The Pittsburgh Steelers 2023 season is currently on life support after back to back home losses. These defeats came at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots. These two franchises only had two wins entering the respective matchups and will still likely have top five picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. Steeler Nation is embarrassed by the performances from their favorite team in Weeks 13 and 14, and that even includes former Steelers players and front office personnel.
Arron Anastasia / Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers got shocked by back to back upsets at home against two teams who are in the bottom of the NFL
Despite his impressive track record that includes zero losing seasons as the Steelers' head coach, Mike Tomlin is getting a significant amount of blow back following these loses. Some of the fan base has been calling out Tomlin for years saying that he has consistently underperformed and that winning records without a semblance of postseason success mean nothing, and now the recent stretch has added fuel to that fire.
After the most recent loss to the Patriots, Tomlin held firm and was adamant that the Steelers will recover from these loses and turn things around, saying "this is what we do", as he assured that his team can continue to overcome the hurdles in front of them despite the bleak outlook. That answer didn't sit right with everyone, including a former executive of the Steelers who was around during the beginning of the Tomlin era in Pittsburgh.
Kevin Hoffman / USA Today Sports
Former Steelers exec Doug Whaley bashed Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin after an abysmal performance against the Patriots in Week 14
Doug Whaley, who is a former Director of Football Operations for the Steelers, as well as the current Senior Vice President of Player Personnel for the XFL, made his voice heard when joining the WPXI Black and Gold Show Thursday night after Tomlin made the comments above. Here is what Whaley had to say.
"He said this is what they do and this is what they've done is at home get beat by inferior teams," Whaley said in response to Tomlin's comments. "Then he said this is who we are. Tell me, coach, who are you? Who are you on offense? Who are you on defense? Offense, you have no identity. Defense, the strength of your team has let your team down the last two games. So to me, when he says those statements, I've got to have a follow-up question. Please explain more because I don't know. The fans don't know and the biggest question is do the people in that locker room know who they are?"
These comments are direct and to the point, and unfortunately, are opinions shared by many members of the Steelers fan base at the moment. Tomlin has been a solid head coach for nearly two decades, but the lack of playoff wins over the last five plus years has really rubbed many the wrong way. Winning seasons are nice, but the standard is much higher for the Steelers than nine-win seasons.
Steelers Struggles Should Have Been Expected Based On Underlying Issues
Unfortunately, this doesn't look like it is something new. A defense full of play-makers at all levels has been inconsistent and incapable of dominating games like their talent would suggest, albeit, they do have some significant injuries on that side of the ball. Pairing that with an offense that has continued to struggle since they were last a powerhouse in 2018, regardless of who the quarterback is, likely has been signs that the wheels will fall off at some point.
Wheels might be falling off as fans watch the season progress, and even some players are starting to potentially realize it. Minkah Fitzpatrick and Cameron Heyward both were very vocal after the Patriots loss, highlighting that players need to adjust their attitude, and some likely even deserve to lose playing time with their current performance or effort levels.
Jared Wickerham / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick was one of many Steelers that were vocal about the team's performance after the loss to the Patriots in week 14
There is still time to right the ship and turn this downturn around to end the season on a high note with a potential playoff run. It is easier said than done, but with four games left on the schedule anything can happen. The offense will need to quickly make strides that we all were expecting upon Matt Canada being fired, and the defense will need to tighten up and not allow opposing teams to take advantage of their holes so easily, but its possible.
What do you think about Whaley's comments towards Tomlin? Do you think Tomlin and the Steelers can recover from these losses and make the playoffs in 2023? Let us know in the comments below!
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