Ben Roethlisberger Seriously Encourages Steelers To Part With Mike Tomlin: "Go Be Penn State's Head Coach"

The Pittsburgh Steelers got outscored 23-0 in the second half to lose a game to the Buffalo Bills in Week 13. The funny thing is they actually went into halftime up 7-3, but the game still felt lopsided from the start with Pittsburgh looking disjointed on both sides of the ball. Aaron Rodgers looked nowhere near himself as he played through a left wrist injury, and the offense couldn’t put together anything productive. 

The defense completely collapsed after halftime and failed to adjust as Buffalo took full control. It was an embarrassing defeat for the Steelers, who now sit at 6-6 on the 2025 season with frustration growing throughout the fan base. The good news, if there is any for this football team, is that the Steelers still have a chance to turn things around. The Baltimore Ravens are also 6-6, and with two games remaining between the rivals, the AFC North is still in play for Pittsburgh.

During the latest episode of his podcast Footbahlin, Ben Roethlisberger made comments that left fans stunned. The former Steelers quarterback, who has typically been supportive of Mike Tomlin over the years, did not hold back when discussing the team’s current struggles. Roethlisberger said the organization needs to take a hard look at what is happening and consider whether it is time to sit Tomlin down and acknowledge that a new chapter may be needed in the Steel City. Coming from Roethlisberger, a player who spent nearly his entire career under Tomlin, those words carried serious weight and sparked immediate debate.

"It may be, and I know it has been talked about around here a lot," Roethlisberger said while speaking on his podcast Footbahlin on Tuesday night. "Maybe it is time to clean the house. Maybe it is and I like Coach Tomlin. I have a lot of respect for Coach Tomlin, but maybe it’s best for him too. Maybe a fresh start for him is what is best. Whether that is in the pros. Go be Penn State’s head coach. Do you know what he would do at Penn State? He would probably go win National Championships because he is a great recruiter."

Roethlisberger continued by suggesting that Tomlin might even be better suited for a fresh start in college football. He floated the idea of Tomlin becoming the next head coach at Penn State, a program that is searching for a new leader after parting ways with James Franklin. 

Whether Tomlin would ever entertain such a move is unclear, but Roethlisberger’s comments have already ignited a firestorm among Steelers fans and added even more drama to an already turbulent season. 

"Yeah, it is," Roethlisberger said. "It is uncharacteristic... Here is what you don't do. You don't fire a guy like Coach Tomlin. He's a Hall of Fame coach. What you do is you come to an understanding and an agreement where it's like this is best for both of us."

Steelers' Mike Tomlin Has Truly Lost The Fan Base

Tomlin once said that there are no boosters with a big enough blank check to get him to coach in college football. That comment came several seasons ago, and things can always change, but it still reflects how strongly he has felt about staying in the NFL. Tomlin remains a great leader and has the potential to truly turn things around.

The fan base, however, has little faith in that happening because they have watched this same story play out for the last few seasons. It feels like the exact same movie on repeat. Until the Steelers show real signs of improvement and make proper adjustments, they will continue to be the team that shows up at home against a strong opponent like the Bills and gets embarrassed in their own house.

What do you believe is wrong with the Steelers? 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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