Former Steelers Linebacker James Harrison Absolutely Destroyed Head Coach Mike Tomlin After Week 12 Battle With Bears: "It's Trash"

The Pittsburgh Steelers headed into their Week 12 matchup against the Chicago Bears hopeful they could steal a win at Soldier Field. Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, bad news arrived as the contest neared kickoff: it was reported that starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers would be forced to miss the game against the team he claims he still "owns" on Sunday. In Rodgers’ absence, Mason Rudolph stepped up, completing 24 of his 31 passes for 171 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and one fumble. While Rudolph put together a respectable performance, it ultimately wasn’t enough to help the Steelers pull off a victory.

Rudolph showed flashes of competence and poise, but the team struggled to find consistency on both sides of the ball. The offense failed to sustain momentum, and the defense couldn’t contain the Bears when it mattered most. Pittsburgh’s hopes of leaving Soldier Field with a win slipped further away with each passing quarter, highlighting the challenges the Steelers face whenever they seem to have a good grip on the AFC North.

Former Steelers great James Harrison, never shy about voicing his opinions, didn’t hold back following the loss. Speaking with Joe Haden on their podcast Deebo & Joe Monday morning, Harrison launched an epic rant, calling out both Head Coach Mike Tomlin and Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin. Harrison didn’t mince words, criticizing the team’s coaching decisions and the defensive struggles that left the Steelers vulnerable, sending a strong message to the organization and fans alike.

"Defense (Harrison chokes on his words trying to describe how frustrating it has been to watch the Steelers' defense), soft," Harrison screamed while ranting to Haden. "I am tired of seeing the offensive linemen pushing our defensive linemen two or three yards deep."

After Harrison started screaming at the top of his lungs, it became clear he wasn’t playing around. 

He knows what it takes to have an elite defense, and he’s tired of seeing a unit with future Hall of Famers like Cam Heyward and TJ Watt fail to make a difference more often than not, though he knows Heyward and Watt aren’t the problem at all. 

"We are undisciplined or poorly coached or both," Harrison said. "We have a horrible defensive scheme. It's trash, it's garbage. We can't adjust at halftime. It doesn't exist or we are just being outcoached or both."

Haden laughed when Harrison called the defense soft, saying, "Oh Deebo," knowing professional players aren’t going to like hearing that. However, Harrison didn’t care; he needed to get the message across to the fan base. In true Harrison fashion, he did just that. Steeler Nation will appreciate hearing a former player not scared to hold the organization and Tomlin accountable.

Steelers Look To Bounce Back Against The Buffalo Bills

Now the Steelers have fallen to 6-5 on the 2025 season. It sounds like Rodgers could be back for Week 13 at Acrisure Stadium against the Buffalo Bills, but no one truly knows. 

Either way, the Steelers have now entered must-win territory as they have lost their lead in the AFC North and are genuinely starting to fall out of the playoff picture. The quickest path back, though, is taking down Josh Allen and the tough Bills this Sunday. There's still time to turn the 2025 season around, but it's running thin in the Steel City.

How much blame do you place on Head Coach Mike Tomlin for the defensive struggles and the team’s overall failures this season? Can you elaborate on where you think his biggest shortcomings have been? Let us know in the comments below! Please feel free to share your Steelers takes with me on X @anthonyghalkias and follow me. I will respond!

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