The Pittsburgh Steelers had one of their most favorable games of the season in Week 13 against the Arizona Cardinals. It seemed like there was no way they could lose to a team with just two wins on the year. However, the Steelers lost by a score of 24-10. The game was not even close, and the Steelers got destroyed. There were many pre-snap penalties and the day was full of sloppy play from Pittsburgh. Former Steelers offensive linemen Trai Essex called out Head Coach Mike Tomlin for the embarrassing loss.
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Steelers' Mike Tomlin on the sidelines during Week 13 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
Steelers' Tomlin Called Out By His Former Player
The Steelers were favored by nearly an entire touchdown coming into their Week 13 showdown with the Cardinals, and they squandered their opportunity to get an easy win. They could've cemented themselves into the first Wild Card spot in the AFC. Everything that could go wrong for the Steelers in the game, went wrong, however. They had two illegal formation penalties on offense, they were flagged for having 12 men on the field on defense, and had to waste a timeout because they couldn't get the correct personnel on the field.
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Steelers' Mike Tomlin prior to a game against the Cardinals.
These are all mistakes that could be traced back to the coaching staff, which starts with Tomlin. As head coach, it's his job to make sure his players know their responsibilities every week. Tomlin is supposed to make sure players know when they need to be on the field, and that they know where to line up within the formation. Essex blasted Tomlin on X for the lack of preparation and effort his team showed.
"I am legit trying my best to be even keel and not over react, but the non competitive product we put on the field today is an indictment vs Tomlin. That's just being real. I love my coach. He usually gets the most out of guys. But this is bad. Plain and simple."
Tomlin has been criticized a lot as of late. Mainly for being as loyal as he was to former Offensive Coordinator, Matt Canada, but also for overlooking opponents and for having poor game management. This wouldn't be the first time Tomlin overlooked an opponent in 2023, as back in Week 4, the Steelers got destroyed by the Houston Texans the week before they played the Baltimore Ravens. Every season, the Steelers will lose a game or two to a team they should easily beat, and there is no one to blame for that besides Tomlin.
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Steelers captain, Cameron Heyward (left) and Head Coach, Mike Tomlin (right) talk to one another during a 2022 training camp practice at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Tomlin has had a great head coaching career with the Steelers. As everyone knows, he has never had a losing season during his entire tenure which started back in 2007. In the eyes of the national media, Tomlin is considered one of the best head coaches in the entire league, however a lot Steelers fans have been calling for his job for many years now. The continued mediocrity has grown old. Although the Steelers continue to find themselves with a winning record, they have not won a playoff game since the 2016 season which is simply unacceptable.
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Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin seems to struggle with challenging calls.
Essex spent most of his NFL career with the Steelers and won two Super Bowls with the team. He played under Tomlin from 2007 through the 2011 season, so he knows what it's like to be a player for him. Essex obviously wants Tomlin and the Steelers to succeed, so the fact that he was calling out his former head coach and placing the blame for the loss on Tomlin says something about the lack of preparation and effort the Steelers showed in the Week 13 loss to the Cardinals.
Do you think Tomlin is at fault for the brutal loss? What do you think about one of his former players calling him out? Let us know in the comments below!
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