The Pittsburgh Steelers have not had a losing season in 21 straight seasons. Head Coach Mike Tomlin has never had a losing season in his 18 years at the helm. Now, in his 19th season, the Steelers sit at 6-5 and have once again lost their grip on the AFC North. This first happened in the 2024 season, and it is happening again in 2025. Tomlin and his team are unraveling after an exciting start, leaving fans and analysts questioning whether the Steelers can regain momentum and stabilize their season.
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Steelers' Head Coach Mike Tomlin smiles while walking off the field with quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Popular sports media personality Colin Cowherd went on his show, The Herd on Fox Sports, on Wednesday to discuss the state of the Steelers. Cowherd did not hold back, expressing frustration with the team’s performance and Tomlin’s coaching. He argued that while the non-losing streak is impressive on paper, it has become largely irrelevant in evaluating the team’s current situation. According to Cowherd, a record without losing seasons does not automatically mean the Steelers are competitive for a Super Bowl or even consistently dominating their division.
"He hasn’t won a playoff game in 8 years. He would be fired if he was the Eagles coach or the Cowboys coach..."@colincowherd thinks the Steelers’ streak of 21 non-losing seasons doesn’t mean much for Mike Tomlin pic.twitter.com/l9PA2vcUX8
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) November 25, 2025
Cowherd detailed exactly why the non-losing record is increasingly futile. He pointed to questionable personnel decisions, offensive inconsistency, and a lack of adjustments in critical games as evidence that Tomlin’s reputation for consistency may no longer be enough to mask the team’s struggles.
"So Mike Tomlin and the Steelers have not had a losing season in 21 seasons," Cowherd said while speaking on his show on Wednesday. "...But there is a story this morning about the hot seat heating up. Well he hasn't won a playoff game in 8 years. He would be fired if he were the Eagles coach, or the Cowboys coach, the New England coach, San Francisco coach, the Green Bay coach. In Green Bay, you gotta win playoff games. He would be fired if he were the Ravens coach."
While Tomlin’s past success is undeniable, Cowherd argued that legacy alone cannot sustain a team that is failing to capitalize on opportunities, and that the Steelers’ current slide raises serious questions about the future trajectory of both the coach and the franchise.
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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.
No other head coach would have survived such a long playoff drought, but the Steelers are the exception to firing coaches in professional sports. In most leagues, and even in the NFL, head coaches have a very short leash. Tomlin seems to have not only a long leash but one that may never lead to his firing. That is at least how many Steelers fans view it, and it is why they get so upset with his continued struggles.
Steelers Fans Feel Like Mike Tomlin's Message Has Grown Stale
Tomlin is a great leader, says the right things for the most part, and is confident he can fix the team. However, he has had more time than almost any head coach in America and still has yet to fully solve the Steelers’ ongoing issues. That combination of longevity and unresolved problems is what makes his situation so unusual and a frequent topic of debate among fans and analysts alike.
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Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin roams the practice field as his team works out during a 2025 training camp practice at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
This is why Cowherd believes the Steelers’ best path forward might be to bottom out and rebuild. Cowherd suggested that Pittsburgh should target quarterback prospect Dante Moore from Oregon in the 2026 NFL Draft as a potential cornerstone for the franchise.
Do you agree that it's time for the Steelers to part ways with Mike Tomlin? Why or why not? 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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