Fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers are absolutely furious with Head Coach Mike Tomlin. During the team's Week 13 loss against the Buffalo Bills, Steeler Nation let him know exactly how upset they've been when "Fire Mike Tomlin" chants erupted throughout Acrisure Stadium on Sunday. If he cannot get this team back on track, these angry chants will only grow louder. Tomlin knows how often fans demanded the firing of former Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada, so he should know that anything less than a massive improvement will be seen as a failure in the eyes of the fan base.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin and ex-Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada chat during a practice.
While making an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, Hall of Fame Head Coach Bill Cowher explained exactly how Tomlin will respond to all this noise that can't go without acknowledgement.
"I know one thing, [Mike Tomlin]'s not going to let the outside noise influence, or how he's going to change his approach to this next game," Cowher said. "He knows it's a lot at stake. They're not playing great football right now. He's got to find a way to rally that group and get them to believe that they still have a chance to win this division."
From what Cowher said, it seems like Tomlin will not let the angry fans change his mind on anything, and he will try to prepare for this upcoming game as he normally would. This is easily the biggest game of the year so far, as this battle with the Baltimore Ravens could set the stage for how this division race unfolds up until they meet again in Week 18. A win means so much at this point, and a loss will only produce more anger.
Jason Bridge / USA Today Sports
Steelers' Mike Tomlin greets Ravens' John Harbaugh before a game
Obviously, there are still players that certainly believe in Tomlin, but that number appears to be shrinking with every passing loss in the 2025 season. He is still one of the better motivators in the NFL, but constantly losing takes its toll on the locker room. No one can end a losing streak with a simple rah-rah speech. He has a lot to work on right now, or else the season could be over before January.
Tomlin has developed a reputation for coaching overly-conservative, and refusing to change. The more he does that, the more that the fans get justified with their claims and their desire to have him fired as the team continues to lose, and the less that his own men can defend his decisions. He has to change himself before he can expect his team to respond.
Steelers Would Benefit From Multiple Changes From Tomlin
Multiple people within the organization have publicly expressed the desire for a simpler gameplan that allows the defense to play faster and more instinctively. If he listens to his players, that would be a great first step to getting the veterans to warm back up to him.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Mike Tomlin arrives for a playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens.
If Tomlin coaches scared, his players will start to believe that he doesn't trust them, whether it's true or not. He made it clear that he did not trust Mason Rudolph with the offensive scheme designed for his lone start of the season. He needs to coach a lot more aggressively and believe in his players to go out there and take the win each week.
Tomlin has so many cliche sayings that have gone viral, and it has led to numerous people falling in love with him. The problem is that the players don't respond to their coach's messages if he doesn't practice what he preaches. "The standard is the standard." He needs to hold himself to a higher standard, or else "The Standard" could be as much of a joke in the locker room as it is to fans.
What do you think about Cowher explaining Tomlin's mindset, as well as what he needs to do to avoid losing more than the fan base? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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