Pundit Believes Mike Tomlin's Departure From The Steelers After 2025 Is All But Guaranteed

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had an up and down 2025 season, and Head Coach Mike Tomlin has taken a lot of heat for the way his team has performed in recent weeks. The franchise has choked away its once strong lead in the AFC North, and the Steelers are currently on the outside of the playoff picture. The season is not lost as the Steelers are still tied for the lead in the division and a Wild Card spot could definitely be in play, however it is hard to be optimistic about the future of this team.

Tomlin has been called out for his "simple" defensive scheme and the predictability of the team as a whole. The coach has had a great career, but his football philosophy is arguably years behind the rest of the league, and many fans feel it is holding Pittsburgh back. 

Jim Rome echoed this point on The Jim Rome Show, as he grilled the Steelers after the team's loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 12.

"They d**n sure are not looking like the Pittsburgh Steelers," Rome said. "Not right now. And if they can't win a playoff game, there d**n well be some furniture moving around. What I don't understand is why Tomlin would still be there if the bottom falls out on the season. The buck has got to stop with the head coach, right? Why wouldn't it? It's just gotten way too toxic."

Rome doesn't recognize the team he is watching, and that is the same way a large majority of the fan base feels watching Pittsburgh in 2025. Rome believes there has to be a change at the coaching position, and he feels like that has to happen after this year if the current pace continues.

Players have come out and called out the defensive scheme of the Steelers, and it is clear that the coaching staff is coming up short. Players are not being put in position to succeed consistently, and that falls directly on the shoulders of Tomlin. Maybe he could be a good coach for a different team, but his time in Pittsburgh has run its course among many fans in the Steel City. The team has absolutely no chance of winning anything significant with the way it is currently being run. 

It is hard to imagine the Steelers without Tomlin as the head coach. He is under contract through the 2027 season after signing a contract extension during the 2024 offseason, and he will probably be able to see that through. He could be fired or the two sides may agree to mutually part ways, but it is a change that arguably needs to be made in order for the organization to take a step forward.

Steelers' Mike Tomlin Has Made Decisions That Has Set The Franchise Back

Tomlin should be praised for his time in Pittsburgh, however he has made several decisions that have hurt the franchise as well. This includes decisions like hiring Matt Canada as the team's offensive coordinator, and then keeping him around for as long as he did. This hindered the development of Kenny Pickett and ruined any chance of the quarterback being successful in Pittsburgh. Teryl Austin is still the team's defensive coordinator despite constant disappointments from the defense over the last several years. 

Players' development has also been called into question over the last few years. It is time for Pittsburgh to inject some new blood into the organization, and Rome agrees.

What do you think about Rome's comments? Let us know in the comments below!

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