Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin is in his 17th year as the head guy, and it's been arguably the most chaotic one yet. Just two weeks ago, all hopes were lost in terms of a trip to the postseason after the team had lost three consecutive games. Fast forward to the present, and the hopes are back. Mason Rudolph has helped wake up the offense, who has led the group to back-to-back 30-point performances.
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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph (2) celebrates a first down after a scramble against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16.
Suddenly, all of the talk about potentially firing Tomlin is gone. That's what happens when you respond in the way that Tomlin and the Steelers have. The players in Pittsburgh have always defended their coach as one of the best in football. TJ Watt credited the Week 17 victory to Tomlin and his ability to get the team ready for the must-win contest. In the latest episode of his podcast New Heights, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce defended Tomlin while blasting the media as well.
"The media are so dumb. Why do we even do media? They’re just a bunch of jacka****. They’re just out there talking nonsense," Kelce said on his podcast. "[Tomlin is] one of the best coaches the NFL has ever seen, about to possibly get his 17th consecutive non-losing season. Jesus Christ."
Kelce, a two-time Super Bowl champ and eventual Hall of Famer, has an eye for coaching talent. With the Chiefs, he's had the benefit of learning from one of the best coaches of this generation in Andy Reid. Although they have vastly different coaching styles, Tomlin is no different in the fact that he's considered one of the best coaches in the NFL. Despite that, the rumors were getting loud just a few weeks ago.
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Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid has built an incredible team and continues to be one of the most brilliant minds in the NFL.
The Steelers were unprepared and lost consecutive games to lowly two-win squads. If there was one main criticism of Tomlin in his tenure, it would be the fact that his teams tend to play down to their competition. It reared its ugly head again in Weeks 13 and 14, but he has been able to get the team to respond in the correct way. There were murmers about Tomlin potentially losing the locker room, but as winning typically does, those rumors have been put to rest for now.
Were Steelers Fans Too Critical Of Tomlin?
The team has had a bit of a quarterback controversy over the last week or so, particularly as Kenny Pickett has become healthy. Tomlin opted to stick with Rudolph as the starter in Week 18, despite the fact that Pickett is now back from injury. On Tuesday, Pickett shut down any rumors of him turning down the opportunity to be the backup in Week 17. For now, that bit of drama seems to be put to rest.
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Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin and quarterback Kenny Pickett get ready for a regular season game in 2022.
With his 17th consecutive non-losing season, Tomlin seems likely to return now in 2024 for the Steelers. His contract runs through the end of the 2024 season, so the question will be if the front office will extend his contract this offseason. While there are always ups and downs with Tomlin's teams, he remains one of the best motivators in football. It's hard to imagine Pittsburgh being able to find a better option to replace him as well. It's nice to hear one of the game's best players, Kelce, defend Tomlin and his importance to the Steelers.
Were you ever at the point that you thought Tomlin should be fired after the season? With the team's success in recent weeks, is Tomlin's job fully secure for 2024? Do you agree with Kelce's comments in defending the Steelers' longtime head coach? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, yinz!
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