Steelers' Mike Tomlin Had His Team Feeling Like They Were In A Movie After Fierce Speech Amidst Losing Skid

The Pittsburgh Steelers employ the longest tenured head coach in the NFL, Mike Tomlin. Tomlin is respected around the league by players and other coaches, and he famously has never had a losing season. He is considered a players coach, and guys around the league leap at opportunities to play for him. Currently, Brandon Aiyuk is trying to force himself away from the San Francisco 49ers so he can come to Pittsburgh and be coached by Tomlin.

Tomlin has been ridiculed a bit over the last several years. His streak of winning seasons has continued and Pittsburgh has made a few playoff appearances, but the seven years without a postseason win is getting hard to ignore. Tomlin's team fell out of the playoff race late in the 2023 season after a horrific losing streak. After the last game of the losing streak that dropped the Steelers to 7-7, Tomlin delivered a speech that turned the season around. Steelers Director Of Player Development Darrel Young shared the story on the Coaches Corner Podcast.

"We had lost to the Colts, and we needed that game. We ended up being 7-7, we was on a three-game losing streak. We could've stayed in the playoff hunt, and at that point, we had just dropped out of it. [Tomlin] comes in and he says, 'There will be no revolution without bloodshed.' Feels like we're in a movie. He said, 'Just let that sink in.'"

Tomlin is known for having a way with words and the way he speaks. His sayings are often referred to as "Tomlinisms," and his former players constantly joke about them. Pittsburgh didn't lose a single game throughout the rest of the regular season after this moment, and found a way to claim the last seed in the AFC for the playoffs. Their season ended quickly in the Wild Card round, but Tomlin still deserves credit for getting his team to turn their season around.

This was the third loss in a row for Pittsburgh, but it was the easiest one to swallow. Prior to losing to the Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh lost to the Arizona Cardinals and the New England Patriots. Both were two of the worst teams in the league record wise, as they each had a top five selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Steelers were expected to win these three games, and losing them nearly ended their season.

Thankfully, Tomlin always finds a way to get his team to go on impressive winning streaks at the end of the regular season. In 2022, the Steelers began the season with a 2-6 as they entered their bye week. They then finished the season going 7-2, and had a record of 9-8. They looked like one of the worst teams in the league at the start of the year, but were competing for a playoff spot up until the end of the regular season.

Steelers' Mike Tomlin Earned A New Extension During The 2024 Offseason

Most coaches that go seven straight seasons without a playoff victory get fired, but the Steelers organization has complete faith in Tomlin. Many fans were calling for his job as the Steelers were enduring their losing streak during the 2023 season, but he was able to turn things around. This, along with the countless years of success, has earned Tomlin his newest extension.

The new deal will keep Tomlin in Pittsburgh through the 2027 season, and it may be the last contract he signs. Tomlin turned 52 during the 2024 offseason, and there's a chance he decides to hang up the whistle after his new contract expires.

For now, Pittsburgh fans get to enjoy as one of the best coaches in the league leads the Black and Gold.

What do you think of Young's story? Let us know in the comments below!

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