late round draft picks coming in ... is a disaster without any direction - its obvious to most everyone not vested in lieing about it

and I want to add, before I hear it ... this isnt a typical fans complaining about not winning SBs as we all understand SBs are very hard and you dont win often. The problem that IMO is unique here is that - the team is intentionally built and schemed to be 9-8 and they pretend to have a chance at a SB (they do not have one - not even close ... and thats not an exaggeration for effect ... we can all see it plus they arent building to win a SB) and the team is not likable (we have all rooted for bad steelers teams before because we liked them so each game was an event in and of itself). and also heading off at the pass -- while QB is an issue it is not THE issue ... this brain trust mostly screwed the career of one of the best QBs ever hwen they had him. They cant win with Be, Rodgers or Brady ... in part because they dont really want them except to the extent they avoid INTs. I have zero doubt Tomlin hated Bens risk taking play. plus playing big dollars to the QB takes away money to pay his defensive pets

[langer]

and the team is not likable

Anytime Coach T gets shitty with the media he is by proxy getting shitty with the fanbase that doesn't like his bullshit methods and leaving at 3PM Friday before a game and all the other stupid ass crap he pulls.

Im not sure any NFL team is likable anymore with how much we find out about them with all the information at our fingertips.

What is definitely under their control is how the team is run, and it's a fuckin disaster.