Steelers' Mike Tomlin Urged To Go Elsewhere Due To Disillusioned Fan Base

The Pittsburgh Steelers were able to take down the Indianapolis Colts in Week 9 as the franchise won a game that most fans thought would not go their way. The Colts were one of the hottest teams in the league coming into the matchup, and Pittsburgh was able to shut down their offense, which was playing like the best in the league. This came as a surprise as Pittsburgh put up two embarrassing defensive performances the two weeks prior, and fans were preparing for another showing like that against a team that came in with a 7-1 record.

Pittsburgh suffered two devastating losses in back to back weeks as the team fell to the Cincinnati Bengals and then the Green Bay Packers. After the Packers loss, the coaching staff was under fire as the defensive performance was atrocious in both games and the team seemed to not have any answers for what they were seeing on the field. That changed against the Colts as the defense forced six turnovers and recorded five sacks, but some were still upset that the team only won the game by seven points. Former NFL offensive lineman Alex Boone had thoughts about that on a recent episode of his podcast The Oline Committee.

"Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers did not beat the Colts," Boone said. "The Colts literally beat themselves. Six turnovers later and you only lose by a touchdown? I'm almost looking at Pittsburgh like, 'Are you guys done with Tomlin yet?' And Tomlin, you should go to a better team. You need to go somewhere where you're respected and loved."

Head Coach Mike Tomlin has taken a lot of flack in recent years, but that is in part due to the standard that he has helped build up in Pittsburgh. The constant shortcomings in the postseason and regular season collapses over the last decade or so have become irritating and unacceptable for many fans, and Tomlin often takes a beating for that in the local media. Coaching in Pittsburgh has to be hard, but that doesn't mean he isn't respected. It just means fans expect more from a great coach with a good amount of talent on his roster.

There was a weird sect of Steelers fans that were upset after this win, and it is for the reasons that Boone mentioned. Forcing six turnovers and only winning by a touchdown is a bit suspect. That is a lazy argument to make, especially from a former player. Pittsburgh scored after four of Indianapolis's six turnovers. The first turnover of the game by the Colts led to the Steelers attempting to go or it on fourth down deep in the Colts' territory, which is something fans have been begging to see. It didn't workout, but it showed some aggressiveness that Tomlin has been lacking, and fans are certainly appreciative of that.

That was one turnover that the Steelers could not turn into points, and the other was the late-game interception from Joey Porter Jr. In that instance, the Steelers were just trying to keep the clock moving. It was not about scoring more points, it was about taking time off of the clock and forcing the Colts to use the last of their timeouts. A former player should probably have a little bit more of an analytical eye when looking at what happens in a given game. A win is a win in this league, and most reasonable Pittsburgh fans are grateful for it.

Steelers' Mike Tomlin Isn't Going Anywhere

Tomlin is currently under contract in Pittsburgh through the 2027 season, and the head coach is currently leading the way in the AFC North. It is hard to imagine he would ever decide to "mutually part ways" with Pittsburgh to pursue a job elsewhere like Boone suggested, and Pittsburgh is not the type to fire a head coach with multiple years left on his deal. 

Tomlin will likely be in Pittsburgh through 2027 at the very least, and the reality is, he could probably coach the Steelers as long as he wants.

What do you think about the comments from Boone? Let us know in the comments below!

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