Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin has never experienced a losing season in his 18 years at the helm in the NFL. He has remarkably managed to keep the Steelers competitive, even during years of quarterback flux, but that consistency hasn't impressed the entire fan base. Many believe the lack of playoff success is more important than regular season records. With no postseason wins since the 2016 campaign, a growing number of fans think it’s time to move on from the Tomlin era.
Doug Pensinger / Getty Images
Steelers' Ryan Clark gets coached up by Head Coach Mike Tomlin during the Super Bowl.
One of Tomlin’s strongest supporters over the years has been former Steelers safety Ryan Clark. As a player and later as an analyst, Clark has often defended Tomlin’s coaching style and praised the culture he built in Pittsburgh. Even when the team fell short in the playoffs, Clark continued to highlight Tomlin’s ability to keep the Steelers relevant. However, after what unfolded during the 2024 season, even Clark has started to shift his perspective.
Clark appeared on the Green Light podcast with Chris Long and revealed what he believes is Tomlin’s biggest flaw. He pointed to Tomlin’s unwavering loyalty to his players and coaches as something that may be holding the team back. According to Clark, the refusal to make necessary changes or hold certain people accountable is becoming a problem. For someone who has long defended Tomlin, Clark’s change in tone signals a deeper concern about the direction of the Steelers.
"I do believe, and I can be honest, I never really thought about replacing Bruce Arians and Dick LeBeau," Clark said. "What I'll say about that is, those actually weren't [Mike Tomlin's] hires, per se," Clark said. "We had Ken Whisenhunt, we moved to Bruce Arians who was on the staff. Obviously Dick LeBeau was a hold over from Coach Cowher."
Two of the most effective coordinators during Tomlin’s tenure were Offensive Coordinator Bruce Arians and Defensive Coordinator Dick LeBeau. Both played major roles in the team’s success early in Tomlin’s career, including their Super Bowl runs.
AP photo
Steelers' Mike Tomlin and Bruce Arians look on during a home game in Pittsburgh.
During the podcast, Long pointed out what he sees as a serious issue: Tomlin has never been able to replace them with coordinators of the same caliber. Since their departures, the Steelers have struggled to find consistent leadership on both sides of the ball.
"Honestly, picking your coordinators is a big deal," Clark said. "Especially when you don't call plays, because he doesn't call defense for the team. If there is a criticism of him, the conservatism is a part of it. There has been some late-game mismanagement at times, but yes, he hasn't found two guys on each side of the ball that has learned to excel in the most important moments."
Clark agreed with Long’s assessment and took it a step further. He made it clear that Tomlin shouldn’t even get credit for those two hires in the first place, since neither Arians nor LeBeau were brought in by Tomlin himself. They were already in place when he became head coach.
According to Clark, the real test of a coach’s vision is who they choose to bring in and develop, and in that regard, Tomlin has come up short.
Steelers' Mike Tomlin Hasn't Gotten It Right With His Staff
Clark’s comments reflect a larger concern about the Steelers’ direction over the past several years. While Tomlin’s ability to keep the team competitive is undeniable, the lack of elite coordinator play since the early part of his tenure is hard to ignore. For a team that prides itself on stability and championship expectations, the failure to build a strong coaching staff around him has become a glaring issue.
Nick Cammett / Diamond Images / Getty Images
Steelers coaches Mike Tomlin (left), Karl Dunbar (middle) and Teryl Austin (right) stand on the sideline during a home game at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA.
The Steelers’ current Defensive Coordinator, Teryl Austin, has drawn a lot of recent attention. The Steelers' defense is highly compensated, but hasn’t performed up to expectations in critical moments over the past few seasons. This has led many fans to believe Austin should be the next coordinator to go. It’s a fair criticism of Tomlin to question his coordinator choices in recent years.
#SteelerNation
