The Pittsburgh Steelers blew the perfect chance to clinch the AFC North in Week 17 after playing down to competition against the 3-12 Cleveland Browns. Because of that, Pittsburgh will have to go against its fiercest rival in a do-or-die game that will decide who moves on the postseason and who goes home. No matter who the quarterback is for the Baltimore Ravens, it will be a tough game for sure. It wouldn't be a problem if the Black and Gold took care of business in Northern Ohio like they were supposed to.
Ron Schwane / Associated Press
Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin stands on the sidelines during a regular season matchup on the road against the Cleveland Browns.
It's been reported repeatedly that the Steelers won't fire Head Coach Mike Tomlin, but there is still some doubt among insiders that he will be leading Pittsburgh in 2026. Adam Schefter broke that down while making an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.
"I think where it’s interesting is that Sunday night game because somebody’s going to lose that game, and when somebody loses that game — we heard the Steelers fans chanting to fire Mike Tomlin earlier in the year. We heard Ravens fans say there should be conversations about John Harbaugh after the season — somebody, one of those two teams, is going to come up short," Schefter said. "One of those fan bases is going to be unhappy. One of those owners is going to want to have some conversations about what went wrong... every year there’s things that happens that never just goes the way that people think."
The way Schefter words it there, it sounds like Tomlin and Ravens coach John Harbaugh are competing for more than just the AFC North; they would be competing for their livelihoods. The loser would get fired in this situation. That is not confirmed to be the case, of course, as Schefter is just talking about the mindset of both teams if one were to lose.
Taylor Ollason / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Mike Tomlin shakes hands with John Harbaugh after beating the Ravens during the 2024 season.
Later on, Schefter clarified himself and said it would not be the owners that would make the decision, but instead, it would the individual coach that decides to call it quits and move on to greener pastures.
"I also think that these coaches, Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh...they will have a big say," Schefter said. "I think these guys will go in and say, 'Okay, you know what? It's been a great run.' One of them may say, 'It's been a great run, might be time to go try something else,' whether that's TV or another job somewhere else. Those things are possible. They're within the realm of possibilities in the wide range of outcomes after Week 18."
Tomlin and Harbaugh have both been the head coach of their respective teams since the mid-to-late 2000s. Sometimes doing the same job for nearly two decades can get old and tiresome, especially when you don't have nearly the same level of success you had in the past. Fans demanding that you get fired is a lot different than having aspirations to go to the Super Bowl and win it.
Jason Bridge / USA Today Sports
Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh (left) greets Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin (right) on the field prior to a regular season football game in Pittsburgh, PA.
Steelers' Week 18 Home Game Could Be Worst-Case Scenario For Tomlin
That's where Schefter's point comes in. Whichever coach loses will get flamed nonstop by their own fans, with people demanding change. Steeler Nation made headlines for the "Fire Tomlin" chants back in Week 13. They host the Ravens for this game to decide the AFC North. If the Steelers play as poorly as they did in that Week 13 game or against the Browns in Week 17, those angry chants could come back and be louder than ever.
What do you think about the idea that Tomlin would leave the Steelers if they lose to the Ravens? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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