The Pittsburgh Steelers’ longstanding Head Coach Mike Tomlin can’t hide from the haters anymore. Even Tomlin’s most thoughtful defenders are having a really difficult time defending him. He hasn’t been able to make the correct halftime adjustments for far too long, and in the 2025 season, his team has once again slipped after a strong start. Sure, things haven’t been perfect for the Steelers, as they fell to 6-6 on the season following the 26-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 13, but there is no excuse for the talent Tomlin has on this roster and what is actually happening on the football field.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Many believe it is time for the Steelers to fire Tomlin, and one of the franchise’s all-time great linebackers, James Harrison, wants him gone. Harrison has never been shy about telling it like it is when it comes to Tomlin. Harrison is now just simply watching a head coach who is not getting the job done. For a team with the Steelers’ history and talent, this level of underperformance is unacceptable.
Steelers fans were chanting “Fire Tomlin” during the game against the Bills.
— Pgh Jay (@PghJarron) December 1, 2025
I may be mistaken, but this appears to be the first time I’ve ever heard “Fire Tomlin” chants.
Steelers fans are fed up with what’s been going on with the team!😬 pic.twitter.com/XMm4H3dZpy
The reality is stark. The Steelers have not won a playoff game since the 2016 season. At a certain point, even an organization as stable and respected as Pittsburgh has to turn to the next chapter. Tomlin has given nearly two decades of service to the franchise, but history waits for no one. Fans, former players, and insiders alike are asking the same question. Is it finally time for a new era in Steelers football? Harrison admitted on his podcast Deebo & Joe on Monday that he wants Tomlin fired.
"I have never been a person that thought Coach Tomlin was a great coach," Harrison said Monday on his Deebo and Joe podcast. "I thought he was good. I'll be honest, part of that is because, when I was slated to be the starter when Joey [Porter] left, he drafted, one and two, outside linebackers. Right now, we have coaches on this staff -- when I say coaches, I'm saying this as, a coach is someone that tells you what to do and it doesn't matter if what they're telling you to do is right or wrong -- a good coach gets you to play to your potential. And right now, the players we have on that team, I have seen play, they're not playing up to their potential. A great coach gets you to play beyond your potential."
Harrison laid it out flat and clear as he expressed his belief that it is time for a new chapter in the Steel City. Many Steelers fans would agree with Harrison, and his argument about great coaches getting players to perform beyond their potential holds weight.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
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.
In the past, Tomlin has done that, but he has not shown any recent improvements and has not won a playoff game since the 2016 season. That's far too long for the Steel City and their fan base.
"Something has to be done," Harrison said. "I know the Steelers historically don't move on from coaches, but I think it's time that history be made."
Steelers' Mike Tomlin Tells Fans To "Keep Watching"
Tomlin insists that the solutions exist and that he can turn things around. When pressed on it, he simply said to keep watching.
Sebastian Foltz / Post-Gazette
Steelers' Art Rooney II smiles while talking to the media.
Steelers fans will do just that, hoping that Tomlin will be fired and a new chapter will begin soon, but that outcome does not seem likely.
Do you agree with James Harrison that it’s time for the Steelers to fire Mike Tomlin? 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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