Steelers’ Mike Tomlin Calls His Most Controversial Accolade Meaningless

Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin came to the organization and got off to a hot start, winning a Super Bowl in just his second season. That early success raised expectations across the city, but the issue for many fans is that Tomlin has not won a playoff game since the 2016 season. In a place like Pittsburgh, where the standard is competing for championships, that playoff drought has become a growing concern.

At the same time, Tomlin has never had a losing season. For 18 consecutive years, he has kept the Steelers above .500, regardless of the challenges that come with coaching in the NFL. In a league designed for competitive balance and constant turnover, that kind of consistency is an incredible achievement and a rare mark of stability.

Still, many Steelers fans believe the streak means little without postseason success. During training camp in Latrobe, Tomlin spoke with Kyle Brandt and shared his most honest thoughts about the so-called accolade. While the record may look impressive on the outside, Tomlin made it clear that it does not matter much to him, and it certainly is not something he believes motivates his players.

"It doesn’t mean a lot," Tomlin said. "For me, there is so much to be concerned about relative to now. Let’s be honest, most of these guys that I coach — it doesn’t resonate with them… They respect it, but it’s not something that is of value for them."

Tomlin mentioned that most of the players on his current roster were still in car seats 18 years ago. It's difficult for them to truly understand or care about a streak that started long before their professional careers began. As for Tomlin, he made it clear he does not care much for the record either, even though some of his critics believe otherwise.

Many of Tomlin’s harshest critics argue that he takes pride in never having a losing season and uses it to defend the team’s lack of postseason success. However, according to Tomlin, his focus has always been on one thing: winning. Not just surviving each season, but competing for championships.

"I am just focused on this collective and what we can do together," Tomlin said. "I think I owe them that. At the end of the day, I doubt that anybody cares. It’s just a nice, cool thing for you guys to talk about or use as an intro when you are talking about me, or hoping for my demise. Either way, it’s for entertainment, and it’s not big on my radar."

The bigger question remains whether Tomlin can get back to winning meaningful playoff games. The long postseason drought continues to raise concerns, and until the Steelers make a deep playoff run, doubt will continue to follow him no matter how many non-losing seasons he puts together.

Steelers' Mike Tomlin Has Run Out Of Excuses In 2025

Now that Tomlin got his wish and acquired Aaron Rodgers, the 2025 season is all up to him and the new-look roster he helped create. Tomlin has a lot of say in how Omar Khan constructs this roster. It became clear they knew change needed to happen, and they turned over many critical positions.

Now the Steelers have new faces, but also high expectations. Rodgers believes this team is capable of winning a Super Bowl, and so does Tomlin. Anything short of that would likely be seen as a failure in the eyes of the Steelers’ fan base.

#SteelerNation