Steelers Insider Compares HC Mike Tomlin To Barry Switzer Amidst Recent Criticisms

Pittsburgh Steelers fans are getting louder with their criticism. After the embarrassing Week 13 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals, the team's record dropped to 7-5. While they remain in the playoff picture, it brought up more of the same from the past. Oftentimes, Mike Tomlin's teams have underperformed against poor competition. Many argued that this particular loss, against a two-win team at home, was arguably the worst one in Tomlin's tenure.

The Steelers coach has kept the franchise competitive for the past few years despite an incompetent offense. His streak of finishing at least .500 stays intact, but it seems fans are caring less and less about that statistic. It has raised questions on if the team should consider moving on from Tomlin in the near future. In his mailbag on Thursday, Paul Zeise of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette compared Tomlin to former Dallas Cowboys head man, Barry Switzer.

"Mike Tomlin is basically Barry Switzer, who won with Jimmy Johnson’s team. There is something to be said about inheriting a team versus building a team. Tomlin inherited a team, but he still added to the roster and coached them to two Super Bowls. I just don’t know how anyone can deny that. If you look at Switzer, he inherited a team and coached them to a Super Bowl title. I would have been interested to see him guide the rebuild after all those stars retired."

It's an interesting comparison, and Switzer doesn't exactly give Steelers fans a fond memory. Upon taking over Jimmy Johnson's talented Cowboys roster, Switzer was able to lead them to a Super Bowl XXX victory over the Steelers. Shortly thereafter, he stepped down from his position after just four seasons with the Cowboys. Before that, he became a legendary name in the college ranks with the University of Oklahoma.

Should The Steelers Consider Firing Tomlin?

In other words, he's not really someone that you want to be compared to. On the contrary, Tomlin has already outlasted Switzer's NFL tenure. Now in his 17th season as the Steelers head coach, he is 170-98-2 in his tenure, yet hasn't won a playoff game since the 2016 season. In that span, the Steelers have gone winless in their last three trips to the playoffs. They haven't made the Super Bowl since 2010-11, which is a bit of disgrace by the standards in Pittsburgh.

"The bottom line is Tomlin has done a really good job, but he did get off to a great start to his career by taking over a team that was already built. Also, the defenders who say '[Bill] Cowher didn’t win with those players' are being silly. They were 8-8 the year before mostly because Ben Roethlisberger was injured in a motorcycle accident before the season and wasn’t fully healthy until about six or seven games in the season," Zeise continued.

Players have been transparent about just how good of a coach Tomlin is. He gets his message through to the guys and holds everyone accountable. In the meantime, he still builds close relationships with his guys. There's no doubt that he could do a better job with the staffs that he has put together over the years. Former Offensive Coordinator, Matt Canada was a particularly bad hire, and he somehow lasted in Pittsburgh for nearly three years.

Even when the hire was made, his resume was considered questionable. Tomlin's contract runs through the 2024 season and in all likelihood, the Steelers brass will hold onto their guy. This upcoming offseason will be a crucial stretch for Tomlin though, particularly with the hire that he makes at the offensive coordinator spot. It could truly make or break the outlook of this team for the next few years.

What are your thoughts on Zeise's comparison here? Is it disrespectful to compare Tomlin to a coach that only lasted four seasons in the NFL? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, yinz!

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