Steelers Insider Drops Brutal Truth About Mike Tomlin's Biggest Failures

Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin is undoubtedly a great leader of men. In his 18 seasons in the NFL, Tomlin has incredibly never had a losing season. His ability to motivate and keep his teams competitive year after year is a testament to his leadership. However, while Tomlin’s regular-season consistency is impressive, his inability to secure a playoff victory since the 2016 season raises serious questions about his postseason performance and overall impact in critical moments.

The issue with Tomlin is that he hasn't won a playoff game since the 2016 season. Many coaches would have been fired several seasons ago, but Pittsburgh has always been known for their stability, rarely pulling the trigger on a coaching change. Despite his ability to maintain a respectable record, the Steelers' playoff shortcomings have left fans and analysts wondering if Tomlin's leadership is enough when it matters most.

The most frustrating thing for Steelers fans is that Tomlin often gets credit for problems he either creates or plays zero role in solving. During a discussion on Dave Dameshek’s Shek Show with Brooke Pryor and Tim Benz, Pryor made a compelling analogy that exposed the brutal truth about Tomlin's recent failures. It highlighted how Tomlin’s handling of the team in key situations has led to missed opportunities, and his reluctance to make necessary adjustments has held the Steelers back from reaching their full potential in recent years.

"He does a great job," Pryor said. "The thing is, it's not a mystery basket. He is the one that's going grocery shopping. It feels like this is Mike Tomlin's show. In a lot of ways, he creates the problem and then he solves it and then he gets credit for solving it without a lot of acknowledgement that, 'Well, you're in this problem because you had a hand in it.'"

What Pryor is suggesting is that Tomlin has far too much influence over roster construction at this point in his coaching career. The Steelers' organization seems to trust him more than any other team in sports, but despite that, year after year, Tomlin assembles these teams and it's never quite enough. Pundits often praise Tomlin for doing more with less, but as Pryor points out, the reality is that he has less because it's his own fault.

Tomlin played a significant role in drafting Kenny Pickett, brought in Mitch Trubisky, and failed to develop a solid plan for life after Ben Roethlisberger as he neared the end of his career. Throughout his tenure, Tomlin has been heavily focused on defense, but his highest-paid unit has repeatedly failed to live up to the expectations, leaving fans and analysts frustrated with the lack of results despite the investment.

The most frustrating aspect of Tomlin's tenure is the lack of support he receives from the coaching staff he hires. His coordinators and other key staff members often seem to underperform, leading to missed opportunities and inconsistent results. Tomlin is the person in charge of hiring them and keeping them. That's another fault of his.

Steelers' Mike Tomlin Has Had Resources But Failed

While many in the national media praise Tomlin for doing more with less, often pointing to his ability to keep the team competitive despite limited resources, Pryor is calling Tomlin out for not building a better, more well-rounded roster year after year. It's one thing to make the most of what you have, but it’s another to consistently fall short because the foundational pieces aren’t strong enough. 

Pryor’s criticism highlights the reality that Tomlin's failure to address the underlying roster issues is a major factor in the Steelers' inability to truly compete at the highest level. Steelers fans have had to sit back and watch while other elite organizations have quickly found their quarterback. The Steelers have been in limbo at the most important position in sports for several seasons now. With no clear end in sight.

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